Surabaya's Buddha, a religious tourism asset<\/p>\n
Indra Harsaputra, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya<\/p>\n
Without squinting, Buddhist culture researcher Sirichai from
\nMahidol University, Thailand, focused his gaze with amazement and
\ndelight on the four-faced Buddha statue at Sanggar Agung (Great
\nTemple) in Surabaya's coastal amusement park, Taman Ria Kenjeran.<\/p>\n
\"I'm visiting this place specially to see this gold-plated
\nstatue. I'm sure thousands of foreign guests will later be
\nthronging Sanggar Agung to perform religious rituals,\" Dr.
\nSirichai, also a university lecturer, told The Jakarta Post
\nseveral weeks ago.<\/p>\n
The statue, nine meters high with four-kilogram of gold
\nplating, is, he says, the tallest in the four-faced category.
\nThailand boasts the world's grandest statue in the Sleeping
\nBuddha temple in Hatyai -- 35 meters long and 15 meters high --
\nbut this is a reclining Buddha.<\/p>\n
The Sanggar Agung Buddha in Surabaya is thus the tallest
\nBuddha of its kind in the world, he claimed, explaining that this
\nkind of statue represented the four-facets of Buddhist philosophy
\nof compassion, charity, neutrality and meditation.<\/p>\n
It means that Buddhists should love mankind, contribute to
\ncharity without discrimination, and keep praying and carrying out
\ntheir religious rituals. \"When good deeds are properly practiced,
\na heavenly atmosphere is created on earth,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Inaugurating the monument on the evening of Nov. 10 was monk
\nViryanadi Mahatera of Sanggar Agung, Thai Kingdom chief monk
\nPhrarajkhru Sivacharaya, and Hindu Dharma priest Gede Anom Jala
\nKarana Manuaba.<\/p>\n
The religious affairs ministry's Hinduism-Buddhism director
\ngeneral I. Wayan Suarjaya attended the ceremony, which also saw
\nthe Indonesian Museum of Records declare the statue as the
\ncountry's tallest Buddha.<\/p>\n
Viryanadi blessed the monument by intoning Gay Kwang (words to
\nopen the light of Buddha), to the accompaniment of Balinese
\ntraditional gamelan music played by the Sekehe Gong Banjar
\ntroupe. Prayers then followed to consecrate the statue led by the
\nParisada Hindu Dharma priest and the chief monk of Thailand.<\/p>\n
Istanto, spokesman for Buddha Catur Muka (\"four-face Buddha\"),
\nsaid the digit \"nine\" associated with the image was
\nphilosophically meant to indicate the Great Lord's relationship
\nwith the Nine Deities of Hinduism.<\/p>\n
The statue symbolizes nobility, virtue, truthfulness and
\nhappiness, whereas in the Hindu faith it suggests the points of
\nthe compass.<\/p>\n
He expressed the hope that the presence of this statue would
\nturn Sanggar Agung into a tourist destination. This Buddhist
\nfigure is especially revered because the temple is located in a
\nwell-known place of worship in East Java. \"Buddhists from all
\nover the world will come here to worship,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Surabaya has several other famous locations that attract
\nreligious tourism, including Ampel, which is known as an Arab
\nsettlement of Hadhramaut origin and as a center for Muslim
\nworship, and the Al-Akbar Mosque, which is located in the
\nMenanggal area of the East Java capital.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/surabayas-buddha-a-religious-tourism-asset-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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