Photo by Eisuke Ueda, © Todaiji-Temple

Great Buddha (Daibutsu) of Nara Todai-ji Temple Nara, Japan

The Great Buddha, an immense (16m) casting in bronze, represents Vairocana, the cosmic Buddha of Universal Light, an early form of Dainichi. The 8th century original was twice destroyed by fire (1180 and 1567), and reconstructed in 1692. A bit of the trunk and pedestal is all that now remains of the original statue. The hands date from the 16th century, and the unfortunate 17th century head gives no idea of what the original may have looked like. Although the Great Buddha in his current incarnation can not be considered aesthetically inspiring, he does retain a certain impressiveness.

The statue is housed in the Great Hall of the temple. It was cast on site, by pouring molten bronze in courses between a huge earthen core and an outer mold. Its construction required nearly all the bronze in Japan - about one million pounds of copper, tin, and lead.