Home to the world's tallest ancient standing Buddha statue, Buduruvagala reveals Sri Lanka's rare Mahayana heritage through seven cliff-carved figures steeped in mystery.

Why visit Buduruwagala Raja Maha Viharaya

• Largest Rock-Cut Buddha Statue: Buduruwagala features the largest standing Buddha statue on the island, measuring an impressive 51 feet (16 meters) from head to toe.
• Rare Mahayana Buddhist Site: Unlike the predominant Theravada Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Buduruwagala is a rare testament to the island's Mahayana legacy, featuring numerous Bodhisattva figures including Avalokiteśvara, Tara, Maitreya, and Vajrapani.
• Mysterious Mustard Oil Lamp: A unique and unexplained phenomenon at the site is a carved flame-shaped indentation on the rock that is always wet with an oil resembling and smelling like mustard oil.
• Ancient Female Rock-Cut Statue: It boasts Sri Lanka's only ancient rock-cut statue representing a female figure, thought to be Tara, the consort of Avalokiteśvara.
• Tantric Buddhist Symbolism: The presence of Vajrapani holding a vajra, a thunderbolt scepter, is a rare depiction in Sri Lankan rock-cut art, suggesting possible connections to Tantric Buddhist practices.