Sanda Muni Buddha Image

Sanda Muni Buddha Image is now located in Bandoola Monastery, of Mrauk U. During A.D 123, Gautama Buddha came to Mrauk U and from that time on, people started to believe in Buddhism and had beliefs in worshipping Buddha images and Pagodas.

History

A long time ago, King Sanda Thuriya reigned the Rakhine territory. When Gautama Buddha came to Mrauk U, the king begged for making of images as a symbol representing the real Buddha.

So, he made 4 Muni Buddha images which are

(1) Maha Myat Muni (located at Mandalay)

(2) Shwebonthar Muni (located at Pyay)

(3) Zalun Pyaydawpyan (located at Zalun)

(4) Maha Muni (located at Sittwe).

There were more jewelleries and gold left, so he made 5 more images known as (1) Sanda Muni (2) Kuja Muni (3) Sakkyar Muni (4) Deva Muni and (5) Sula Muni. These five images are also known as Maha Kyan Images. The Maha Muni was surrounded by these 5 images.

During the reign of King Saw Mon, he moved to Mrauk U as the capital. He took the Sanda Muni image along with him to Mrauk U. In 1852, lower Myanmar fell under the rulings of the British colony. The British took all the bronze images to melt and turn these into weapons. Since the people wear afraid that the Sanda Muni might be turned into weapons, they covered the image with concrete and left in the Bandoola Monastery. The British thought that this image was made of concrete and left it where it was.

It was April 27, 1988, Sunday. Sayadaw Ashin Sattkapalar was cleaning the floor in front of the image and suddenly an eye dropped down. The monk saw that the inner part was not made of concrete but of bronze metal.

So in May 19, 1988, the covered concrete of the Image was torn down and the real Sanda Muni Buddha Image was shown to public. The size of the image is 4 feet 10 inches high and 4 feet and 2 inches in width. This Buddha image became more and more popular with the locals.