The most striking feature of the statue is its radiant golden hue, which echoes the Buddhist legend that at the moment of the Buddha’s birth, a shower of golden rain descended from the heavens. Standing 7.2 metres tall, the Konagamana Buddha Statue at Ba Den Mountain is crafted using high-pressure metalworking technology with red copper as the core material, and finished with a surface coated in 24-karat gold lacquer.

The sacred Konagamana Buddha Statue atop Bà Đen Mountain, Tây Ninh. (Photo: Sun World Ba Den Mountain).

Depicted in the lotus seated posture, the Konagamana Buddha bears a compassionate expression, with gently open eyes gazing downward. The Buddha’s right hand forms the teaching mudra, symbolising the period of preaching and guidance in His life, while the left hand holds a fig fruit – an image closely associated with the path to enlightenment beneath the Udumbara tree (Udumbara in Sanskrit, also known as the fig tree, flower, or fruit, which is believed to herald auspicious signs).

The enshrinement of the Konagamana Buddha atop the sacred Bà Đen Mountain is regarded as a great blessing by many Buddhists. It is especially seen as a spiritual place where local people and visitors come to offer prayers and wishes for prosperity and good fortune during the early days of the Lunar New Year.