Buddha on the Green

6 years on, Buddha’s aura continues to be attractive

by John Sweetensen

AS almost all visitors to Seal Rocks eventually make their way along Kinka Road towards Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse, they will, after leaving Boat beach behind, have come upon the small grassy green where a stone Buddha seems to gaze out in contemplation over the restless waters of the bay and the scalloped-beaches coastline beyond.   A nearby wooden bench is frequently used by passers-by to follow the Buddha’s example, and often a flower is taken from the red hibiscus in the surrounding garden and placed in the lap of the sculpture as an offering.   Many must have wondered about the story behind this inviting space.

Some years earlier, Steve Grant and Bridget Pirrie, owners of Number 54 Kinka Road, had imported a variety of volcanic stone Buddhas from Bali for their home and gallery in Sydney, as well as their house at Seal Rocks.   By mid-2009, with all sculptures in place, two pieces from the shipment proved to be excess to their needs, and Steve offered one to Glen Davies, a fellow Buddhist, in memory of Glen’s mother, Heather, who had passed away in July of that year.   Heather and Alex, Glen’s father, had built the house adjacent to the green and lived there for very many years.

Glen gladly accepted Steve’s offer, but somehow felt that the Buddha had a presence that suggested he should sit in a position where other people could also experience his beneficial aura.   After options were canvassed with surrounding neighbours, a consensus was reached that the most appropriate public location was the one where the Buddha now sits in his meditative pose, looking out towards the island off Number One beach.

The logistics of how to place the sculpture required quite a bit of forethought, as the piece is so heavy that there was no possibility of adjustment once it had been positioned.   A small group of residents gathered on 28th October 2009 as Chris Wilson oversaw the operation whereby it was trucked in and lifted by crane in a fabric harness and carefully lowered in the correct orientation onto a spot that had been cleared and levelled.   From the moment the straps came off, the green immediately took on the distinctive character which so many people still find attractive and seductive today.

That is how our village came to be home to a representation of the Amitabha Buddha.   For those interested, he is a Buddha who contemplates the uniqueness and wonder of all he surveys in perfect equanimity and filled with compassion for all beings.   His hands are in ‘dhyana mudra’, resting in the lap with palms upraised.   This is the pose that allows for the best flow of meditative energy and deep contemplation.   Portrayed like this, the Buddha is the embodiment of calm and tranquillity, inspiring us towards inner peace and self-understanding.

Careful placement: The logistics of how to place the sculpture required quite a bit of forethought, as the piece is so massively heavy that there was no possibility of adjustment once it had been positioned.

The Amitabha Buddha is craned into place on the green.

Watched by Glen Davies, Chris Wilson gently manoeuvres the Buddha into position.