Garden Buddha Statues and Buddhist Garden Design HIDDEN

Garden Buddha Statues and Buddhist Garden Design

The Buddha left his opulent palace with gilded halls,opulent lifestyle and elaborate gardens to go out into the forest and seek his enlightenment. Thus Buddhism is strongly associated at being in harmony with nature and that is why a Buddha in a garden or following the principles of Buddhist garden design is so compelling to a western mind.

The garden is where we go to get away from the stresses and strains of modern life. And in our gardens is where we can see the whole cycle of life and the seasons -the circle of life changing day by day. A Buddha statue in the garden acts as a dramatic focus to the garden landscape. As part of the Buddha's Face Buddhism 101 project we have assembled a number of interesting articles on Buddhas in gardens and Buddhist garden design that we hope you enjoy.

In the movie  Being There Peter Sellers plays a simple gardener whose insights into life and our purpose are reflected by his profound but simple garden similes. 

Indeed George Bernard Shaw  said " the best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there." 

In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts in my garden grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful. Abram Urban

Buddhas in Gardens

Topics that we cover in our Buddha in Gardens page are shown below.

Buddhist gardens  -the principles and reasons behind Buddhist garden design.
Pure Land Buddhism and garden design
Zen Buddhism and the art of Zen Buddhist garden design

OUR Top Ten of the World’s Most Tranquil and Reflective Buddhist Gardens

Totekiko Temple Gardens , Kyoto Japan 
Imperial War Museum Peace Garden , London UK 
The Mahabodhi Temple Garden, India

Ryōan-ji Temple Gardens - Kyoto Japan
Sigiriya Temple Gardens ,Sri Lanka 
The Lumbini Garden, India 
Kagyu Samyé Ling Monastery Garden, Scotland 
Secret Buddha Garden, Ko Samui , Thailand 
The Peace Pagoda Gardens, Milton Keynes, UK 
Wenshu Monastery Gardens, Chengdu, China

Garden Design,Feng Shui and the Use of Buddhas in the Garden 

A short article about the history of Feng Shui,it's introduction to Buddhism and the use of Feng Shui garden design principles. 

"Seek inner peace and contemplation just by sitting in your garden or a park or countryside - still the mind and contemplate the joy of living and the glory of our world. Time is short and eternity beckons " The Buddha's Face 

The Movie Being There - Chance the Gardener 

The President of the Corporation  “Mr. Gardener, do you agree with Ben, or do you think that we can stimulate growth through temporary incentives? “
Chance the Gardener: “As long as the roots are not severed, all is well. And all will be well in the garden.”
The President “In the garden.”
Chance the Gardener  “Yes. In the garden, growth has it seasons. First comes spring and summer, but then we have fall (autumn) and winter. And then we get spring and summer again. “
President again “Spring and summer.”
Chance the Gardener: “Yes.”!
The President “Then fall (autumn) and winter.”
Chance the Gardener " Yes."

Water in Buddhist Garden Design

A short article about the use of water in Buddhist garden design and how Buddha statues can be key in achieveing the ultimate serene and calming effect in your garden.

I think the true gardener is a lover of their flowers, not a critic of them. I think that the true gardener is the reverent servant of Nature, not her truculent, wife-beating master. I think the true gardener, the older they grow, should more and more develop a humble, grateful and uncertain spirit.  Reginald Farrer