26-10-2023 (BANGKOK) In a surprising discovery, workers in Chonburi, Thailand stumbled upon an ancient Buddha statue hidden inside a mango tree that was being cut down. The incident took place at a renowned temple in the city, where workers were hired to fell the mango tree situated on the temple grounds.
According to reports from Thai site KhaoSod, the temple’s abbot enlisted the help of workmen to prepare for the annual Buddhist Kathina ceremony on November 5th. As part of the preparations, they needed wood, and thus the decision was made to cut down the 10-meter-tall, 80-centimeter-thick mango tree.
As the lumberjacks were sawing the trunk into smaller pieces, they made an astonishing discovery—a Buddha statue nestled inside the tree. The statue, crafted from jadeite, emitted a radiant emerald green hue and bore a gentle smile on its face. The remarkable find suggested that the tree had grown around the statue over the course of many years, securely encasing it within its trunk.
Despite the chainsaw inadvertently damaging the statue during the cutting process, the artifact remained surprisingly well-preserved. Experts estimate that the statue is over a century old, considering the size and age of the mango tree that enveloped it.
The current abbot, who is the third generation in his role, expressed his astonishment at the unexpected find. He admitted to having no prior knowledge of the Buddha statue and how it came to be inside the tree. Following the discovery, the monks carefully extracted the statue from its wooden encasement and placed it in the abbot’s room within the temple.
It remains uncertain whether the temple will undertake restoration efforts to enable public worship of the ancient Buddha statue. This unique incident serves as a reminder of the rich historical and cultural heritage that can often be found in unexpected places. Earlier this year, Thailand witnessed a similar occurrence when a 700-year-old Buddhist shrine emerged from the depths of the Mekong River.
