Statues & Shrines of Wat Lao Buddhovath
Our grounds are dotted with animal-themed statues and symbolic shrines that each tell a part of the Buddha’s story or Lao Buddhist tradition
Moro (Peacock)
Moro means ‘peacock’ in Pāli and represents the Buddha’s many colors of light. Monks chant the Moro Parittā when blessing water, homes, amulets, and bracelets.
Nāga (Serpent-Dragon)
Nāgas are semi-divine serpent-dragons—guardians of treasures and temples—who dwell just above the Animal Realm in Buddhist cosmology.
Lion
The lion symbolizes the Buddha’s voice: clear, far-reaching, and authoritative. Its reclining pose echoes one of the Buddha’s own meditation postures.
White Elephant
In Southeast Asia elephants signify royalty. Albino/white elephants are especially sacred, recalling Queen Māyā’s dream of a white elephant before Siddhartha’s birth.
Khanti (Enduring Patience)
This statue shows the Bodhisatta under a Nāga-king’s protection, embodying khanti (‘patient endurance’) on his vow to end suffering for all beings.
Elephant Horn Replica
A ceremonial elephant-horn sculpture honoring the animal’s deep ties to the Buddha’s birth and royal lineage.
King Sākkhā of the Devas
King Sākkhā, lord of the 33 celestials, repeatedly aided Siddhartha Gautama on his path. This statue shows him paying respects to the Buddha.
Additional Royal Elephant
A second elephant statue underscores the animal’s revered status in the Buddha’s life story and Lao heritage.
Three-Headed Elephant Emblem
Once on Laos’s royal flag, this shrine piece recalls the country’s former name, “Land of a Million Elephants,” and celestial protection.
Large Buddha with Vitarka Mudra
Displaying the Vitarka (“teaching”) gesture, this statue presides over the Water Simma Shrine where monastic rules are studied and recited.
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