Reaching boldly over the metropolis of Rio de Janeiro, the impressive Christ the Redeemer statue has been an emblem of Brazil for nearly one hundred years. But in 2021, the Redeemer met its match in the Great Buddha of Ibiraçu. At 38 meters tall—the same height as the Redeemer—this massive monument is the largest Buddha image in the West and the second largest in the world. It resides at Mosteiro Zen Morro da Vargem, a Soto Zen monastery complex in the rolling hills of Ibiraçu, Espírito Santo.
Morro da Vargem has experience in making history. Founded in 1974, the temple was the first Soto Zen monastery in Latin America. As Brazil is home to the world’s largest Japanese diaspora population (and, consequently, the third-largest Buddhist population in the West), Morro da Vargem also serves as a hub for Japanese culture. The site is complete with a large torii (traditional Japanese gate), a Zen garden, and a ceramics studio. Aligned with the Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact, the temple has also worked to replant its 1.4 square kilometers of land, restoring the damaged forests to their former glory.
The temple’s website notes that “It took years for the Buddhist lotus planted in 1974 to bloom firmly on top of Morro da Vargem.” The Great Buddha of Ibiraçu indicates that this flourishing isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
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