Before we dive into the ‘where to place a buddha statue‘ detail, here’s the short version: keep it clean, face it towards the East, and don’t put it on the floor.

What is a buddha statue?

Buddha statues and heads are representations of the Buddha, an important figure in the Buddhist religion. They usually aren’t meant to represent the actual founder, Siddhartha Gautama, but rather an ideal or spirit of a figure who has achieved Nirvana and can guide others to do the same.

As such, these statues should be treated with a degree of respect, and their placement should be a considered choice. Putting it in the wrong place won’t invite condemnation, but it won’t be looked at too fondly either.

4 Tips for placing a buddha statue in your garden

1. Keep your Buddha statue off the floor

The Buddha is important to many cultures. Buddhism is a popular religion in Bhutan, Myanmar, Cambodia, China, Japan and many, many more countries, and so we should consider what’s common with other religious iconography.

Crucifixes are often on walls or tables (or around the neck, but don’t do that with a statue), menorahs go on tables and windowsills, and the Five K’s from Sikhism are all worn on the person. They might all be very different, but they have in common that they’re not near the floor.

Keep this in mind and try to place your statue at least a little raised off the ground. Eye-level is preferred, but this is pretty hard to do outdoors. 

You might not have a garden table, but walls are pretty common. If you have no choice but to place it on a floor, try and put something underneath it to keep it from getting floor-dirty. Buddhists should respect the intent.

2. Keep your Buddha clean

Pretty straightforward – cleanliness equals respect in every walk of life. 

Try and keep your Buddha statue free from dust and other garden bits with frequent dusting. A simple cloth will do the job, and don’t use abrasives.

3. Face your buddha statue to the east

Buddhism originated in the east, ancient India to be exact. Facing your statue that way respects the religion’s origins, and serves as a reminder whenever you look at it. There might be feng shui and other spiritual/essence benefits, but the first feels the most grounded. 

The Buddha was a man after all, not a god.

4. Keep the statue where you can see it

A Buddha statue is meant to help guide you towards wisdom, self-reflection without ego, and meditative perfection. If you can’t see it, the statue is unlikely to fill you with inner light.

Choose a spot that is unobtrusive, yet obvious – not hidden in the depths of a bush for contemplative squirrels. Gautama Buddha spent some significant time beneath the Bodhi tree, so this would be fittingly symbolic (perhaps on a tree bench to rise from the floor?).

Remember that being under a tree will invite bits falling on it from the tree, so you’ll need to revisit tip 3 a lot.

There you have it, almost everything you need to know for the ideal Buddha statue placement to keep your self at peace. Don’t have a Buddha statue already? We have plenty to choose from at Primrose.