List of Buddhist Records and Trivia

Here is a list of some interesting Buddhist records and information.

Records

World's largest Buddha statue in China: 416 m x 68 m (1,365 ft x 223 ft)
World's tallest Buddha statue in Japan: 120 m (394 ft)
World's largest book: Kuthodaw Pagoda 729 marble slabs with the Tipitaka inscribed on them
Largest Buddhist temple: Borobudur in Indonesia, 123 m x 123 m (403 ft x 403 ft) at the base
Oldest living tree (of any kind) with a known planting date: Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, a Bodhi Tree in Sri Lanka, brought by Sanghamitta and planted in 288 BCE.
World's highest elevation Buddhist temple: Taktshang in Bhutan, 3,120 m (10,200 ft)
World's highest Buddhist temple off the ground: Taktshang in Bhutan, 700 m (2,300 ft)
World's highest Dhamma center off the ground in an urban area: Vipassana Foundation in Las Vegas, 100 m (326 ft)

Holiest place in Buddhism: Maha Bodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, India
Percent of current inhabitants of India who are Buddhist: 1.5%
Oldest Buddhist temple outside of India or Sri Lanka: White Horse Temple in China, 68 CE
Oldest Buddhist university: Nalanda in India, est. 427 CE (one of the oldest of any kind)
Number of Buddhists in the World, approx. 1.1 billion to 1.6 billion
Number of Buddhists in the world, outside of Asia: 11,490,668 (about 1% of total Buddhists)
Number of Buddhists in the U.S. who are not of Asian descent: 1,215,298
Number of Buddhists in the U.S. who are Asian or of Asian descent: 4,861,194
The U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado now has a Buddhist chapel with meditation cushions for 20 cadets
First known world religion to have a monastic order for women: Buddhism, see Bhikkhuni ordination
Only major religion to have scriptures written or composed by women: Buddhism, see Theragatha and Therigatha, Itivuttaka
Only major religion where followers can attain to the same level as the founder: Buddhism, see Arahant