Near the hot and humid city of Hpa-An in Myanmar, in an ancient hillside cave, a constellation of sacred figures undulate, often in irregular rows, across every nook and cranny. They are Buddhas of different sizes, many made of terracotta a few inches tall. The shallow shelter also holds a 32-foot-tall Buddha and many others, in various standing, sitting, or reclining poses. One common name of this archaeological pilgrimage site—also known as the Kawgoon or Kawgun Cave Temple—should come as no surprise: the Cave of the Ten Thousand Buddhas. Richard…
