The 20th-century standing Buddha at Dondra is an inexact copy of the 8th-century statue at Avukana. The modern statue, with a neon "flame of wisdom" atop its head, illustrates both the continuity and the difference over time of the living Buddhist tradition in Sri Lanka. Dondra is located on the coast, at the southernmost point of Sri Lanka; if you head out from here, your next stop is the South Pole.