Monumental images of the Buddha in this style are first associated with the early Buddhist sites of Andhra Pradesh, particularly those of Amaravati (2nd-3rd centuries AD). It was practised in this coastal region of southern India over an extended period, and had a widespread impact on the development on the style of Buddha images, most notably in Sri Lanka and with western Indonesian and Malay regions of Southeast Asia. The style appears at Anuradhapura, the Buddhist capital of Sri Lanka, from around the 4th century and persists until late into the Anuradhapura period (7th and 8th centuries). Sri Lanka versions of this image can generally be distinguished from their Indian models by the absence of the forehead mark (urna), one of the Buddha's superhuman marks (laksanas) and by the distinctive stone utilised by the Anuradhapura sculptors which is coarser than its Indian equivalent, thus not permitting the quality of finish achieved by the Indian artists.

The original left hand would have been raised in the abhayamudra gesture, denoting benevolent reassurance extended by the Buddha, as witnessed most spectacularly in the colossal rock-cut Buddha image at Avukana, in central Sri Lanka. Drill holes in the lower garment indicate the dowelling of the hand and garment folds, possibly an early repair. The hollow eyes reflect the practice described in the early chronicles of inserting crystal in the eyes and re-setting it periodically to revitalise the image.