Chorten

All you want to know about Chorten

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The Great Stupa at Sanchi, India (4th–1st century BCE).
Dhamek Stupa in Sarnath, northeastern India is the oldest Stupa in existence.

A stupa (from Sanskrit and Pāli: m., स्तूप, stūpa, literally meaning "heap") is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, once thought to be places of Buddhist worship, typically the remains of a Buddha or saint. In other Asian languages such monuments are called

  • chos rtan (Tibetan, "dharma place/seat")
  • chedi (Thai, from the Pāli chaitya)
  • dagobah (Sinhalese, from the Sanskrit dhatu)
  • tope (Hindi, from the Sanskrit)
  • garbha (Sanskrit, meaning a storehouse or repository)

After "stupa," chorten (from the Tibetan chos rtan) is the most commonly-encountered English term. The term "reliquary" is sometimes used, after a Roman Catholic functional equivalent.

Stupas are an ancient form of mandala.[1]

Contents

Description and history

Evolution of the Butkara stupa, through the Mauryan, Indo-Greek, Indo-Scythian and Kushan periods.
Jetavanaramaya stupa in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka is the second largest brick structure in the world
Stupa surrounded by four lion-crowned pillars. Gandhara, 2nd century CE.
The gorintō is a Japanese stupa variant.
A commemorative stupa.

The stupa is the latest Buddhist religious monument and was originally only a simple mound of mud or clay to cover supposed relics of the Buddha. After the parinirvana of the Buddha, his remains were cremated and the ashes divided and buried under eight stupas with two further stupas encasing the urn and the embers. Little is known about these early stupas, particularly since it has not been possible to identify the original ten monuments. However, some later stupas, such as at Sarnath and Sanchi, seem to be embellishments of earlier mounds.

In the third century BCE, after his conversion to Buddhism, the emperor Ashoka had the original stupas opened and the remains distributed among the several thousand stupas he had built. Nevertheless, the stupas at the eight places associated with the life of the Buddha continued to be of particular importance. Accordingly, the importance of a stupa changed from being a funerary monument to being an object of veneration. As a consequence their appearance changed also. Stupas were built in Sri Lanka soon after King Devanampiyatissa converted to Buddhism, the first stupa to be built was the Thuparamaya. Later on Sri Lanka went on to build many stupas over the years, some like the Jetavanarama in Anuradhapura being one of the tallest ancient structures in the world.

They evolved into large hemispherical mounds with features such as the torana (gateway), the vedica (fence-like enclosure evolved from the vedic villages), the harmika (a square platform with railings on top of the stupa), chattrayashti (the parasol or canopy) and a circumambulatory around the stupa. From the first century BCE onwards, stupas were incorporated into the hall of the chaitya-griha.

One such stupa was discovered at Sopara, an ancient port near Mumbai, and is believed to be one of most ancient stupas in the world. The oldest known stupa is the Dhamek Stupa at Sarnath, India, while the tallest is the Phra Pathom Chedi in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, at a height of 127 metres. The most elaborate stupa is the 8th century Borobudur monument in Java, Indonesia. The upper rounded terrace with rows of bell shaped stupas contained buddha images symbolizing Arupadhatu, the sphere of formlessness. The main stupa itself is empty, symbolizing complete perfection of enlightenment. The main stupa is only the crown part of the monument, while the base is pyramidal structure elaborate with galleries adorned with bas relief of scenes derived from Buddhist text depicted the life of Siddharta Gautama. Borobudur unique and significant architecture has been acknowledge by UNESCO as the largest buddhist monument in the world.

The stupa evolved into the pagoda as Buddhism spread to other Asian countries. The pagoda has varied forms that also include bellshaped and pyramidal ones. Today, in the Western context, there is no clear distinction between the stupa and the pagoda. But in general stupa is used for a Buddhist structure of India or south-east Asia, while pagoda refers to a building in east Asia which can be entered and which may be secular in purpose.

Symbolism

Fundamentally, a stupa is essentially made up of the following five constituent parts:

  • a square base
  • a hemispherical dome
  • a conical spire
  • a crescent moon
  • a circular disc

Each component is rich in metaphoric content. For example, "the shape of the stupa represents the Buddha, crowned and sitting in meditation posture on a lion throne. His crown is the top of the spire; his head is the square at the spire's base; his body is the vase shape; his legs are the four steps of the lower terrace; and the base is his throne." [2] The components of the stupa are also identified with the five elements – earth, water, fire, air, and space – held to constitute the fabric of manifest existence.

The Eight Great Stupas

There are eight different kind stupas, all referring to major events in Buddha Shakyamuni's life.

Lotus Blossom Stupa

Also known as stupa of heaped lotuses or birth of the Sugata stupa.

This stupa refers to the birth of the Buddha. It is said that “at birth Buddha took seven steps in each of the four direction”[3] (East, South, West and North). In each direction lotuses sprang, symbolizing the Four Immeasurables; love, compassion, joy and equanimity. The four steps of the basis of this stupa is circular, and it is decorated with lotus-petal design. Some times seven heaped lotus steps are constructed referring to the seven first steps of the Buddha. [4]

Enlightenment stupa

Also known as the stupa of the conquest of Mara.

This stupa symbolizes the time the 35-year-old Buddha reached enlightenment under the bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya. It is said that he conquered worldly temptations and attacks Manifesting itself in the form of Mara. [5]

Stupa of many doors or gates

After reaching enlightenment, the Buddha taught his first students in a deer-park near Sarnath. Here he gave his first basic teachings, with series of doors on each sides of the steps . The teachings are called the "Four Noble Truths, the six perfections, the Noble Eight folded Path and the twelve links in the chain of dependent origination." [6]

Stupa of descent from the god realm

42 years old, Buddha spent a summer retreat in Tushita Heaven, where his mother had taken rebirth. In order to repay her kindness he taught the dharma to her reincarnation. Local inhabitants build a stupa like this in Sankasya in order to commemorate this event. The stupa is characterized by having a central projection at each side containing a triple ladder.[7]

Stupa of great Miracles

Also known as stupa of conquest of tirthikas This stupa refers to various miracles performed by the Buddha when he was 50 years old. Legend tells he overpowered several demons known as maras and tirthikas. This stupa was raised by the Lichave tribe to commemorate the event.[8]

Stupa of reconciliation

The Sangha had been divided into disputing fractions. However Buddha managed to reunite the Sangha, and a stupa in this design was build in the kingdom of Magadha. It has four octagonal steps with equal sides.[9]

Stupa of complete victory

This commemorate Buddha successfully prolonging his life by tree months. It has only three steps, which are unadorned.[10]

Stupa of Nirvana

The main Stupa crowning Borobudur Buddhist monument, Java, Indonesia.

This stupa refers to the death of the Buddha, when he was 80 years old. It symbolizes the Buddha's complete absorption into the highest state of mind. It's bell-shaped and usually not ornamented.[11]

Regional Names

Regional names for stupa include:

  • Chaitya (Nepal)
  • Candi (Indonesia and Malaysia)
  • Chedi (Thailand [เจดีย์])
  • Chorten [Tibet, Ladakh(India) and Bhutan]
  • Dagoba/Chaitiya (Sri Lanka)
  • Chedey (Cambodia)
  • Phrathāt (Lanna)
  • Sübürgen (Mongolia)
  • Tap (Korea [塔/탑 lit: "tower"])
  • Tháp (Vietnam [塔 lit: "tower"])
  • Thart (Laos)
  • Ta (China [塔 lit: "tower"])
  • Tō (Japan [塔/とう lit: "tower"])
  • Zedi (Myanmar [စေတီ) /Pahto (ပုထုိး])

See also

References

  1. ^ Prebish & Keown, Introducing Buddhism, page 89
  2. ^ Introduction to stupas
  3. ^ Beer, Robert: The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs (2004) Serindia Publications Inc. ISBN 1 932476 10 5 p133
  4. ^ Beer, Robert: The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs (2004) Serindia Publications Inc. ISBN 1 932476 10 5 p133
  5. ^ Beer, Robert: The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs (2004) Serindia Publications Inc. ISBN 1 932476 10 5
  6. ^ Beer, Robert: The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs (2004) Serindia Publications Inc. ISBN 1 932476 10 5 p133
  7. ^ Beer, Robert: The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs (2004) Serindia Publications Inc. ISBN 1 932476 10 5 p133
  8. ^ Beer, Robert: The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs (2004) Serindia Publications Inc. ISBN 1 932476 10 5
  9. ^ Beer, Robert: The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs (2004) Serindia Publications Inc. ISBN 1 932476 10 5
  10. ^ Beer, Robert: The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs (2004) Serindia Publications Inc. ISBN 1 932476 10 5
  11. ^ Beer, Robert: The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs (2004) Serindia Publications Inc. ISBN 1 932476 10 5

References

External links

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