Buddhist architecture
Buddhist architecture refers to the design and construction of buildings and structures that are used for Buddhist worship, education, and community activities. Here are some key features and examples of Buddhist architecture:
Types of Buddhist Architecture
1. Stupas: Also known as dagobas, these are dome-shaped structures that house relics of the Buddha or other important Buddhist figures.
2. Temples: These are buildings that serve as places of worship and often contain images of the Buddha and other Buddhist deities.
3. Pagodas: These are multi-tiered structures that are often used as temples or shrines.
4. Viharas: These are Buddhist monasteries that provide accommodation for monks and nuns.
5. Chaityas: These are Buddhist shrines that are often built into hillsides or caves.
Characteristics of Buddhist Architecture
1. Use of Symbolism: Buddhist architecture often incorporates symbols and motifs that are significant in Buddhist teachings, such as the wheel of dharma and the lotus flower.
2. Use of Color: Buddhist architecture often features a range of colors, including red, gold, and blue, which are used to represent different aspects of Buddhist teachings.
3. Use of Geometry: Buddhist architecture often incorporates geometric shapes, such as squares, circles, and triangles, which are used to represent different aspects of Buddhist teachings.
4. Use of Natural Materials: Buddhist architecture often incorporates natural materials, such as wood, stone, and earth, which are used to create a sense of harmony with the natural environment.
Influences on Buddhist Architecture
1. Indian Architecture: Buddhist architecture was heavily influenced by Indian architecture, particularly the use of stupas and temples.
2. Chinese Architecture: Buddhist architecture in East Asia was influenced by Chinese architecture, particularly the use of pagodas and temples.
3. Southeast Asian Architecture: Buddhist architecture in Southeast Asia was influenced by local architectural styles, particularly the use of wooden temples and stupas.
Here are some UNESCO World Heritage Sites that feature Buddhist architecture:
1. Borobudur Temple Compound (Indonesia, 1991) – A massive Buddhist temple complex built in the 9th century.
It is a Mahayana Buddhist temple in Central Java, Indonesia. Built during the reign of the Sailendra Dynasty, the temple design follows Javanese Buddhist Architecture which blends the Indonesian indigenous tradition of ancestor worship and the Buddhist concept of attaining nirvana. Worldwide knowledge of its existence was sparked in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, then the British ruler of Java, who was advised of its location by native Indonesians. Borobudur is the largest Buddhist temple in the world and ranks with Bagan in Myanmar and Angkor Wat in Cambodia as one of the great archeological sites of Southeast Asia.
2. Angkor Wat (Cambodia, 1992) – A vast temple complex built in the 12th century, featuring a mix of Hindu and Buddhist architecture.
Located on a site measuring 162.6 hectares (402 acres) within the ancient Khmer capital city of Angkor, it was originally constructed in 1150 CE as a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Vishnu. It was later gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the century.
3. The Great Stupa of Sanchi (India, 1989) – A well-preserved Buddhist stupa built in the 3rd century BCE.
Sanchi Stupa is a Buddhist complex, famous for its Great Stupa, on a hilltop in Madhya Pradesh, India. It was originally commissioned by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE. Sanchi Stupa is depicted on the reverse side of the Indian currency note of Rs 200 to signify its importance to Indian cultural heritage
4. The Temple of the Tooth (Sri Lanka, 1988) – A temple complex built in the 17th century, housing a relic of the Buddha’s tooth.
the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, is a Buddhist temple in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
5. Potala Palace (Tibet, China, 1994) – A former residence of the Dalai Lama, built in the 7th century.
Potala Palace is the name of a museum in Xizang of China, previously a palace of the Tibetan sovereign the Dalai Lama in Lhasa capital of Xizang or Tibet.
The palace is named after Mount Potalaka, which within Buddhist thought is the mythical abode of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. It is built at an altitude of 3,700metres. The Potala is thirteen storeys of buildings which contain over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and about 200,000 statues. the Great Fifth Dalai Lama, started the construction of the modern Potala Palace in 1645.
6. Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha (Nepal, 1997) – A sacred site marking the birthplace of the Buddha.
According to the sacred texts of the Buddhist Commentaries, Maya Devi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama in Lumbini in c. 624 BCE. Lumbini is one of four most sacred pilgrimage sites pivotal in the life of the Buddha. Other 3 sites are Bodh Gaya where he attained enlightenment, Sarnath where he gave his first sermon and Kushinagar where he attained parinirvana. World peace Pagoda in Lumbini.
7. Ajantha Caves(India, 1983) – A series of Buddhist rock-cut temples built in the 2nd century BCE.
The caves are located near the town of Aurangabad, Maharashtra. The Ajanta Caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most fascinating examples of ancient Indian art and architecture.
The caves were discovered in 1819 by a British officer, John Smith. The caves date back to the 2nd century BCE to the 6th century CE. There are 29 caves in total, but only 25 are open to the public. The caves were built by Buddhist monks and feature intricate carvings, paintings, and sculptures depicting Buddhist mythology.
The Ajanta Caves are generally agreed to have been made in two distinct phases; first during the 2nd century BCE to 1st century CE, and second several centuries later
They were made during the period 100 BCE to 100 CE, probably under the patronage of the Hindu Satavahana dynasty(230 BCE – 220 CE) who ruled the region. The second phase of construction at the Ajanta Caves site began in the 5th century under Vakataka dynasty.
Unique Features:
1. Rock-Cut Architecture: The caves are carved out of solid rock, featuring elaborate facades, pillars, and ceilings.
2. Murals and Paintings: The caves contain stunning murals and paintings, showcasing Buddhist stories, gods, and goddesses.
3. Sculptures: The caves feature intricate sculptures of Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and other Buddhist deities.
Significance:
1. Buddhist Heritage: The Ajanta Caves are a testament to India’s rich Buddhist heritage and the spread of Buddhism in ancient India.
2. Artistic and Architectural Marvel: The caves are an outstanding example of ancient Indian art, architecture, and engineering.
8. Ellora Caves (India, 1983) – A series of Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain rock-cut temples built between the 5th and 10th centuries CE.
Located in Maharashtra, India, the Ellora Caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most impressive examples of ancient Indian art and architecture.
The caves were discovered in the 19th century. The caves date back to the 6th to 10th centuries CE. There are 34 caves in total, divided into three categories: Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain. The caves feature intricate carvings, paintings, and sculptures depicting Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain mythology.
Kailasa Temple (Cave 16): A magnificent Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Buddhist Caves (Caves 1-12):Feature intricate carvings and sculptures depicting Buddhist mythology.
Jain Caves (Caves 30-34): Showcase stunning sculptures and carvings of Jain deities and mythological creatures.
9. Buddhist Monuments at Bagan (Myanmar, 2019) – A collection of over 3,000 Buddhist temples and pagodas built between the 9th and 13th centuries CE.
From the 9th to 13th centuries, the city was the capital of the Pagan kingdom, the first kingdom that unified the regions that would later constitute Myanmar.
10. Taxila (Pakistan, 1980) – A ancient city featuring several Buddhist ruins, including the Bhir Mound and the Dharmarajika Stupa.
11. Ayutthaya Historical Park (Thailand, 1991) – A collection of ancient temples and ruins, including the Wat Phra Si Sanphet and the Wat Mahathat.
12. Sukhothai Historical Park(Thailand, 1991) – A collection of ancient temples and ruins, including the Wat Mahathat and the Wat Si Chum.
13. Hoi An Ancient Town(Vietnam, 1999) – A well-preserved ancient town featuring several Buddhist temples and pagodas.
14. The Longmen Grottoes(China, 2000) – A series of Buddhist rock-cut temples built between the 5th and 10th centuries CE.
15. The Yungang Grottoes (China, 2001) – A series of Buddhist rock-cut temples built in the 5th century CE.
16. The Kiyomizu-dera Temple (Japan, 1994) – A famous Buddhist temple built in the 8th century CE, featuring a wooden stage protruding over the valley below.
5 famous stupas in India
Stupas are sacred Buddhist structures that typically contain relics or artifacts associated with the Buddha or other important Buddhist figures. They are often built to commemorate important events or to house sacred relics.
Here are 5 famous stupas in India:
1. Sanchi Stupa, Madhya Pradesh – A UNESCO World Heritage Site, built in the 3rd century BCE by Emperor Ashoka.
Key Features:
Great Stupa:
The most prominent structure, the Great Stupa, is a large, dome-shaped structure built of bricks and mud mortar, originally commissioned by Ashoka.
Toranas:
The stupas are adorned with majestic toranas (ceremonial gateways) that are intricately carved and depict scenes from the Buddha’s life, Jataka stories, and auspicious symbols.
Vedika:
The entire structure is enclosed by a low wall (vedika), which is punctuated at the four cardinal points by toranas.
Stupa 2:
Stupa No. 2, also called Sanchi II, is one of the oldest existing Buddhist stupas in India.
Stupa 3:
Stupa 3 is a miniature reflection of the Great Stupa and is noted for its single and elaborate gateway.
Other Monuments:
The site also includes smaller stupas, monasteries, and temples, showcasing the rich Buddhist heritage of the region
2. Bharhut Stupa, Madhya Pradesh – Built in the 2nd century BCE, featuring intricate carvings and sculptures.
It is unique in that each panel is explicitly labelled in Brahmi characters saying what the panel depicts. The major donor for the Bharhut stupa was King Dhanabhuti. t is more provincial in quality than the sculpture at Sanchi ,Amaravati Stupa and some other sites, a large amount of sculpture has survived, generally in good condition. Recent authors date the reliefs of the railings of Bharhut circa 125–100 BCE, and clearly after Sanchi Stupa No.2 compared to which Bharhut has a much more developed iconography.
3. Dhamek Stupa, Uttar Pradesh – Built in 500 CE, marking the spot where Buddha preached his first sermon.
Dhamek Stupa is a massive stupa at Sarnath in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. One of the eight most important pilgrimage sites for Buddhists, the Dhamek Stupa marks the location where the Buddha gave his first teaching to his first five disciples. Dhamek Stupa is the most massive structure in Sarnath. In its current shape, the stupa is a solid cylinder of bricks and stone reaching a height of 43.6 meters and having a diameter of 28 meters.
4. Ratnagiri Stupa, Odisha – Built in the 5th century CE, featuring stunning Buddhist sculptures and artifacts.
Ratnagiri is the site of a ruined mahavihara, once the major Buddhist monastery in modern Odisha, India. It is located on a hill between the Brahmani and Birupa rivers. The main elements were an impressive stupa (Stupa 1) surrounded by several hundred smaller stupas of varying dimensions, three quadrangular monasteries (Monasteries 1 to 3 with Monastery 1 is by far the largest.
The main stupa dates to the 9th century and was likely built on the site of an earlier, Gupta-era stupa.
Ratnagiri was likely established no later than the reign of the Gupta king Narasimha Baladitya in the first half of the sixth century, and flourished until the twelfth century.
5. Amaravati Stupa, Andhra Pradesh – Built in the 2nd century BCE, featuring intricate carvings and sculptures.
Art historians regard the art of Amaravati as one of the three major styles or schools of ancient Indian art, the other two being the Mathura style, and the Gandhara style. Largely because of the maritime trading links of the East Indian coast, the Amaravati school or Andhra style of sculpture, seen in a number of sites in the region, had great influence on art in South India, Sri Lanka and South East Asia.
These stupas are not only significant Buddhist monuments but also showcase India’s rich cultural and architectural heritage.
5 important Buddhist pagodas from around the world
1. Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar – This 99-meter-tall (325 ft) pagoda is one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Myanmar.
It is also known as the Great Dagon Pagoda and the Golden Pagoda, is a gilded stupa located in Myanmar. The Shwedagon is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanmar, as it is believed to contain relics of the four previous Buddhas of the present kalpa.The gold seen on the stupa is made of genuine gold plates, covering the brick structure and attached by traditional rivets.
2. Borobudur, Magelang, Indonesia – This 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist temple complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and features over 2,600 relief panels.
The Borobudur Temple Compounds is one of the greatest Buddhist monuments in the world, and was built in the 8th and 9th centuries AD during the reign of the Syailendra Dynasty. The monument is located in the Kedu Valley, in the southern part of Central Java, at the centre of the island of Java, Indonesia.
The Borobudur Temple Compounds consists of three monuments: namely the Borobudur Temple and two smaller temples situatued to the east on a straight axis to Borobudur. The two temples are Mendut Temple, whose depiction of Buddha is represented by a formidable monolith accompanied by two Bodhisattvas, and Pawon Temple, a smaller temple whose inner space does not reveal which deity might have been the object of worship. Those three monuments represent phases in the attainment of Nirvana.
3. Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn), Bangkok, Thailand – This 17th-century temple is known for its distinctive 79-meter-tall (259 ft) spire covered in colorful ceramics.
A Buddhist temple had existed at the site of Wat Arun since the time of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. The main feature of Wat Arun is its central prang, which is encrusted with colourful porcelain. This is interpreted as a stupa-like pagoda encrusted with coloured faience. The central prang symbolises Mount Meru of the Hindu cosmology.
4. Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto, Japan – This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a famous temple complex founded in 778 CE and features a wooden stage offering breathtaking views.
The temple was established in 778, during the late Nara period, by Enchin Shonin who was a priest from Nara (the capital of Japan from 710 to 784). He is said to have received a vision telling him to construct the temple next to the Otowa spring. Kiyomizu-dera is located in the foothills of Mount Otowa, part of the Higashiyama mountain range that dominates eastern Kyoto.
5. The Great Wild Goose Pagoda, Xi’an, China – Built in 652 CE during the Tang Dynasty, this 64-meter-tall (210 ft) pagoda is one of the most famous Buddhist pagodas in China.
It was built in c. 652 during the Tang dynasty and originally had five stories. It was rebuilt in 704 during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian and its exterior brick façade was renovated during the Ming dynasty. One of the pagoda’s many functions was to hold sutras and figurines of Buddha that were brought to China from India by the seventh-century Buddhist monk, scholar, traveller, and translator Xuanzang.
These pagodas are not only important Buddhist sites but also showcase the rich cultural and architectural heritage of their respective countries.
5 of the largest viharas (Buddhist monasteries or temples) of ancient India
1. Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda, Bihar – This ancient Buddhist monastery was a major center of learning and covered an area of approximately 32 acres (13 hectares).
Widely considered to be among the greatest centres of learning in the ancient world and often referred to as “the world’s first residential university, it was located near the city of Rajagriha (now Rajgir).Nalanda was established by emperor Kumaragupta 1of the Gupta empire around 427 CE. Nalanda was attacked and burnt by Muhammad Bakhtiyar Khilji.
2. Vikramshila Mahavihara, Bhagalpur, Bihar – This ancient Buddhist monastery was a major center of learning and covered an area of approximately 25 acres (10 hectares).
It was founded by Pala dynasty King Dharmapala between the late eighth and early ninth century. It was one of the three most important Buddhist Mahaviharas of its time in India, along with Nalanda and Odantapuri.
Vikramashila is known to us mainly through Tibetan sources, especially the writings of Taranatha, the Tibetan monk historian of the 16th–17th centuries.
3. Odantapuri Mahavihara, Bihar Sharif, Bihar – This ancient Buddhist monastery was a major center of learning and covered an area of approximately 20 acres (8 hectares).
It is believed to have been established by the Pala ruler Gopala 1 in the 8th century. It is considered the second oldest of India’s Mahaviharas after Nalanda and was situated in Magadha.
The vihara fell in decline in the 11th century, and was looted and destroyed by Muhammad Bakhtiyar Khilji. a Turkic Muslim invader in the late 1100s, when he launched multiple raids on Bihar and adjoining territories
4. Somapura Mahavihara, Paharpur, Bangladesh (formerly part of ancient India) – This ancient Buddhist monastery was a major center of learning and covered an area of approximately 20 acres (8 hectares). According to Tibetan sources, five great Mahaviharas (universities) stood out: Vikramshila , the premier university of the era; Nalanda, past its prime but still illustrious; Somapura Mahavihara; Odantapuri ; and Jaggadala.
The rooms were used by the monks for accommodation and meditation. In addition to the large number of stupas and shrines of various sizes and shapes, terracotta plaques, stone sculptures, inscriptions, coins, ceramics etc, have been discovered in this site.
5. Ratnagiri Mahavihara, Cuttack, Odisha – This ancient Buddhist monastery was a major center of learning and covered an area of approximately 15 acres (6 hectares).
These ancient viharas were not only significant for their size but also for their historical, cultural, and spiritual importance in Buddhist tradition.