Stupa

A stupa (pronounced STEW-puh) is a rounded structure used as a Buddhist religious monument. The word is Sanskrit in origin, meaning to heap or pile up, in reference to the structures' mounded shapes. Many contain the remains of revered Buddhist figures or important relics. They are intended to serve as a symbolic placeholder for the Buddha's own burial mound. As such, they serve as a representation of the Buddha's living energy and his release from life. Many architectural details of these buildings are intended to symbolically recall the steps required for Enlightenment.

They are typically hemispherical domes with a barrel-shaped roof. Many have bas-reliefs depicting stories from the life of Buddha carved onto gateways and railings. Stupas are often used as meditation sites by Buddhists. They can take many forms throughout Asia, including the chedi of Burmi, the chörten of Tibet, the dagaba of Sri Lanka, the pagoda of East Asia, and the zedi of Southeast Asia.

Brief History

Although stupas have strong associations with the Buddhist faith, they actually predate the foundation of the religion. The first stupas were earthen mounds sometimes called tumuli that were used to mark the graves of important figures. Over time, these structures were used in India to bury ascetics from the Vedic religion. Upon death, these teachers were placed in a seated position on the ground and then covered. Even after death, these figures and the stupas into which they were buried were regarded as holy. These earliest stupas date from the fourth century BCE and are located in northern India. They served as sites of pilgrimage among Vedic Indians.

After the death of Gautama Buddha in the fifth century BCE, eight stupas were made to house his ashes while two others were created for the vessel that had contained his ashes and for the charcoal from his funeral. His ashes were initially spread among stupas located in places with special significance in the life of the Buddha, such as Lumbini, the place of his birth; Bodh Gaya, the site of his first Enlightenment; the deer park in Sarnath where he first introduced the concept of the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths; and Kushingara, where he ultimately achieved Nirvana and died. These stupas' connection to the Buddha gave these structures new associations with his physical and spiritual forms.

Emperor Asoka of the Maurya dynasty—the first major ruler to adopt the Buddhist faith—has been linked to the construction of eighty-four thousand stupas in the third century BCE, each said to house a piece of the Buddha. Among the stupas constructed by Asoka was the Great Stupa at Sanchi, which is located in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Asoka sought to spread Buddhism through the construction of monuments that provided potential converts with local places to reflect on the Buddha's example.

As Buddhist monuments, the forms of stupas became more complex and diversified over time. Walls were placed around the edges with gateways (called toranas) left open on each side to mark the four cardinal directions. Each point represents a significant moment in the life of the Buddha. East marks the Buddha's birth, south points to his place of Enlightenment, west to his first sermon, and north to the site of his Enlightenment. Bases were placed over the burial site. Over these bases, domes with a spire at the top were constructed.

In many stupas, no image of the Buddha appears; instead, his presence is indicated by symbols of his life, such as empty seats and images of footprints and rider-less horses. All are intended to honor the living presence of the Buddha even though he is physically absent. In this manner, stupas evolved from buildings honoring the dead to structures that could be used to seek the living seed of Enlightenment. Over time, in locations where a stupa was located, communities developed that catered to pilgrims. Stupas ultimately became vital economic centers of many communities.

Overview

There are five types of Buddhist stupas: sārīrika (relic stupas), paribhogika (object stupas), uddeshika (memorial stupas), symbolic stupas, and votive stupas. The sārīrika stupa houses the physical remains of the Buddha or some other important Buddhist figure. The paribhogika stupa contains any object linked to the Buddha or his disciples. An uddeshika stupa is used to honor prominent moments in the lives of the Buddha and his followers. The symbolic stupa serves as a living reminder of some aspect of Buddhist philosophy. Finally, votive stupas are typically constructed by prominent or wealthy Buddhists hoping to gain a form of religious favor called karma. Votive stupas often contain small statues of the Buddha (called tsatsas), printed editions of Buddhist texts, or clay tablets inscribed with the epitome of dharma left by pilgrims visiting more prominent stupas nearby.

The topmost portion of a stupa, which ends in a soft point, is meant to represent the line (called the axis mundi) that goes through the center of the earth around which the universe pivots. Stupas resemble the circle of a wheel. This axis represents the unmoving center of the wheel/universe. As this axis represents stability and centeredness, it is equated with Enlightenment. In this way, the stupa serves as a microcosm of the universe itself and its six potential directions. This includes the four cardinal points (north, east, south, and west), the downward nadir, and the upward zenith.

Stupas are generally composed of five elements. The drum (medhi) is the base upon which the structure is built. The dome is called the anda. Upon the anda is a raised platform called a harmika. Rising from the platform is a pole or shaft (yashti) that ends in a spire.

Some of these spires—particularly those found in India—are formed into the shape of a chattra. A chattra consists of a three-tiered structure built to resemble the umbrellas that protected stupa gravesites in antiquity. The umbrella is also representative of royalty in ancient India, and as the Buddha was descended from royalty, it is further linked to him.

The rounded shape of Buddhist stupas are meant to symbolically resemble the shape of the Buddha as he sat in a meditative pose called the lotus position. The bases of stupas are shaped like his crossed legs. They are square with four steps. The middle area of a stupa represents the Buddha's physical body. A series of thirteen tapering lines between the dome and the spire is symbolic of the Buddha's head. The number thirteen is significant because it represents the thirteen steps to Enlightenment. Finally, the spire symbolizes the Buddha's crown.

Bibliography

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