Buddhist Stupas in India and Southeast Asia (Set of 2 Volumes)

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Stupa can be traced back from the early Vedic period where it occurs in the sense of a huge shining pile, pillar of fire, mound of gold, etc. This connotation applies to Buddhist monuments like the Stapa as it symbolizes the extinction of the body of the Buddha, the Enlightened One A stapa was raised on the pyre or the bodily relics of great souls. So the stipas obviously evolved from the prehistoric burial heap or tumulus under which the ashes of the dead were buried. Many such funeral mounds-low circular, elevations of earth ringed by huge boulders can be seen in the Deccan and South India. This kind of monument appears most frequently in Buddhist art. As gold and fire shine, a stupas also shone through several rows of lamps. The relics of such great souls like Buddha conveyed the sense of Eternal Light. Through his preaching (Dharmachakra pravartana) he lighted the flame of knowledge. The great beings like the Buddha became immortal after their Nirvana. It was an occasion of joy and rejoicing and this is evidenced by the lighting of countless lamps on the stopas and several scenes of merry-making on the railing of the stupa. A stupa, therefore signifies the transformation of pains into pleasure and the physical remains deposited therein were believed to reflect light and knowledge. So, stupas were built to glorify Buddhism in India and served as the valves of the pulsating heart sending out cultural effusion in all directions. Fortunately, we have in India a vast number of stupas among which a few go back to a very early period. The Great Emperor Asoka is credited to have erected 84000 stupas in different parts of his empire. The stupas like those at Sanci and Sarnath were probably constructed by Asoka. When Buddha breathed his last, his remains were enshrined under such artificial mounds of earth and brick-the famous Eight Great Stupas mentioned in the Buddhist texts but destroyed since then. Certain early stupas which have been discovered do not seem to belong to pre-Asokan period. However it is understood that Asoka built a great number of stupas and he introduced the cult of stupa in India. The stupa consists of a solid dome known as anda (egg-mound) standing on a medhi (circular or square base) and its flattened top rests a kind of kiosk, usually called harmika. The Buddhists surrounded their stupas with a Vedika, which became a characteristic feature of stupa. Sanci in Madhya Pradesh has the best preserved remains of the large type of stopa and of a whole Buddhist settlement. Several stupas and ruins of their buildings have been found on the top of the hills. In the beginning the Buddhists had gathered in the open air in groves and forest clearings. After the founder's death they wanted shrines, not to enclose his image since his early followers did not represent him in human form but to enclose the stupa, a symbol of his nirvana. The halls enshrining these stupas are usually called chaityas. On these they centered their devotion. The inscriptions often refer to chaityaghara, thupaghara and rarely to gahathupa (griha stupa). King Asoka contributed not only the stambhas and stupas but also the eight rock-cut halls or chambers in the Barabar and Nagarjuni hills and the one near Rajgir. He dedicated them to the Ajivika sects of the Jain monks. The rock cut architecture may be divided into two phases, the earlier being of Hinayana phase and the latter one inspired by the Mahayana movement of Buddhism. The Chaitya halls are all cut in rocks. There are four important Chaitya halls excavated during the Hinayana period, i.e.

Light and luster are some of the common factors in the concept of the Vedic Yajna and the Stupa. These also symbolize knowledge and the great man or the Yogi possessed this knowledge. When prince Siddhartha attained the Bodhi (Enlightenment), he became the Buddha (Enlightened One) or the Samyak Buddha (perfectly Enlightened One). The word stupa is derived from the Sanskrit root stupa meaning to collect. Hence stupa means a heap or mound. The root stupa also means a monument of veneration. Stupa can be traced from the early Vedic period where it occurs in the sense of a huge shining pile, pillar of fire, mound of gold etc. This connotation applies to Buddhist monuments like the stopa as it symbolizes the extinction of the body of the Buddha, the Enlightened One. A stupa was raised on the pyre or the bodily relics of great souls. So the stupa obviously evolved from the prehistoric burial heap or tumulus under which the ashes of the dead were buried. Many such funeral mounds-low circular, elevations of earth ringed by huge boulders can be seen in the Deccan and South India. This kind of monument appears most frequently in Buddhist art. As gold and fire shine, a stupa also shone through several rows of lamps. The relics of such great souls like Buddha conveyed the sense of Eternal Light. Through his preaching (Dharmachakra pravartana) he lighted the flame of knowledge. Light and knowledge therefore, represent the real essence of life and not death. The supernatural beings like the Buddha became immortal after their death (Nirvana) and as such their demise was not to be mourned. It was an occasion of joy rejoicing and this is evidenced by the lighting of countless lamps on the stupa and several scenes of merry-making on the railing of the stupa. A stupa therefore signifies the transformation of pains into pleasure and the physical remains deposited therein were believed to reflect light and knowledge. Stupas were built to glorify Buddhism in India and served as the valves of the pulsating heart sending out cultural effusion in all directions. Stupa is one of the most distinguishing features of the early Buddhist architecture. The Buddha himself had ordained that stupa should be erected over his corporeal relics on the crossroads. Fortunately, we have in India a vast number of stupas among which a few go back to a very early period. Among these mention should be made of the stupa at Vaishali which is supposed to have been constructed immediately after the demise of the Enlightened One. The Great Emperor Asoka is credited to have erected 84000 stupas in different parts of his empire. The stupas like those at Sanchi and Sarnath were probably constructed by Asoka. When Buddha breathed his last, his remains were enshrined under such artificial mounds of earth and brick-the famous Eight Great Stupas mentioned in the Buddhist texts but destroyed since then. Certain early stupas which have been discovered do not seem to belong to pre-Asokan period. However it is understood that Asoka built a great number of stupas and he introduced the cult of stupa in India. The stupa consists of a solid dome known as anda (egg-mound) standing on a medhi (circular or square base) and its flattened top rests a kind of kiosk, usually called harmika. The Buddhists surrounded their stupas with a Vedika, which became a characteristic feature of stupa. Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh has the best preserved remains of the large type of stupa and off whole Buddhist settlement. Several stopas and ruins of their buildings have been found on the top of the hills. In the beginning the Buddhists had gathered in the open air in groves and forest clearings. After the founder's death they wanted shrines, not to enclose his image since his early Followers did not represent him in human form-but to enclose the stopa, a symbol of his nirväga The halls enshrining these stupas are usually called chaityas. On these they centered their devotion The inscriptions often refer to chaitya ghara, shopa ghara and rarely to gaha thapa (griha stip Asoka contributed not only the stambhas and stipas but also the eight rock-cut halls or chambers in the Barabar and Nagarjuni hills and the one near Rajgir. He dedicated them to the Ajivika seca of the Jain monks The rock-cut architecture may be divided into two phases, the earlier being of Hinayana phase and the latter one inspired by the Mahayana movement of Buddhism. The Chaitya halls are all cut in rocks. There are four important Chaitya halls excavated during the Hinayana period, ie., Bhaja Kondane, Pitalkhora and Ajanta. The prayer hall was usually referred to as the chaitya hall. The present volume has been divided into fourteen chapters which throw comprehensive light on the different Buddhist stúpas, chaitya-grhas and rock-cut temples built and spread over the vast peninsular India, Shri Lanka and South-east Asia. The book begins with the introduction of Buddhist Stopas: Rock-cut Temples and Chaitya-grhas forming its first chapter. This chapter first of all introduces how the Buddhist stupas came into existence and what were the stupaTaxilah were built by Aśoka. Sänchi in Madhya Pradesh has the best preserved remains of the large type of stupa and whole Buddhist settlement. Several stūpas and ruins of other buildings have been found on the top of the hill. The Great Stupa I is the mot notable monument. Stupa II is next to Stupa I, the most important monument in Sanchi built on the hillside and it has no toranas, but the Vedika is richly carved. Sanchi Stupa III enshrines the relics of two great disciples of Buddha, Sariputra and Maha Moggalayana. Two apsidal temples at Sanchi are also of the Sunga age. This chapter also introduces with the pillar discovered at Besnagar. Bodhagaya is the place where Buddha attained his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree also known as Tree of Wisdom. The original Bhodhi shrine erected by Asoka no longer exists there, There was another architectural development during this period and that was hewing of caves and viharas to meet the needs of the Buddhist monks. The earliest examples are the group of seven rock-cut caves on the Barabar and Nagarjuni hills in Gaya excavated at the instance of Asoka and his grandson Dasharatha. A group of caves was excavated in the Khandagiri-Udaigiri hills during the Sunga period near Bhudneshwar. The Chaitya halls are all cut in rocks and its fully developed from consisted of a long rectangular hall with an apsidal. The culmination of early hall is seen in the example of Karle caves. This chaitya hall is the largest and finest. The chaitya hall at Bhaja is still more important and offers notable architectural features. Vihara is an architectural formation in rock-cut style. Close to the chaitya hall, the Buddhist monks lived in the viharas. A group of viharas grouped round three sides of a courtyard was known as Sangharama, literally meaning the garden of the community (Sangha). The Hinayana type of viharas were free standing structures either of wood or stone.