to continue with Jain temples later...
<!--QuoteBegin-ramana+Jan 4 2007, 05:21 PM-->QUOTE(ramana @ Jan 4 2007, 05:21 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->bodhi, Thanks for the sketches and pics of the stupa and the temples. Is the stupa a hollow dome or is it solid?[right][snapback]62753[/snapback][/right]
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Ramana, apologize, I had somehow missed your post. You are right, in original purpose and construct, stupas are solid domes - in the sense that there are no entrances to the inside of stupas, but not solid in another sense that inside is soft earth instead of concrete. The hemispherical shape originally was meant to cover the mounds containing the ashes/remains/funeral pyres of Bhagwan Gautam Buddha or other Bodhisattvas afterwards.
In Mahaparinirvana Sutra of Dirgha Nikaya is related this interesting story. Ananda asks Bhagwan Buddha how his pupils should respect the body of Buddha after he is gone. He replied not to bother about his body, but rather live what he taught. Upon insisting, he said Sannyasis need not bother, as the grihasthas would take care of his dead body. When Ananda further insisted, he said, there were enough wise Brahmins, noble Kshatriyas, and wealthy householders who would come and properly respect Tathagat's body like the body of a chakravartee Samrat was treated. Ananda asked how was a chakravartee Samrat's body treated. In response, as the Mahayana story goes, Bhagwan Buddha replied by indicating the shape of a stupa. Ananda then asked why did he want stupas constructed to decorate the remains of the dead body. Buddha said, it was not for decorating his dead body, but for the good of the people after long time gone, who after generations would be reminded of the great teachers who had lived, might be inspired into their teachings, and might be encouraged to live the great Dharma, when they visited or looked at those stupas. (Does this not strikingly tally with the thought of Adi Shankar about the faith of the general masses?)
So, the original Stupas were indeed the coverings of the funeral mounds of Tathagat and also later of other Bodhisattvas.
However, later on, Stupas were even constructed to house the monks, upasakas and parivrajaks of the sangha. These were more popularly known as Chaityas. There were/are several chaityas also known as stupas. These are obviousely hollow hemispherical/cylindrical hall in shape.
For example below picture shows the inside of Karli Chaitya, which looks more like a stupa inside a stupa:
<img src='http://instructional1.calstatela.edu/bevans/Art101/Art101B-0-India/WebPage-ImageF.00034.jpeg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
And below is the chaitya of Ajanta:
<img src='http://instructional1.calstatela.edu/bevans/Art101/Art101B-0-India/WebPage-ImageF.00045.jpeg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Both of the above were constructed between 1st century BC to 4th century AD by AndhrAs, and can be seen as a small stupa inside a big stupa.
<!--QuoteBegin-ramana+Jan 4 2007, 05:21 PM-->QUOTE(ramana @ Jan 4 2007, 05:21 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->looks interesting that mosques have similar elements as the stupas!
[right][snapback]62753[/snapback][/right]
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
wow! Really? How?
<!--QuoteBegin-ramana+Jan 4 2007, 05:21 PM-->QUOTE(ramana @ Jan 4 2007, 05:21 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->bodhi, Thanks for the sketches and pics of the stupa and the temples. Is the stupa a hollow dome or is it solid?[right][snapback]62753[/snapback][/right]
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ramana, apologize, I had somehow missed your post. You are right, in original purpose and construct, stupas are solid domes - in the sense that there are no entrances to the inside of stupas, but not solid in another sense that inside is soft earth instead of concrete. The hemispherical shape originally was meant to cover the mounds containing the ashes/remains/funeral pyres of Bhagwan Gautam Buddha or other Bodhisattvas afterwards.
In Mahaparinirvana Sutra of Dirgha Nikaya is related this interesting story. Ananda asks Bhagwan Buddha how his pupils should respect the body of Buddha after he is gone. He replied not to bother about his body, but rather live what he taught. Upon insisting, he said Sannyasis need not bother, as the grihasthas would take care of his dead body. When Ananda further insisted, he said, there were enough wise Brahmins, noble Kshatriyas, and wealthy householders who would come and properly respect Tathagat's body like the body of a chakravartee Samrat was treated. Ananda asked how was a chakravartee Samrat's body treated. In response, as the Mahayana story goes, Bhagwan Buddha replied by indicating the shape of a stupa. Ananda then asked why did he want stupas constructed to decorate the remains of the dead body. Buddha said, it was not for decorating his dead body, but for the good of the people after long time gone, who after generations would be reminded of the great teachers who had lived, might be inspired into their teachings, and might be encouraged to live the great Dharma, when they visited or looked at those stupas. (Does this not strikingly tally with the thought of Adi Shankar about the faith of the general masses?)
So, the original Stupas were indeed the coverings of the funeral mounds of Tathagat and also later of other Bodhisattvas.
However, later on, Stupas were even constructed to house the monks, upasakas and parivrajaks of the sangha. These were more popularly known as Chaityas. There were/are several chaityas also known as stupas. These are obviousely hollow hemispherical/cylindrical hall in shape.
For example below picture shows the inside of Karli Chaitya, which looks more like a stupa inside a stupa:
<img src='http://instructional1.calstatela.edu/bevans/Art101/Art101B-0-India/WebPage-ImageF.00034.jpeg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
And below is the chaitya of Ajanta:
<img src='http://instructional1.calstatela.edu/bevans/Art101/Art101B-0-India/WebPage-ImageF.00045.jpeg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
Both of the above were constructed between 1st century BC to 4th century AD by AndhrAs, and can be seen as a small stupa inside a big stupa.
<!--QuoteBegin-ramana+Jan 4 2007, 05:21 PM-->QUOTE(ramana @ Jan 4 2007, 05:21 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->looks interesting that mosques have similar elements as the stupas!
[right][snapback]62753[/snapback][/right]
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
wow! Really? How?