Located in central Java in present day Indonesia, The Great Stupa of Borobudur is the world’s largest Buddhist monument. It was constructed sometime around AD 800 as a way of displaying visual teachings of Mahayana Buddhism. The Great Stupa of Borobudur is essentially a symbolic form of both a stupa, a sacred mound of earth with holy relics of the Buddha buried beneath, and a mandala, a mystic Buddhist symbol of the universe. Or as Catherine Albanese describes it “…the mandala meant a circle which signifies the wholeness of the self.” The architectural design of this stupa was different from anything that had come before it and every part of it had some significance in the world of Buddhism.
The overall structure of Borobudur is made up of a square foundation along with a total of nine platforms. Of those nine platforms six of them are squared while the remaining three are circular. The structure can be further divided into three main levels: a base, a body, and the top. Each of these levels symbolize the three realms of Buddhist cosmology. The base symbolizes the realm of Kamadhatu; the six squared platforms symbolize the realm of Rupadhatu; and the three circular platforms at the top symbolize the realm of Arupadhatu.
The realm of Kamadhatu is also known as the world of desires and it is the lowest level of the three realms. This is where ordinary sentient individuals live out their lives with desires and suffering.
The next realm, the realm of Rupadhatu is known as the world of forms and it is the second level of the three realms. This realm is accessed by those who have gotten rid of their desires through meditation, but still have a name and form. It is said that you have to advance up through multiple stages in thi...
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...design of Borobudur and the ritual that it entails. The reliefs located on the base and body were there in order to teach initiates the sacred texts as the ascended the mountain in Pradakshina. The elliptical and circular terraces represented the summit of Mt Meru and the central stupa located in the center represented the center of the universe. Through this ritual the state of Nirvana is attained through gradual processes and transitions, not drastic jumps. The architecture of Borobudur would also signify a gradual process as it starts off square in the lower terraces, transitions to elliptical with the first two upper terraces and finally becomes circular in the third upper terrace.
People may only speculate as to what things may mean or represent, but one thing for certain is that The Great Stupa of Borobudur was designed and built the way it was for a reason.
Baulkham Hills, located approximately 29km North West of Sydney, is one of the largest suburbs in area and population within the Hills with a population of 33,661 people (Census 2001). Baulkham Hills as a suburb not including Bella Vista makes up about 24% of the total population (139,404) of the Baulkham Hills Shire. 23,282 people were born in Australia and 25,855 speak English only. 30,179 live in separated houses as opposed to other forms such as flats, units or townhouses. (Census 2001)
Guanyin (Bodhisattva) (See Fig. 1 in Appendix) is an artefact, with Object Number of 2400, in the Honolulu Museum of Art. The medium, or material, of this sculpture of Guanyin is painted wood, and traces of pigment can still be seen on the sculpture. Its height is approximately 67 inches, or 170.2 centimeters. The origin of this sculpture is China, Northern Song (960-1126) or Tangut Xia (1038-1227). According to the museum, this sculptural art piece was purchased, or acquired, in 1927 from a renowned collection of Matsukata Kojiro, who passed away in 1950.
Scott, Rachelle M. Nirvana for Sale?: Buddhism, Wealth, and the Dhammakaya Temple in Contemporary Thailand. New York: SUNY Press, 2009. Print.
The temple puja is identified as a public and formal form of worship and devotion undertaken by adherents of Buddhism. Within puja each of the steps of the Eightfold path can be approached and there is the opportunity for one to reach Nirvana with puja alone. The last step of the Eightfold Path, right concentration is the end point for the chanting and the meditation. Adherents enter the temple in a physical and mental state of reverence or Puja, and inside they primarily recognise the importance of the Three Refuges. Additionally, temple puja has great significance for the community as it intrinsically reflects on the significance of the community as part of the Sangha, and strengthens relationship and devotion within the community. The temple itself is often in the centre of a Buddhist town or village, symbolising that is the heart and the central point of the Sangha, and acts as a daily reminder for the community to remain devoted. Thus reinforcing a quote written by Buddhaghosa in 5th century India, “[Nirvana] can only be reached, not produced, by the Path . . . it transcends the intrinsic nature of matter . . . being attainable through special insight affected by strong effort” (Stimulus). The quote is explaining that by remaining devoted, one can reach Nirvana through total enlightenment. Temple Puja provides social cohesion in that the role and function of participants demonstrate the social status of the individuals and their connection with each other, for example, the role of members of the Sangha lead the participants in prayer and reflection. Overall, temple puja has a profound impact on the individual and the greater community as it allows them to reach
Rathnasambhava, the Transcendent Buddha of the South. Tibet, 13th century C.E. Mineral pigments on cotton cloth, height 361/2”. Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Walking into the Hall of the Buddhas, there was a sense of peace and guidance lingering inside me. The seated Bodhisattva, of the Northern Wei dynasty (386-534), CA.480, from the Yungang, Cave xv, Shani Province, made of sandstone, guarded the entrance. At first, I thought it was a time to be disciplined, but the transcending smile from the statue was a delicate fixed gesture that offered a feeling of welcome. It was not a place to confess your wrongdoings; neither was it a place for me to say, “Buddha I have sinned.” It was a room to purify the mind, the mind that we take for granted without giving it harmony. There was a large mural decorating the main wall called “The Paradise of Bhaishajyaguru”(916-1125). I sat down wandering if the artist of the portrait knew that his work would one day be shared on this side of the world, in my time. Much like Jesus Christ and his followers, the mural is a painting of healers and saviors. It was a large figure of the Buddha of medicine, (Bhaishajyaquru) surrounded by followers of Bodhisattvas, Avalokiteshvara, and Mahosthamaprapta with twelve guardian generals who have pledged to disseminate the Buddha’s teaching (Tradition of Liao 916-1125, Metropolitan Museum wall plaque).
However, that meaning is not always known. It is believed that Stonehenge was most likely made to bring people of a community together as well as to mark a place where individuals could gather to perform rituals, although many theories about why it was built and the purpose it serves exist. For example, recent studies show that the monument may mark the graveyard of a ruling dynasty. There is evidence of over 200 cremated human remains that have been buried at the site within a period of 500 years. Some evidence suggests the site may have been a piece in a larger series of structures used for funerary rituals. The only thing that is knows for sure “is that Stonehenge held meaning for the Neolithic community that built it”
Stratton, E. (2002). The evolution of Indian stupa architecture in east Asia. New Delhi: Vedams.
The Dhammapada speaks a universal truth, that “desire is unquenchable,” and explains that “he who wishes to awake, consumes his desires joyfully” (Chapter 14). These statements prove similar to the four noble truths, that to live is to suffer, and desire causes suffering; therefore, one cannot avoid temptation because it is ubiquitous. When explaining the outcomes of “craving pleasure or nursing pain,” the Buddha articulates that “there is only sorrow” (Chapter 16). Desire clearly only causes difficulty when attempting to achieve Nirvana, and the Dhammapada seeks to convey the importance of clearing the mind and purifying one’s thoughts. Continuing to contrast lust and happiness, the Buddha explains that “there is pleasure and there is bliss, forgo the first to possess the second” (Chapter 21). One cannot have genuine jubilation while yearnings and allurements cloud the mind. Expressed throughout Buddhist teachings and a main religious text, the action of overpowering desire and lewd thoughts proves a crucial step in eventually reaching
Stonehenge is located near Salisbury, England and according to an archaeologist who has investigated Stonehenge close up, Mike Parker Pearson (2010) “...the new date for the raising of the sarsens [the large stones]...[is] between 2600 and 2480 B.C….” (p. 47). It consists of the large sarsen stones which are the ones that are in pictures and on postcards. Then there are smaller bluestones that are mixed in with the sarsens, Y and Z holes that form full circles around the sarsen stones, and Aubrey holes which form a circle around the entire structure. There is a large stone outside and a ways away from the circle called the heel stone. There are two station stones that stand to the side of the of the circle and over the Aubrey holes. They form a perfect rectangle with two barrows, or burial mounds, that are there.
When showing how much people care about something, nothing pales in comparison than a monument. Monuments are great buildings that commemorates an amazing moment or event, making it frozen in time forever. Whether it be a statue of an individual or a humongous obelisk right next to a gigantic reflection pool, monuments surround our nation. When creating one of these amazing structures, groups and individuals must consider the specific details of dimensions, materials, and reasoning. If they are able to fulfill all of the requirements for the monument, they will be able to pay proper tribute or recognition for the event.
The Temple was very large and beautiful. My friend and I were both stunned by how gorgeously built the Mandir was. The buildings were big and stretched across several acres of the land. Next to the temple was another large building, which was used as a center for gatherings and entertainment purposes. The temple had many different entrances, the main one we noticed were the big steps ...
The lines, mostly curved, are in great harmony details. The color from both outside and inside could be changed as the light from the sun moves. The flowers and Koran written on the walls and the gate give people who visiting wondering of what is that means. As the visitors walked pass each area, I think they would imagine of what each areas mean from the story of Taj Mahal. From the video, I think some sights of Taj Mahal create sorrowing sights.
This essay will discuss the significance of the Taj Mahal on a global scale in context with the themes studied in lectures and tutorials. This essay will explore the architectural significance, along with the representation of religion, criticisms and will closely examine the themes of death and memory and the significance of the Taj Mahal on a global scale.
Another purpose of the building is that it is the world’s tallest building and demonstrates a living wonder. The location of the building is a pride to the people of the Middle East because it is the tallest free-standing structure in the middles east. The stunning work of art is visible to the world and incomparable work of engineering that build the Burj Khalifa.