BAUDDHA
STUPA
Today Bauddha stupa is the
embodiment of Dharmmakaya or Buddha- mind. Therefore it is the
most appropriate object of devotion. Among the four important
stupas that commands great respect of the people in the
Kathmandu valley, the Boudhanath stupa is the one and the others
are Swayambhu, Namo Buddha, and Bandegram. The Boudhnath stupa
is said to contain the relics of the Buddha Kashyapa, the third
Buddha of this Fortunate eon. Since the arrival of Tibetan
refugees in 1959, it has become the thriving center of Buddhist
monasteries, carpet factories, and a blooming trading center of
that area. Newari Goldsmiths and Silversmith mostly own the
shops that now sell souvenirs and curio goods from Patan.
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The View
of the Stupa from the Topmost Plinth |
The Stupa has many names. The Newars, the original, indigenous
people of the Kathmandu valley call it Khasti chaitya or The
Tibetans call it simple Chorten, or Jyarung Khasyor chorten. In
recent years' people generally called it Boudha or Boudhnath
Stupa, Lord of Enlightenment or perhaps Lord Buddha. The stupa
was built in traditional Nepalese architectural style. It
consists of raised plinth, a spherical dome, a cubical steeple,
a spire of thirteen discs or some times stepping blocks in
diminishing size as in the case of Chabahil or Boudhnath and a
wooden axis and a pinnacle.
The traditional Newar stupa design consists of lotus (skt:
padmavali), a canopy (skt: chhatra) and a jewel (skt: usnisha
chudamani) at the top. The eyes painted on the cubical harmika
steeple are one of the special features of Newar Stupa
structure.
The Stupa represents the Mind aspects of the Buddha. Hence its
part represents the elements or the factors of enlightenment (an
insight on four Noble truths). The Stupa stands upon a massive
square basement that consists of three board terraces rising one
above the other. It is said that the plinth that consists of
three terraces represents thirty-seven factors of enlightenment.
The dome represents Tathagatagarbha or Buddhanature (potential
to attain Buddhahood) from which all the virtuous qualities
develop.
Entrance:
The magnificent Stupa is
approached under an arched gateway on the south side of the
Stupa.The stone paved lane leads us to a wide brick paved
circular couryard surrounded by few Tamang and Newars cottages
together with many newly built modern buildings. The Arched
gateway is however, a new addition built in traditional Tibetan
monastic design with eight auspicious symbols on two sides of
the gate and some miniature chaityas on the top.
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The Main
Entrance Gate of Boudhanath Stupa |
Angular walls
There are the four the statues of
Heavenly Kings in the four corners of the Stupa. The Stupa in
the center is surrounded by sixteen sides angular walls with
shelves for copper prayer wheels fixed inside Behind the prayer
wheels there are beautiful paintings of 35 Buddhas of confession
with different colors and gestures as described in Triskandha
Sutra. (A Mahayana Sutra on confession practice and prostration)
These paintings have been framed in glass cases. It also
includes paintings of important lamaistic pantheon of Tibetan
Buddhism.
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TAngular
Wall containing the fresco paintings of Enlightened
Ones |
Miniature Stupas about 176 in number surmount the walls
corresponding to each shelve surrounding the Stupa. There are
four gates for entrance in four cardinal directions. A
traditional Newar Style chaitya stands opposite to each entrance
gate.
Azima Shrine
Near the entrance gate there is a small shrine dedicated to Sri
Devi (Tib: Palden Lhamo).Ven.Khamtrul Chokyi Nyima, the author
of Guide book of Power Places of Kathmandu Valley says: We
definitely accept that the protrectress who is at the front side
(the north side of the stupa) is Puska, red and gold, sucking up
entrails and devouring them, and that she is one of the Eight
Ma-mo of this power place. Local Newar inhabitants identify her
with Hariti mata, demonees who inflicted small pox upon
children. Later Buddha Shakyamuni subdued her. She took an oath
not harming children and protecting Buddhas shrine.
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Palden
Lhamo (Azima) Shrine |
As stated in Tibetan legend she is called Sukkhotama Devi, who
built the stupa with the help of her four sons. This small
shrine with nicely executed wooden doorway carved with eight
auspicious symbols. On the both side of the door there are the
figures of four animal namely elephant, ass, pig and bird to
signify that this goddess formerly reared these animals and used
them to built the Stupa.
Three
Plinths
After entering the northern gate we come across a small
courtyard and to the left of the courtyard stand a newly built
shrine called Mani Lhakhang that has a huge prayer wheel inside.
In the courtyard there are several images, bells, inscriptions
and some artifacts as is found in Newar Buddhist Viharas. Just
infront of this small court yard there are two tanks used for
preparing limewash (sakhvapa in Newari) for anointing the Stupa.
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General
View of Boudhanath Stupa with its three plinths |
On the south side of the terrace there are five traditional
Newar chaityas, two of these have domes and have early carvings.
It is believed that largest of these five chaityas is the
reliquary of King Dharma Deva , the father of Manadeva who built
the stupa. Before moving to the stairs that are for stepping up
towards huge dome, we see a small alter for burning incense and
an image of Vasuki Nagaraja (king of serpents) The Stupa appears
unique because of its three level plinths with gates in four
sides. The stepping towards second plinth is guarded by two
elephants and riders brandishing sword and shield and a queen
holding a conch shell in the left representing the purity of her
speech.
In the four corners of the first plinth there are four miniature
Stupas and on the north side there are two more Stupas of
similar design. All the three plinths have twenty corner
structures of the mandala representing three stages of
initiation before getting the ultimate initiation. (Skt
Caturthabhiseka) of the Dharmadhatu.
Dome:
Above the three tiered terraces stands majestically a
magnificent dome about 314.66 ft in circumference that appears
as a mandala of the Adi-Buddha (dharmadhatu) when viewed from
the top. There are series of small recesses that consists of 108
stone sculptures near the bottom of the dome . There are
forty-seven images represented in father-mother aspects (Yab-yum)
and the rest are single. About ten images depict the Siddhas of
Tibet such as Marpa, Milarepa and so forth. There are several
images of Vajrasattva, Kalacakra, Acala, Five transcendental
Buddhas, Yoginis. Ushnishavijaya and several deities of the
Vajrayana pantheon. Finally, the figures of Manjushree, Mahakala,
Guru Padma Sambhava and the illustrious lamas of Nyingmapa are
the general features of these stone sculptures. Categorically it
depicts the images representing Gurus, Deva, Dakinis,
Dharmapalas and other projector deities. It was commissioned by
Sakya Zangpo, the restorer of this Stupa in the 16th century.
Buddha Eyes
The glittering eyes painted on the four sides of the steeple
represents the eye of Wisdom and compassion of the Buddha.
Between the two eyes we see a circular mark (skt: urna) which
most people mistake for third eye. Of course, it represents a
characteristic mark of a Perfectly Enlightened Buddha. The
purpose of the mark is to send the rays of light up to the
highest heaven to inform the deities there in that Buddha is
going to deliver the teaching on the earth. Beneath the eyes
there is the numeral one in Nepalese script (no question mark or
nose as some used to say) that reminds us of non-dual nature of
the phenomenal appearance. When Lord Buddha starts teaching,
this light of wisdom usually goes towards lower realms to pacify
the suffering of the beings therein.
Spire
Above the harmika steeple lies a spire with thirteen steps that
symbolizes thirteen stages of Bodhisattva paths (skt:
trayodasacakravali). A multi-color silk apron hangs around the
spire, fringing the glorious eyes of the Buddha. There seems to
be no toranas of five Buddhas over the harmika as found in
almost every Stupa of Kathmandu. A huge gilded lotus(skt:
padmavali) surmounts the spire. A lotus usually represents
skillful means of the enlightened mind. It is again surmounted
by a large gilded canopy (skt: chhatra) and a canopy indicates
the sovereign nature of Buddha's doctrine. Within this large
metalled canopy contain a mandala of Heruka, a Highest Yoga
Tantra deity. It is supported by twelve pillars. A silk textile
is again hanged surrounded the canopy. On the top of the canopy
stands a bell shaped metal dome.
There is again an arc shaped canopy above the metal dome with a
golden vase at the peak. A jewel pinnacle caps the entire
structure and the jewel represents the wish fulfilling nature of
the Enlightened thought (skt: Ushnish Cudamani), a
characteristic mark of the fully enlightened Buddha. There are
several prayer flags hinged at the metallic canopy. These prayer
flags contain the powerful Dharanis or mantras that pacifies
obstacles or diseases and so fourth. This great bulk of
glittering spire can be seen magnificently from the distance
especially from the vicinity of airport when the plane starts
landing.
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