neostencil.com – live online classroom for ias preparation ... · buddhist architecture buddhist...
Post on 10-Oct-2019
25 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
1
NeoStencil – Live Online Classes - IAS/IES/GATE/SSC/PSC | +91 95990 75552 | info@neostencil.com
Buddhist Architecture
Buddhist Architecture in India
The Buddhist architecture is related to different aspects of Buddha’s life, symbols
representing Buddha and tales and stories associated with him. Ashoka the
Mauryan King was the greatest patron of Buddist architecture. During his reign,
several stupas and mounds of bricks commemorative of the Buddha were
constructed. The three key element of Buddhist architecture is Stupa, Chaityas,
and Viharas. However, Under Mauryan rule, several pillars were also constructed
to commemorate Buddha.
Types of Buddhist architecture
The distinctive structures and sculptures have been associated with early
Buddhist religious architecture such as
Stupas,
Viharas (Monasteries) and
Chaityas (Prayer halls), which later came to be called temples in some places.
Stambhas (Pillars)
The details of these structures are discussed below
Stupas
The Stupas holds the most important place among all the earliest Buddhist
architecture. They offer the earliest sculptural representations of important
episodes in the Buddha’s life and of the Jataka stories. A Stupa is a dome-shaped
sacred burial mound of brick which was used to house Buddha’s relics or to
commemorate significant facts and events related to Buddhism.
2
NeoStencil – Live Online Classes - IAS/IES/GATE/SSC/PSC | +91 95990 75552 | info@neostencil.com
The earliest archaeological evidence for the presence of Buddhist stupas dates
back to the late 4th century BCE. In
India, Sanchi, Sarnath, Amaravati and Bharhut are among the oldest known
stupas.
Characteristics of Stupas
Initially, mounds of Earth are taken to form the core of the stupa. In due course of
time, the earthen mound is encased in bricks. The brick encasing is sometimes
superimposed by a cover of stones.
Stupas are usually built on a foundation laid with blocks of stone or bricks. On
this foundation, a hemispherical dome (anda) was raised.
In later years, the drum of the stupa became more elongated and elevated.
Almost it took the form of a cylindrical vessel.
On the truncated top of the hemisphere, a harmika is placed, surrounded by a
railing.
The stupa is enclosed by a vedika. At Barhut, Sanchi and Amaravati the vedika
consisted of upright pillars with three transverse bars known as the suchi. The
railing is provided with four gateways.
A path of circumambulation (Pradakshinapath) runs around the stupa at the
ground level within the railing.
Toranas were ceremonial gateways around the stupas.
3
NeoStencil – Live Online Classes - IAS/IES/GATE/SSC/PSC | +91 95990 75552 | info@neostencil.com
The Great Stupa (Sanchi)
The Great Stupa at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh is one of the oldest structures in
India.
It is built of large burnt bricks and mud mortar.
The stupa was built by Ashoka and was damaged during the break-up of the
Maurya Empire. In the 2nd century B.C., during the rule of the Shungas, it was
completely reconstructed.
The Great stupa has a large hemispherical dome which is flat at the top and
crowned by a triple umbrella or Chattra on a pedestal surrounded by a square
railing.
Its nucleus was a simple hemispherical brick structure built over the relics of
the Buddha.
4
NeoStencil – Live Online Classes - IAS/IES/GATE/SSC/PSC | +91 95990 75552 | info@neostencil.com
Stupa at Sanchi has upper as well as lower Pradakshinapath or
circumambulatory path. It has four beautifully decorated toranas depicting
various events from the life of the Buddha and the Jatakas.
Dhamek Stupa (Sarnath)
The Dhamek Stupa at Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh is believed to have been built by
Ashoka and later rebuilt in the Gupta period to commemorate the Buddha’s
activities in this location.
This stupa contains the relics of Buddha and is, therefore, an important place of
Buddhist pilgrimage.
The Dhamek Stupa is said to mark the spot where the Buddha gave the first
sermon to his first five Brahmin disciples after attaining
enlightenment, “revealing his Eightfold Path leading to nirvana”.
In its current shape, the stupa is a solid cylinder of bricks and stone.
The stone basement has eight projecting faces with niches in them. Delicately
carved with beautiful floral and geometrical patterns, it is believed to have been
put up in the Gupta period.
5
NeoStencil – Live Online Classes - IAS/IES/GATE/SSC/PSC | +91 95990 75552 | info@neostencil.com
Bharhut Stupa
The Bharhut stupa may have been built originally by Ashoka in the 3rd century
BCE, but many works of art, particularly the gateway and railings, were
apparently added during the Shunga period in the 2nd century BCE.
It has been largely destroyed, and most of the existing remains—railings and
entrance gateways—are now in the Indian Museum in Kolkata.
The central stupa was surrounded by a stone railing and four Torana gates, in an
arrangement similar to that of Sanchi.
The railings of the stupa are carved and have numerous images of the yakshas
and yakshinis on it.
The pillars at Bharhut also depict various Jataka stories associated with
Buddha’s life.
6
NeoStencil – Live Online Classes - IAS/IES/GATE/SSC/PSC | +91 95990 75552 | info@neostencil.com
Amaravati Stupa
The Amaravati stupa was the largest in the Andhra region and is referred to in
ancient inscriptions as a Mahachaitya.
It is a ruined Buddhist monument, probably built in phases between the 3rd
century BCE and about 250 CE, at Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh
The stupa at Amaravati was initially encased in bricks and later on covered by
carved limestone slabs. The railing and the gateways were built around the
principal structure in due course of time as in the case of Sanchi.
The dome, railings and gateways of the Amaravati stupa were profusely
ornamented with beautiful relief carvings.
Rock cut architecture
Rock-cut architecture occupies a significant place in the history of Indian
architecture. Earliest known examples of rock-cut architecture belong to
Buddhism. Numerous caves were excavated by the Buddhist monks for prayer
and residence purposes.
The caves were cut out of solid rocks and were in two parts, one called the hall of
worship or chaitya and the other the monastery or vihara. The Jain and Buddhist
monks lived in these caves and meditated. About 1200 Jain and Buddhist cave
structures have been found in India. The most famous among them are at Ajanta,
Ellora, Nasik and Karle etc.
The Barabar caves in Bihar, built in the third century BCE and credited to Emperor
Ashoka, are the oldest example of rock-cut architecture. Many Buddhist caves of
the subsequent periods were excavated in eastern and western India.
Chaityas (Prayer Hall)
A chaitya is a Buddhist shrine or prayer hall with a stupa at one end for
congregational worship by the monks. The chaitya is entered from one end, and
at the other end, a small stupa is situated. Chaityas were commonly part of a
monastic complex, the vihara.
7
NeoStencil – Live Online Classes - IAS/IES/GATE/SSC/PSC | +91 95990 75552 | info@neostencil.com
Structures like Chaitya were common in Jainism and Hinduism as well. However,
many early examples of chaitya that survive in India belong to Buddhist rock-cut
architecture.
These early chaityas are apsidal in the plan. At the centre of the apse was a rock
stupa or a large figure of Buddha, sitting or standing. The later Buddhist temples
at Buddhagaya (Bodhgaya), Nalanda, Ellora, Ajanta, Kuda, Shelarwadi, Karad etc.,
consist of a square or oblong ground plan. To provide sufficient light for the
interior of the cave a chaitya window was pierced in the facade. In due course of
time, the chaitya window had become an ornament to the facade.
Some of the most beautiful Chaitya caves are those at Ajanta, Ellora, Bhaja, Karle,
Bagh, Nasik and Kanheri etc.
Viharas (Monasteries)
Viharas or monasteries were dwelling place for Buddhist monks. The term is also
found in Ajivika, Hindu and Jain monastic literature, usually referring to a
temporary refuge for wandering monks during the rainy season. These monastic
buildings carved out of rocks or built of bricks were self-contained units and had a
Chaitya hall attached to it with a stupa – the chief object of worship.
8
NeoStencil – Live Online Classes - IAS/IES/GATE/SSC/PSC | +91 95990 75552 | info@neostencil.com
Viharas were constructed with brick or excavated from rocks. Usually built to a set
plan, they have a hall meant for congregational prayer with an open courtyard
surrounded by a row of cells and a pillared verandah in front. The hall has one or
more entrances. The cells served as dwelling places for the monks. Each cell had a
door and one or two stone platforms to serve as beds.
The use of images and paintings in these monasteries produces rich iconography
not only architecturally, but artistically as well.
Some of the important Buddhist viharas are those at Ajanta, Ellora, Nasik, Karle,
Kanheri, Bagh and Badami. Twenty-five of the rock-cut caves of Ajanta is the
finest of monasteries. The viharas of Ellora are of one, two, and three stories and
are the largest of the type. They contain sculptured figures and belong to both
Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism.
Stambhas (Pillars)
The tradition of constructing pillars is very old in India. A large number of stone
pillars were erected during the Mauryan empire with inscriptions engraved on
them. The Mauryan pillars are rock-cut pillars thus displaying the carver’s skills.
The top portion of the pillar was carved with capital figures like the bull, the lion,
the elephant, etc. Some of the existing pillars with capital figures were found at
Basarah Bakhira, Lauriya-Nandangarh, Rampurva, Sankisa and Sarnath.
9
NeoStencil – Live Online Classes - IAS/IES/GATE/SSC/PSC | +91 95990 75552 | info@neostencil.com
The Mauryan pillar capital found at Sarnath popularly known as the Lion Capital is
the finest example of Mauryan sculptural tradition. It is also our national emblem.
It is carved with considerable care—voluminous roaring lion figures firmly
standing on a circular abacus which is carved with the figures of a horse, a bull, a
lion and an elephant in vigorous movement, executed with precision, showing
considerable mastery in the sculptural techniques.
This pillar capital symbolizes Dhammachakrapravartana (the first sermon by the
Buddha) and it has become a standard symbol of this great historical event in the
life of the Buddha.
Brick Structures
While early Buddhist structures were constructed by carving rocks in the form of
caves. Gupta period embarked a new chapter in the history of Indian architecture
10
NeoStencil – Live Online Classes - IAS/IES/GATE/SSC/PSC | +91 95990 75552 | info@neostencil.com
with the commencement of brickworks. Many Buddhist temples and monasteries
were constructed across India, in Gupta period and post-Gupta era.
Mahabodhi temple
Mahabodhi Temple is an example of one of the oldest brick structures in eastern
India. It is considered to be the finest example of Indian brickwork and was highly
influential in the development of later architectural traditions.
Bodhgaya is a pilgrimage site since Siddhartha achieved enlightenment here and
became Gautama Buddha. While the bodhi tree is of immense importance, the
Mahabodhi Temple at Bodhgaya is an important reminder of the brickwork of
that time. The Mahabodhi Temple is surrounded by stone ralling on all four sides.
The design of the temple is unusual. It is, strictly speaking, neither Dravida nor
Nagara. It is narrow like a Nagara temple, but it rises without curving, like a
Dravida one.
11
NeoStencil – Live Online Classes - IAS/IES/GATE/SSC/PSC | +91 95990 75552 | info@neostencil.com
Nalanda University
The monastic university of Nalanda is a mahavihara as it is a complex of several
monasteries of various sizes. Till date, only a small portion of this ancient learning
centre has been excavated as most of it lies buried under contemporary
civilisation, making further excavations almost impossible.
Most of the information about Nalanda is based on the records of Xuan Zang
which states that the foundation of a monastery was laid by Kumargupta I in the
fifth century CE.
12
NeoStencil – Live Online Classes - IAS/IES/GATE/SSC/PSC | +91 95990 75552 | info@neostencil.com
Related terms
Harmika – small Square fencing about the anda or semicircular dome of Stupa.
Vedika – Vedika is a stone- walled fence that surrounds a Buddhist stupa and
symbolically separates the inner sacral from the surrounding secular sphere.
Torana – Carved, serpentine-shaped ceremonial Gateways
Yakshas/Yakshinis – Demi-gods and demi-goddesses
13
NeoStencil – Live Online Classes - IAS/IES/GATE/SSC/PSC | +91 95990 75552 | info@neostencil.com
Study from India’s Best IAS Teachers LIVE Online
NeoStencil is India's number 1 platform for LIVE online learning. We help you connect with India's best teachers from the comfort of your home.
Some of our popular UPSC Civil Services Exam courses:
UPSC General Studies Foundation Courses offered at NeoStencil
1. Lukmaan IAS 2. Pavan Kumar IAS 3. Destination IAS 4. Toppers 25
UPSC Mains Optional Subjects courses
Pub Ad :S. Ansari, Pavan Kumar, Atul Lohiya (Hindi Medium) Philosophy :Mitrapal Geography :Prof. Majid Husain, Alok Ranjan (English and Hindi Medium), Md. Rizwan Sociology :Praveen Kishore, Vikash RanjanVenkata Mohan, Mujtaba Husain Anthro :Venkata Mohan History :Alok Jha PSIR : Kailash Mishra (English and Hindi Medium), RS. Sharma Law : Dinesh Verma (Scope IAS)
General Studies Mains Test Series:Pavan Kumar IAS, Lukmaan IAS, AAI IAS Pub Ad Test Series :Pavan Kumar Sociology Test Series :Praveen Kishore, Venkata Mohan, Lukmaan IAS Geography Test Series :Prof. Majid Husain, Alok Ranjan (English and Hindi) , Lukmaan IAS Anthro Test Series :Venkata Mohan Essay Test Series :Lukmaan IAS, Venkata Mohan
Current Affairs Online Courses for IAS Exam Preparation
1. Lukmaan IAS 2. Venkata Mohan 3. Mk Yadav 4. Alok Jha
We also Provide Online courses for IES | GATE | SSC | State PCS Exams. For more details visit
our All Courses Page – here
top related