What do Buddhist temples look like? Buddhist temples
Buddhism today is one of the most popular religious and philosophical movements in the world. It is professed by both experienced people and young people, attracted by incredible aesthetics and the opportunity to touch sacred knowledge that has been passed down from generation to generation for many hundreds of years. Buddhism originated in the 5th century BC. on the territory of modern India. The teaching, founded by Siddhartha Gautama, better known as Buddha, invites its followers to achieve nirvana, leaving suffering and the cycle of rebirth. According to some estimates, the number of Buddhists around the world reaches 500 million. Naturally, for such a number of believers, a corresponding number of temples is necessary. Some of them are more popular than others. We have compiled a selection of the most famous Buddhist temples.
The Temple of Reflection in the Calm Sea (think about the beautiful name!) is one of the most important shrines in South Korea. An interesting artifact is kept here - Tripitaka Koreana. These are 80 tablets containing the wisdom of Buddhism. The temple was built in 802, but its reconstruction, created in the 19th century, has survived to this day, as it had to survive a large-scale fire.
Situated on the western side of the Chaphraya River, the temple complex is one of the architectural gems of Siam. The central building of the Sunrise Temple is a 79-meter pagoda, sparkling in the sun with different colors. Despite its name, Wat Arun is best viewed at sunset. The temple is an architectural representation of Mount Meru, considered the center of the universe in Buddhist cosmology.
The temple, named “Great Stupa of Lao”, is one of the most revered in Laos. It is located in Vientiane and is a stupa with several terraces, symbolizing the levels of spiritual enlightenment in Buddhism. The lowest level is material life, the highest is the world of non-existence. The temple was built in the 16th century on the ruins of a Khmer sanctuary. In 1828 it was significantly damaged after the Siamese invasion and was restored by the French in 1931.
Speaking about Buddhism, one cannot help but recall Tibet, a country imbued with the spiritual wisdom of this teaching. Lhasa is the center not only of Tibet, but also of all Tibetan Buddhism, attracting thousands of pilgrims from all over the world every year. The temple was built by King Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century. The Mongols, who attacked Lhasa, ravaged it several times, but left the building untouched. Today the temple complex occupies an area of more than 25,000 square meters. meters.
The Great Oriental Temple in Nara is one of Japan's most unusual Buddhist temples and the largest wooden temple in the world. It was built in the 8th century by Emperor Shomu as the main temple, but little remains from that time. It consists of a complex of pagodas and various buildings and is surrounded by a park in which sacred deer live, who are not afraid of people. It is also home to one of the largest Buddha statues in Japan.
Located in the suburbs of Kathmandu, Boudhanath Temple is famous throughout the world for being the largest stupa. It is surrounded by monasteries of various schools and movements of Buddhism, and everyone who lives in them comes to worship at Boudhanath. The stupa was built in the 6th century (the first version was destroyed by the Mongols and rebuilt in the 14th century) and has since occupied the place of the main shrine of Nepal. The Buddha's eye located on the stupa is one of the most famous images of its kind. The stupa even appeared in the film “Little Buddha” by European film director Bernardo Bertolucci.
The Mahabodhi (Great Enlightenment) Temple is a Buddhist stupa located in Bodh Gaya. In the main complex there is a rare shrine - the Bodhi tree, which grew from the very tree under which Gautama Buddha achieved enlightenment. It is believed that the temple was founded 250 years after Buddha achieved enlightenment. The temple dates back to the 5th and 6th centuries and was restored in the 19th century by the British acting on behalf of the British Archaeological Society.
A Buddhist temple is a temple of adherents of the teacher and prophet Buddha, the third largest religion in the world. Buddhism most of all distributed in the countries of the East, in Asia: in China, Japan, Korea, Tibet, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Indonesia, Taiwan and other countries in this region of the planet. In Russia, Buddhism is widespread in the regions of Siberia and the Far East (Republics of Tyva, Buryatia, Transbaikalia, and so on), as well as in Kalmykia.
The head of the Buddhist Church in the world is Dalai Lama, chosen from among Buddhist monks. Buddhism is a very peaceful religion that denies violence and war.
Of course, like any world, or even small, religion on Earth, Buddhism has its temples. The Buddhist temple is called "datsan". It can be easily distinguished from other buildings by its oriental style pagoda roof. It is also richly decorated with bright and colorful traditional ornaments - this symbolizes the joy of delivering a person from the cycle of suffering, samsara.
Buddhist temples are often painted bright red. There are plenty of bright colors in the temples - for example, the traditional clothes of Buddhist monks are always bright orange. But in the structure of the temple itself, asceticism and severity, the absence of unnecessary things and decorations, should prevail. Buddhism does not recognize the abundance, the accumulation of very expensive and luxurious utensils in the temple. At the same time, he does not deny the precious objects in the temple.
Gold, gilded, silver or inlaid with precious stones can be teacher buddha statue on the throne - an indispensable attribute of every temple, placed in the so-called “golden halls” of the datsan. Also in the temples you will find images of the main sacred symbols of Buddhism. Another indispensable attribute of a Buddhist temple is bells with a melodious ringing. Often they are also made from precious metals. Just like in Christian churches, you can also see magnificent multi-colored stained glass windows in datsans.
In datsans, their servants often collect good libraries. They can live at a Buddhist temple monks. In Buddhism, unlike Christianity, there is no difference at all between a monastery and an ordinary temple. Any datsan should have strong gates, a courtyard well closed from the street, and few windows to create an atmosphere of silence, spirituality and solitude for believers. In the temple it is important to renounce the outside world, entertainment, worldly shows and influences. Here you are supposed to think about lofty things, calmly pray and meditate.
Anyone who comes to Thailand for the first time will certainly fall under the spell of the local religious culture, the center of which is, of course, temples or wats, as they are called here. Thai religious architecture has developed over the centuries, but despite all of it, all temples have a number of common features that we would like to tell you about today.
So, a traditional Thai temple consists of two main parts: Puttawat- an area with structures created for the worship of Buddha, and Sanghawat- The monks' homes are located here.
Puttawat, in turn, consists of a number of buildings:
Chedi or stupa- a bell-shaped structure with a sharp spire, inside of which Buddhist relics are kept. In Buddhism, chedis “stabilize” the earth, being the points of contact between heaven and earth. They are worshiped as sacred symbols representing the cosmic body of the Buddha.
Prang- Thai version of Khmer towers. Prangs are easy to identify - they look like huge ears of corn.
The main building in Puttawatha, where the main shrine (most often a Buddha statue) is located, is called ubosot or bot. All religious ceremonies take place here. Bots, as a rule, have a multi-tiered roof, the ridge of each level of which is topped with a horn-like decoration representing the head of the mythical garuda bird. It's called chofa.
In addition, in Puttawata there are always viharn- sermon hall (an exact copy of the bot), lard- open pavilion, ho try- a library, as well as a number of other structures and architectural forms.
And, of course, you will not find a single temple that does not have Naga- a multi-headed mystical snake that guarded Buddha during meditation. In the architecture of the temple, Naga is certainly present in the form of the railing of the stairs leading to the bot.
Anyone who comes to Thailand for the first time will certainly fall under the spell of the local religious culture, the center of which is, of course, temples or wats, as they are called here. Thai religious architecture has developed over the centuries, but despite all of it, all temples have a number of common features that we would like to tell you about today.
The representative of the tour operator in Thailand, Sayama Travel, Katerina Tarasenko, prepared a short educational program on the architectural graces of Thai temples.
So, a traditional Thai temple consists of two main parts: Puttawat - an area with buildings created for the worship of Buddha, and Sanghawat - the dwellings of the monks are located here.
Puttawat, in turn, consists of a number of buildings:
Chedi or stupa- a bell-shaped structure with a sharp spire, inside of which Buddhist relics are kept. In Buddhism, chedis “stabilize” the earth, being the points of contact between heaven and earth. They are worshiped as sacred symbols representing the cosmic body of the Buddha.
Prang- Thai version of Khmer towers. Prangs are easy to identify - they look like huge ears of corn.
The main structure in Puttawatha, which houses the main shrine (usually a Buddha statue), is called an ubosot or bot. All religious ceremonies take place here. Bots, as a rule, have a multi-tiered roof, the ridge of each level of which is topped with a horn-like decoration representing the head of the mythical garuda bird. It's called chofa.
In addition, in Puttavata there is always a viharn - a sermon hall (an exact copy of a bot), a sala - an open pavilion, a ho trai - a library, as well as a number of other structures and architectural forms.
And, of course, you will not find a single temple that does not have a Naga - a multi-headed mystical serpent who guarded Buddha during meditation. In the architecture of the temple, Naga is certainly present in the form of the railing of the stairs leading to the bot.
Borobudur Temple is a Buddhist monument of colossal size, the likes of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. This massive Buddhist temple is located in the Central Java region of Indonesia, near the city of Jakarta (approximately 42 km or 25 miles away).
Scholars cannot agree on when this temple was built, but most believe that it appeared between the 7th and 8th centuries. Scientists also believe that the construction of such a temple took at least 100 years.
Over the past hundred years, the temple has been abandoned due to the massive adoption of Islam. For a long time, the temple was covered with ash from erupting volcanoes, and eventually became overgrown with jungle.
The temple was discovered in 1814 by Sir Thomas Raffles, who sponsored the clearing of the temple area from overgrowth. Since then, the temple has undergone various reconstructions, but the most significant reconstruction for the life of the temple was carried out by the Indonesian government in the 1980s, with the support of UNESCO. Among similar temple complexes, one can highlight the Shwedagon Pagoda in Myanmar, one of the most famous buildings of this type
Borobudur was regaining its magnificent beauty and was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The structure of the temple represents a mythological model and consists of various terraces. Every terrace and wall of this ancient temple is covered with the most amazing intricate forms of bas-relief depicting the teachings of Buddha. Concavities depicting Buddha statues are everywhere, and every passage or terrace shows the many lives and many forms of acceptances of Sidhartha, before achieving Buddha's enlightenment.
Of course, as you walk through all these bas-reliefs, you will notice that many of the concavities are now empty, or contain headless Buddha statues. Why? Because of the limitless robbery that was relevant several decades ago. Many of the stolen Buddha heads are now in the homes of rich people and in museums around the world. The robbery continues today, but much less. Another similar complex is the ancient city of Bagan in Burma.
In the main part of the temple, the tourist will encounter the central stupa (symbol of Buddha’s enlightenment) - a symbol of eternity. Tourists cannot enter through the central stupa. Only Buddhist monks are allowed to enter through the central stupa.
In addition to the main stupa, there are 72 smaller bell-shaped stupas. Some stupas contain a seated Buddha, while others are empty. There is one particular stupa that represents the Buddha's abode with his crossed legs. Legend says that if you go up and touch the crossed leg of the Buddha, your wish will certainly come true.
Day of Enlightenment: Hari Raya Vaisak
One of the most beautiful and holiest Buddhist events that anyone can attend occurs once a year, during the full moon of May or June. Buddhist high priests announce the date in advance because they can calculate the date exactly using the lunar calendar.
On the appointed day, at around 2:00, the procession starts at Candi Mendut, a smaller temple, and proceeds to Pawon Temple. The duration of the ride is approximately 1.5 miles, and ends at Borobudur Temple. Barefoot male monks dress in saffron-colored robes, while women wear white saris and also participate in the procession, carrying lighted candles. The monks move very slowly, emphasizing the solemn manner, while chanting and praying.
Hello, dear readers – seekers of knowledge and truth!
During its existence, Buddhism, having appeared on the territory of north-eastern India, grew, took on new forms, flowed from country to country and even covered distances the size of continents.
It is not surprising that he also reached the vast expanses of Russia, an essentially Orthodox country.
For a long time now, three large Russian republics - Kalmykia, Tuva and Buryatia - have been following the path of Buddhism, there are sanghas - Buddhist communities - scattered throughout the country in large cities.
Our article today will tell you about the main temple of the Buddhist Sangha in Russia, give a brief history lesson: give a short lecture on how Russian realities with their harsh winters are superimposed on the aesthetics of temple buildings, take you to a remote secluded corner of Russia, and also tell you the secret of the incorruptibility of the physical body.
Russian luminary of Buddhism
The heart of the Buddhist Traditional Sangha of Russia, or, as it is called for short, BTSR, is located five thousand kilometers from Moscow - in Buryatia. The head of this organization is Pandito Khambo Lama, and his residence is located here - in the Ivolginsky datsan. It can be considered the most important Buddhist temple of our homeland.
Surrounded by mountains, at the base of the Khamar-Daban ridge, in the middle of the endless steppe, lie the sloping roofs of a datsan. The shine of gilding, the wandering wind, the barely perceptible tart aroma, so reminiscent of the eastern regions, as if carried away to the homeland of the nomads.
What is it: Mongolia, China or Tibet? It's hard to believe, but we are in Russia, just thirty kilometers from Ulan-Ude. The religion of this area is represented by the current, and here is its spiritual beginning.
The riot of colors and splendor of Buddhist temple buildings, so unusual to the Russian gaze, bring here not only believers, pilgrims, but also ordinary tourists from all over the world who want to see a unique state within a state and plunge into the atmosphere of calm joy of the Buddhist world.
At one time, millions of tourists visited here, including even the country's top officials - Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin.
A short excursion into history
Buddhism reached the borders of Russia in the distant 17th century, being then still at the very beginning of its development. But thanks to Empress Elizabeth, who “gave the go-ahead” for the recognition of this alien religion at that time by a special decree of 1741, Buddhist philosophy was firmly rooted in the minds of the eastern peoples of Russia.
Before the revolution, there were as many as 47 Buddhist temples, but then the Soviet government came, which considered not only Christianity, but also religiosity in general in any of its manifestations to be “the opium of the people.” By 1925, many buildings were destroyed, and the abbots were subjected to ruthless repression.
History has a good sense of humor, and if you now ask locals how the Ivolginsky datsan appeared, they will either jokingly or seriously answer that it was given by Stalin.
There is one story connected with this, the authenticity of which is questioned, but still similar to the true one. The beginning of the war, like the entire subsequent decade, was a very difficult time, and any help was useful. The Buryats (who, for a moment, were almost all Buddhists) collected an unaffordable sum at that time - three hundred thousand rubles - and sent them to the front. Gratitude for the dedication and assistance of the Buddhists was permission to build a datsan.
Immediately after the end of the bloody war, in May 1945, the People's Commissariat of the Buryat-Mongolian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic specially issued a decree “On the opening of a Buddhist temple.” Of course, there was no talk of reconstructing the centuries-old datsans, but the Buryats were happy to be content with little - they were allocated land almost in a swamp, near the village of Verkhnyaya Ivolga.
Thus began the construction of the country's main datsan. A wealthy family allocated their house, which became the first temple of the entire complex. Through the joint efforts of the residents of the Orongoi village, local lamas and volunteers, buildings began to be erected around the village one after another.
“...It was built when Stalin was at the height of power, I did not understand how this could have happened, but this fact helped me to realize that spirituality is so deeply rooted in the human consciousness that it is very difficult, if not impossible uproot it...” – the 14th Dalai Lama shared his impressions of the Ivolginsky datsan.
Today, at this place, an entire monastery complex shines with splendor, surrounded by a scattering of plants, a serene spirit, and an aura of reverence. His name is Gandan Dashi Choynkhorlin, the meaning of which when translated means that the wheel of the Teaching rotates here, filled with a feeling of joy and happiness.
Decoration of the complex
Datsan welcomes guests with the main gate, which opens from the south, as well as a small, non-main entrance. The ritual of walking around the shrines - gooro - will help you to comprehend the beauty of the temple without losing sight of anything. For this purpose, a path is paved throughout the entire territory.
During the moon, it is worth following clockwise as the Sun moves. You can walk along the perimeter alone, enjoying unforgettable views, and visitors eager for knowledge and interesting stories will be gladly guided. The basic rule is that the number of rounds must be odd.
It is not without reason that the Buryat datsan is under state protection, because it is a real work of architecture. The complex is represented by ten temples and five stupas, the most prominent of which are named:
- Tsogshin-dugan – the main temple of the BTSR;
- Devazhin;
- Maidrin-sume;
- Sahuyusan-sume.
An important feature of the datsan is the Buddhist university. Dashi Choynkhorlin – that’s what it’s called, and it was built a quarter of a century ago, in 1991.
The presence of the university gave the Ivolginsky Monastery the full right to bear the title of datsan, because in Tibetan Buddhism a datsan is a “faculty” department at a temple.
The university itself is quite modest and ascetic, just like the life of the local monks. About a hundred Khuvarak students study in one of four faculties, living in a large wooden building.
When you visit, you can observe with one eye the everyday life: they get up at 6 o’clock in the morning and serve until the evening, study disciplines, do their own cooking, cleaning, and household chores.
The training program includes the most extensive range of subjects: from philosophy, icon painting and Eastern medicine to Tibetan language and logic. After five years of study, students receive the status of lamas, which is supported by a diploma.
In addition to temple and educational buildings, there is a library, an art museum, service buildings, and lama’s homes. And for the continuous flow of curious tourists, a hotel, a cafe with national cuisine, and souvenir shops with original items were built.
196 – this is how many Buddhist objects constitute cultural heritage and are strictly protected by the state.
Temples traditionally host services, rituals, celebrate religious dates, holidays, and also carry out various types of treatment, the rules of which were bequeathed by traditional ancient Tibetan medicine.
Like in Tibet or Buddhist China, the buildings here are bright, and their pointed roofs soar upward. But geographical features affect the existing local architecture: dugans, unlike their Tibetan counterparts, are mostly made of wood.
In addition, Russian winters with severe frosts influenced the architecture of Buddhist buildings, so the entrance to the temple is marked with a special hall, similar to a porch, so that the cold does not get inside.
When walking around the territory, you can pray a hundred thousand times, because that’s how many mantras are hidden inside the Ivolginsky Monastery.
You can pet roe deer, wander through the greenhouse, look into open temples, and enjoy the power of the incredible Bodhi tree, where, according to legend, Buddha learned what nirvana is.
The phenomenon of incorruptibility
But perhaps the most amazing thing about this monastery is hidden in the Temple of the Pure Land.
In the 20th century, the Hambo Lama from Buryatia, Dashi-Dorzho, was especially famous.
In 1927, the 75-year-old great Master entered into meditation, in which he is believed to have continued to this day. This can be called a real miracle, and here's why.
Before leaving, Iteglov bequeathed to his students to visit him in thirty years. The lama's body was placed in a cedar barrel, and three decades later, according to instructions, it was exhumed. Everyone was overcome by a wave of surprise - the body had practically not changed during this time.
Research by scientists continually showed that the tissues were not deformed, the cells remained alive, and at times the body temperature even changed and sweat appeared.
Now anyone can see the incorruptible lama, but this can only be done eight times a year - on great holidays. At other times, only monks and sometimes special guests watch over him.
Conclusion
Thank you very much for your attention, dear readers! We wish you to someday visit this unique region of our country and see the wonders with your own eyes.