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January 13, 2007
stupas
on one of the platforms of borobudur sits 72 stupas. they are perforated, and within it sits a buddha statue. stupas are buddhist monuments, and carries deep meanings with it. it represents the holy mind of buddha, and each part reveals the path to enlightenment.
stupas can be divided into five elements :
- the square base
the earth element. the base represents the lion throne symbolising power of the universe. each of the four corners indicates the four cardinal directions.
- the hemispherical dome
the water element. the rounded shape of the dome immitates the womb and tomb, signifying birth and death.
- the conical spire
the fire element symbolising awareness. it represents wisdom as the fire that burns ignorance.
- the crescent moon
the element of air. because of air's capacity to expand, the moon signifies the awakening of enlightenment which leads to the end of all suffering.
- the circular disc
the element of space. the circle symbolises wholeness, there is no end or beginning and represents enlightenment.
there are buddhist texts that cites the benefits of building stupas which includes reviving the memory of your past lives, the ability to see your future lives, promises of protection and healing, the accumulation of merits and much more.
the word stupa itself means to rise up, to elevate. the interior of stupas often houses relics, or statues of buddha rising up to nirvana. interestingly enough, erich von daniken, an extraterrestrial theorist, puts forward a theory about the architecture of stupas. he comments that they look very much like flying saucers, and goes further to say that the designers were immitating the vehicle which their "gods" were ferrying around in. they did this because they lacked the technology to build the actual vehicles that could bring them closer to the house of their "gods". so effectively, what he means is that each stupa is a flying saucer, and placing statues within them symbolises the passenger flying off to space.
puts a whole new twist when you look at the image again doesn't it.
posted by nyx at January 13, 2007 9:55 AM
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