Buddhist and Hindu Temples Essay - 1653 Words

Hindu and Buddhist cultures are both rich in religion and expressing their faith through art. The Buddhist culture was formed by Buddha who went out to discover the causes of pain and suffering. Once Buddha realized what the cause was, he provided a set of four guiding principles know as the â€Å"Four Noble Truths† that are exercised in Buddhism (Kleiner, p. 13). The Four Noble truths are â€Å"Life is suffering, the cause of suffering is desire, one can overcome and extinguish desire, the way to conquer desire and end suffering is to follow Buddha’s Eightfold Path†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 13). These truths are expressed in the following of Buddhism and commonly carried out through art. Buddhism is practiced throughout Southeast Asia and southern India where†¦show more content†¦The stone fence surrounds the whole stopa to restrict the outside world from the sacred burial mound. The dome shape of the stopa represents the mountain of the world. The toranas are large stone pillars that are placed in the cardinal points of the stone fence, north, east, south, and west. Directly on top of the stupa sits the harmika. This harmika is a rectangle shape stone fence that represents an area of the gods. In the center of this harmika extends the yasti, a pole like structure protruding towards the universe representing the axis of the universe. There are three chatras that are pierced through the yasti. The chatras are stone discs that represent the union of the earth and the â€Å"heavenly paradise† (Kleiner, p. 15). The stupas are walked around in a clockwise manner by Buddhists because that is the same movement of the earth around the sun. This is known as circumambulation. The theory of circumambulation is that it â€Å"brings the devotee into harmony with the cosmos† (p. 15). This is the standard blueprint to which all stupas are constructed, thus allowing the Buddhists to circumambulate the structure. The Great Stupa o f Sanchi is located in Sanchi, which lies in central India. The Great Stupa follows the same basic structure blueprinted for all stupas. What makes this one so unique is that it stands fifty feet high and has two different levels that are designed to be circumambulated. There are four gates that the Buddhists enterShow MoreRelatedHindhism And Buddhism Similarities1349 Words   |  6 Pagesplaces of worship, beliefs, and rituals. Buddha temples vary in structure depending on the region but are commonly designed to symbolize the five elements. These elements include fire, air, Earth, water, and wisdom. Inside a temple varies, those built in recent times are modern whereas older temples are often very ornate. Along with the detailed decorations, a temple can often have a worship hall or a meditation hall. The most common Buddhist temples are a pagoda and the stupa. Inspired by the ancientRead MoreThe Contribution Of Angkor Wat920 Words   |  4 PagesAngkor Wat, located in Angkor, Cambodia is the largest religious monument in the world. The massive temple complex was built by King Suryavarman II in the 12th century and was used as a place of worship for Hindus and then later Buddhists. King Suryavarman II deviated from tradition and dedicated Angkor Wat to the god Vishnu as opposed to Shaiva. To this day Angkor Wat remains a religious center, as well as one of Cambodia’s largest tourist attractions. This research paper will focus on several keyRead MoreThe Religious Symbolism and Architecture of Angkor Wat and Borobudur1634 Words   |  7 Pages1220 AD, the ancient temples of Angkor Wat exist as the remaining relics of a historically and religiously rich city. 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