Buddhist Architecture

King AsokaLion capitalBull capital

Sanchi Stupa-lEastern gate Nortern gate

Part- l

Buddhist Architecture Introduction

Maurya Dynastyca. 322-185 BCE

King Ashoka (r. 273-232 BCE)

Paliputra

Sarnath

Maurya ca. 322-185 BCE (the Greeks held the power in the Gandhara region until the death of Alexander the great in 323)

King Asoka 272-231 BCE; solidified the N and Central India region by a bloody campaigns and later converted to Buddhism.

Pillars of Law (Dharma-sthambani)-with inscription of propaganda and Buddhist teachings

Asoka’s column at Sarnath-site associated with the First Sermon; addorsed lions symbolizing the spreading of the Buddha’s teachings. Lion represents Sakyamuni’s clan.

wheel (cakra) symbolizes the turning of the wheel of law; animals (elephant, bull, horse, and lion)

King Asoka of Maurya period

3.4 Lion capital of King Asoka; Polished sandstone, Sarnath

Bull capital from Rampurva, c. 250 BCE

Ashokan Pillars h. 32’

Capital of Pillar erected by KingAshoka at Sarnath, ca. 250 BCE(“Lion Capital”)

Sandstone, h. 7’Archaeological Musem, Sarnath

How is it both religious and secular?

Animals of the Four Directions:East: Elephant

Animals of the Four Directions:South: Horse

Animals of the Four Directions:West: BullNorth: Lion

ca 2000 BCE ca 250 BCE

Chakravartin (Universal Ruler)1st century BCEMarble, h. 4’ 3”Government Museum, Madras

WheelUmbrellaHorseElephant

BharhutSanchi

Shunga Dynasty (ca. 185-73 BCE)

Sarnath

Great Stupa, Sanchi, c. 250 BCE; enlarged and renovated c. 50-25 BCE

Stupa is a solid memorial mound, enshrining a relic casket containing the cremated remains of the Buddha, or venerated Buddhist teachers.

Practitioners circumambulate three times around the stupa Sanchi Stupa I (also known as the Great Stupa), dated 1st BCE; built of bricks and rubbles in a semi-circular shape, symbolizing the World Axis (19.8 meter)

Toranas (Gates) decorated with reliefs depicting scenes from the Life of the Buddha and His past lives (jatakas) (35 feet); capital decorated with lion (S), elephant(N and E) and dwarf (W)

Railing (vadika) separates the sacred and the profane worlds; imitated wooden architecture (3.35 m. high)

Chattra (umbrella)-symbolizes the Buddha, Dharma (teachings) and Sangha (followers)

Note: no depicted of the Buddha in Human form; used symbols such as foot print , empty throne, lotus pedestal

Stupas

Sanchi Stupa I

Asoka period Stupa is a relic mound; plan is swastika shape

Toranas: two up right pillars (S-lion; N and E-elephant: W-dwarf

Jatakas: Buddha past lives; 550 animals and human lives

Note: no images of the Buddha was depicted; use only symbols such as footprint, lotus flower, an empty throne.

Sanchi Stupa I

Sanchi Stupa I

Sanchi Stupa I

Eastern torana of Sanchi Stupa

Female figures (Yakshinis; male is called yakshas) on the brackets symbolizes tree goddesses; pre-Buddhist spirits associate with the generative or productive forces of nature, water, and strength of the inner breath.

Yakshinis

Yakshi bracket figure from the east gate, 60”

Northern gate

Northern gate

Detail of bracket on the easternn gate

Detail of bracket of the eastern gate

Detail of bracket on the eastern gate