A Stupa is used as a place of worship for Buddhists. The latest Buddhist religious monument is the Stupa and was created originally from a mound of clay or mud to cover relics of the Buddha. This remains were later cremated and the ashes were divided up and buried under the 8 Stupas. Not much is known about early stupas because it is not possible to see the ten original ones. Little is known about these early stupas, particularly since it has not been possible to identify the original ten monuments.However, there are a variety of stupas around the world. The stupa shape represents the Buddha where he is meant to look like he is crowned and sitting in meditation on a lion throne. According to Wikipedia, His crown is the top of the spire; his head is the square at the spire's base; his body is the vase shape; his legs are the four steps of the lower terrace; and the base is his throne. They are also meant to commemorate 8 great deeds from his life as listed below.
- Birth: Built at Lumbini
- Enlightenment: Built in the kingdom of Magadha, on the banks of the river Nairanjana
- Turning of the Wheel, the first teaching: Built at Sarnath (Varanasi)
- Miracles: Built at Sravasti
- Descent from Tushita: Built at Samkashya after Buddha returned from Tushita heaven, where he'd gone to give teachings to his mother
- Reconciliation: Built at Rajagriha, after Buddha reconciled the disagreements of the monks
- Complete Victory: Built at Vaishali, where Buddha meditated extensively
- Parinirvana: Built at Kushinagara where Buddha entered mahaparinirvana
Wow!! Who would have imagined that these monuments had such deep meaning. It's hard to imagine how a structure this big and unique can be built out of mud or clay. I didn't even know that they had their own names for their worship temples. As I mentioned before these temples have a very deep meaning and I was impressed to make that realization.
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