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EARTH SYMBOL

C O N T A I N I N G  L I F E  &  D E A T H


One of many much loved devotional stupas at Bodh Gaya, the site of the Buddha’s enlightenment.

STUPAS BY CONTENT

FOUR TRADITIONAL TYPES OF STUPAS
•• Those built over the remains of the Buddha or a disciple. (saririka)
•• Those containing objects used by the Buddha. (paribhogika)
•• Those marking an important event in the Buddha’s life. (uddesika)
•• Votive (devotional) stupas.

As true Buddha relics are rarely available these days stupas often contain the remains of ‘great saints’.
Stupas commonly contain objects owned by (usually deceased) holy beings. This could include their alms bowl, robes, scriptures or any other religious artefacts they used. These are seen as symbols of the ‘spiritual body’ of the person who used them.
Personal, corporeal relics are seen as a more potent reminder of enlightenment as they have a more direct connection with the actual person who lived on this earth. They are thought to contain something of the spritual force and purity of the person enshrined and to radiate this energy into the world. With this in mind stupas may sometimes contain copies of relics or artefacts.
LIFE AND DEATH
Stupas are used for housing relics of the dead yet are seen as a symbol of life.
A CONFLICT OF IDEAS?
A Stupa brings forth a memory of the Buddha, particularly of his enlightenment. That memory encourages us to understand his teaching, which leads to a complete understanding of existence, ‘life’. Two traditions show the difference between a stupa and an ordinary burial site:
•• The usual Indian funereal tradition is to circumambulate a grave or final resting place counter-clockwise. A stupa however is reverred by circumambulating in a clockwise direction even when it contains relics (as not all do). This ‘opposite’ approach points to the vitality and ‘life’ potential contained in the symbolism of the stupa.
•• Cremation grounds & burial sites are most commonly placed in relatively remote and deserted places, away from the living. Stupas, on the other hand, are built in the most frequented places; often in the centre of a town. This follows the Buddha’s suggestion that his own stupa be built at the crossing of four roads where it would be more visible and people would have easy access to it.