Stupas in Orissa (Study)
by Meenakshi Chauley | 2013 | 109,845 words
This study examines the Stupas and Votive Stupas in Odisha or Orissa (Eastern India).—In this thesis an attempt has been made to trace the historicity of Buddhism in Odisha on the basis of the architectural development of the Stupa architecture. Archaeological evidence obtained from excavated sites dates such structures as early as third-second cen...
Evolution of Stupa (1): Vinaya-ksudraka Vastu
There are four categories of Vinayasutra i.e. Vinayvastu, Vinayavibhanga, Vinaya-ksudraka Vastu and Vinaya Uttaragrantha. The latter two gives valuable information upon the architecture of the Buddhist Stupa. Both these texts are the Tibetan versions of the lost Sanskrit originals found in the Kagyur Testament (Dorjee1996:1).
According to Mahaparinibban Sutta of Dighanikaya (Roth1980:183);(see also Mahaparinibban Suttanta in Sanskrit,36.2-3) and Vinaya-Ksudraka Vastu in Tibetan version, Ananda asked the Buddha, how to deal with the Tathagata’s body? Buddha replies, this would be the task of learned Kshatriyas, learned Brahmanas and learned householders. From this Buddha meant that this was not the concern of the order of monks, nuns, the samgha, but of the laity. When Ananda asks how to perform the funeral rites of Buddha after his demise, the Buddha replies that they should be performed according to the funeral rites of a Cakravartin, a ruler of a Cakra, by custom due to an emperor. The Lord further concludes that the bones should be deposited in a golden urn, a Stupa of his physical body at the crossing of four main roads built, along with umbrellas, banners and flags.
According to the Tibetan version of the Vinaya Ksudraka-vastu of the Mulasarvastivadins (Roth 1980:183-84) Cunda a disciple of Sariputra collected the corporeal relics, the alms-bowls and the robe of Sariputra after his funeral rites and handed them over to Ananda. Anathapindada, a rich layman asks Ananda to hand him over the relics and belongings of Sariputra. With Buddha’s order Ananda gives all the relics and other utensils to Anathapindada.
Anathapindada places the relics, alms-bowl and robe on a prominent place of his house to enable people to come and pay their homage. Once he had to lock the house and go out and the people who had come to pay homage got annoyed. So, Anathapindada placed the matter before Buddha, whom he asked to allow him to built a Stupa for the venerable Sariputra.
Buddha gives his consent and gives the following instructions to build a Stupa:
(1) In due subsequent order at first “four terraces�,
(2) “the receptacle for the pot� are to be made,
(3) the “pot�,
(4) the “vessel�,
(5) the “pole�,
(6) the �umbrella canopy� from one to thirteen (superimposed) umbrella canopies and
(7) the “protection against rain� are to be made.
Buddha says about the different numbers of superimposed umbrella canopies to be assigned are, that Stupas for Tathagatas should be thirteen (superimposed) umbrella canopies, for PratyekaBuddhas without any “protection against rain�, Stupas of Arhats should have four umbrella canopies, of those who do not return(an-agamin) three, of those who return (ago-min) two, and of those who have entered the stream (being converted) only one and Stupas for laymen are to be constructed without umbrella canopies.
When Buddha was asked that in which place Sariputra’s Stupa should be constructed, he said that it should be built in accordance with the rank or order of seats which both Sariputra and Maudgalyanaputra occupied in the Samgha in relation to the seat of the Tathagata. Respectively, the Stupas of other elder members are to be arranged in due order of their rank. Stupas of the virtuous laymen however have to be constructed outside the Samgha compound (Dorjee 1996:3).
Thus these descriptions precisely illustrate the main structures of the Buddhist Stupa including the structural distinctions for the different classes of the Buddhist saints, are indicated by the number of umbrella assigned to them. This narration is one of the oldest Stupa references in the Buddhist testament.
Each disc of the umbrella has its own significance and is assigned as follows:
The first disc represents the mystical power to know the ability to perceive what is the position and what is not the position for the preaching and activity of the Buddha.
The second disc represents the mystical power to know the ability to perceive that everybody is responsible for his karma.
The third disc represents the mystical power to know the ability to perceive all meditations, liberation, concentration and union with superior spheres.
The fourth disc represents the mystical power to know the ability to perceive the superior and low moral faculties.
The fifth disc represents the mystical power to know the ability to perceive the various inclinations of beings.
The sixth disc represents the mystical power to know the ability to perceive the different spheres of existence.
The seventh disc represents the mystical power to know the ability to perceive the way leading to any desired place.
The eighth disc represents the mystical power to know the ability to remember previous existences.
The ninth disc represents the mystical power to know the ability to perceive the time of death and rebirth.
The tenth disc represents the mystical power consisting of destroying sinful forces.
The eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth disc represents the three supports of awareness unusual to the Buddha.
It was probably during the reign of Ashoka, that the royal umbrella first became associated with the stupas in India after he made Buddhism the state religion. (Longhurst 1992: 16-17)