Estupas budistas – Conservando las reliquias sagradas

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Un stupa es una estructura en forma de montículo o hemisférica que contiene reliquias y se utiliza como un lugar de meditación.

Origen de los Stupas Budistas

Un término arquitectónico relacionado es chaitya, que se refiere a un salón de oración o templo que contiene un stupa.

En el budismo, la circumabulación o pradakshina ha sido un ritual y práctica devocional importante desde los tiempos más antiguos, y los stupas siempre cuentan con un camino de pradakshina a su alrededor.

Según la tradición budista, el emperador Ashoka (reinado: 273—232 a.C.) recuperó las reliquias del Buda de los stupas anteriores (excepto del stupa de Ramagrama) y erigió 84,000 stupas para distribuir las reliquias a lo largo de la India.

De hecho, muchos stupas se cree que datan originalmente de la época de Ashoka, como Sanchi o Kesariya, donde también erigió pilares con sus inscripciones, y posiblemente Bharhut, Amaravati o Dharmarajika en Gandhara.

Ashoka también estableció los Pilares de Ashoka a lo largo de su reino, generalmente al lado de stupas budistas.

Pronto, los stupas fueron ricamente decorados con relieves escultóricos, siguiendo los primeros intentos en el Stupa No. 2 de Sanchi (125 a.C.).

Evolución de los Stupas Budistas

El stupa experimentó importantes evoluciones en la región de Gandhara.

Dado que el budismo se difundió a Asia Central, China y, en última instancia, a Corea y Japón a través de Gandhara, la evolución estilística del stupa gandhariano fue muy influyente en el posterior desarrollo del stupa (y formas artísticas o arquitectónicas relacionadas) en estas áreas.

El stupa de Gandhara siguió varios pasos, moviéndose generalmente hacia una mayor elevación y adición de elementos decorativos, lo que condujo eventualmente al desarrollo de la torre pagoda.

La arquitectura del stupa fue adoptada en el sudeste y este de Asia, donde se convirtió en un monumento budista prominente utilizado para albergar reliquias sagradas.

Los arcos de entrada indios, el torana, llegaron a Asia Oriental con la difusión del budismo.

Los stupas se construyeron en Sri Lanka poco después de que Devanampiya Tissa de Anuradhapura se convirtiera al budismo.

El primer stupa que se construyó fue el Thuparamaya.

Más tarde, se construyeron muchos más a lo largo de los años, algunos como el Jetavanaramaya en Anuradhapura, siendo una de las estructuras antiguas más altas del mundo.

Stupas Budistas alrededor del mundo

Esta es una lista de famosos stupas de todo el mundo.

Estupa

La estupa es un montículo funerario budista hecho de piedra, un relicario de metal o arcilla, y un objeto ritual que representa simbólicamente la mente de la iluminación completa.

Pagoda

Una pagoda es una torre escalonada con múltiples aleros, construida en tradiciones que se originan como estupas en el sur de Asia histórico y que se desarrollaron posteriormente en el este de Asia o con respecto a esas tradiciones, comunes en Nepal, China, Japón, Corea, Vietnam, Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka y otras partes de Asia.

Swayambhunath

Swayambhunath es una antigua arquitectura religiosa situada en la cima de una colina en el Valle de Katmandú, al oeste de la ciudad de Katmandú. El nombre tibetano del sitio significa ‘Árboles Sublimes’, por las muchas variedades de árboles que se encuentran en la colina. También conocido como el «Templo de los Monos» entre los visitantes extranjeros, Swayambhunath se encuentra en la cima de su colina, con vistas a la mayor parte del valle.

Boudhanath

Bouddha, también conocido como Boudhanath, Khasti Chaitya y Khāsa Chaitya, es un stupa en Katmandú, Nepal. Ubicado a unos 11 km (6.8 mi) del centro y de las afueras noreste de Katmandú, su masivo mandala lo convierte en uno de los stupas esféricos más grandes de Nepal y del mundo.

Estupa Charumati

El Stupa de Charumati (también conocido como Stupa de Chabahil y Stupa de Dhan Dhoj) es un stupa en Katmandú, Nepal. Fue construido por Charumati, hija del emperador indio Ashoka, en el siglo IV. En 2003, el Stupa de Charumati fue restaurado por los lugareños ya que se estaba desmoronando debido al «intenso tráfico vehicular en la carretera cercana». Durante su proceso de restauración se encontraron innumerables artefactos, monedas y manuscritos que posiblemente datan de la era Licchavi.

Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen

Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen es un wat real (‘templo’) ubicado en el distrito de Phasi Charoen, Bangkok, a orillas del río Chao Phraya. Es parte de la fraternidad Maha Nikaya y es el origen del Movimiento Dhammakaya. Es un templo grande y popular, apoyado por miembros prósperos de la comunidad.

Kalachakra stupa

Kalachakra Stupa is a stupa located just outside Lagkadaiika village, in the Xylokastro area of the Corinthia region of southern Greece, overlooking the Gulf of Corinth. It is the largest stupa in Southeastern Europe.

Sikri stupa

The Sikri stupa is a work of Buddhist art dated to 3rd-4th century from the Kushan period in Gandahara, consisting of 13 narrative panels that tell the story of Buddha. Modern restoration accounts for their order in the Lahore Museum. The restoration began while Harold Arthur Deane was still assigned to the North-West Frontier Province in what was then British India. Three photos taken around 1890 show the order of the panels in the earliest restoration.

Sphola Stupa

Sphola Stupa is a Buddhist monument located in the Khyber Pass, Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. The monument located about 25 kilometers from Jamrūd is on a high rocky ledge and consists of a stone mound supported by a tiered base. Large sections of the stone have fallen away, particularly to the right of the mound. A man is standing on the top of the mound, and another man is standing on a pile of rubble to the right. There is a valley beyond with steep mountains rising behind it.

Phra Pathommachedi

Phra Pathommachedi or Phra Pathom Chedi is a Buddhist stupa in Thailand. The stupa is located in the Wat Phra Pathommachedi Ratcha Wora Maha Wihan (Thai: วัดพระปฐมเจดีย์ราชวรมหาวิหาร), a temple in the town center of Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Pathom Province, Thailand. Phra Pathommachedi is the tallest stupa in Thailand. The top of its spire reaches 120.45 meters, with the base circumference of 235.50 meters.

Phra Prathon Chedi

Phra Prathon Chedi is one of the oldest stupas in Thailand with the height of 50 metres (164 ft). The stupa is located in the Wat Phra Prathon Chedi Wora Viharn, a temple in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, 3 km east of Phra Pathommachedi.

Phra That Si Song Rak

Phra That Si Song Rak is a Buddhist stupa built in c. 1560 by Laotian and Thai kings. It is located on the Man River in Dan Sai district, Loei province of modern-day Thailand, 30 kilometers from the modern Thailand-Laos border. The name means «Stupa of Love from the Two Nations».

Shaji-ki-Dheri

Shaji-ki-Dheri is the site of an ancient Kanishka stupa about 6 kilometers from Peshawar, Pakistan.

Shanti Stupa – Pokhara

Pokhara Shanti Stupa is a Buddhist monument on Anadu Hill of the former Pumdi Bhumdi Village Development Committee, in the district of Kaski, Nepal.

Sudheran-Jo-Thul

Sudheran-Jo-Thul is a Buddhist stupa which is situated near Tando Muhammad Khan city of Tando Muhammad Khan District, Sindh, Pakistan. The stupa is close to Badin city as well. This Buddhist monument in Sindh is located at the mound which shows the remains of an ancient big city. It is located towards South of Hyderabad city. Locally it is famous as Tower of Sudheran. According to some accounts this stupa is believed to be cinerary.

Stupika

A stupika is a small votive stupa. It is often accompanied by small votive tablets with Buddhist formulae, or small Buddhist images. The stupika can also be the topmost part of a building, particularly a Hindu temple.

Wat Phra That Phanom

Wat Phra That Phanom is a temple in the That Phanom District in the southern part of Nakhon Phanom Province, northeastern Thailand. According to legend, the temple contains Phra Uranghathat / พระอุรังคธาตุ or Phra Ura / พระอุระ are enshrined, and as such, it is one of the most important Theravada Buddhist structures in the region. Each year, a festival is held at That Phanom to honor the temple. The week-long festival attracts thousands of people who make pilgrimages to honor the shrine.

Phra Chedi Klang Nam

Phra Chedi Klang Nam is a chedi in Rayong Province. Phra Chedi Klang Nam was built approximately 2 kilometers away from Rayong city and it is located in the middle of the mouth of the Rayong River. Tourists can travel to Phra Chedi Klang Nam everyday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Tambon Pak Nam, Amphoe Muaeng, Rayong. The Chedi (pagoda) was constructed in 1873 by Kate Yomjinda, who was the Rayong provincial administrator at the time. The feature of pagoda looks like large white bell which stands 10 meters high and the ground is reddish-brown brick. Once the Chedi used to symbolise reaching Rayong for sailors. Now the people ofRayong esteem the Phra Chedi Klang Nam and it is a symbol of Rayong. The tourists should travel to Phra Chedi Klang Nam during the twelfth lunar month because at that time the annual celebration takes place. In November during the Loy Krathong festival, festival for paying respect to the Phra Mae Kong Ka, people can join the festival at Phra Chedi Klang Nam and there is Thai traditional boat racing as well. In mid-December every year, there is an offering robes to Buddhist monks and cover clothes for pagoda tradition. Two men cover the apex of pagoda by a 6 meter long red cloth. The area around Phra Chedi Klang Nam is covered by pine trees, so the weather is pretty good. People usually go there to relax and have a picnic.

That Dam

That Dam is a large stupa located in Vientiane, Laos. Many Laotians believe it is inhabited by a seven-headed nāga who tried to protect them from an invasion by the Siamese army in 1827.

Thul Hairo Khan

The Thul Hairo Khan is a Buddhist Stupa, built possibly between the 5th to 7th century CE near the modern-day town of Johi, in Sindh, Pakistan. It is constructed with baked and unbaked bricks fixed with a material made from mud mixed water. The stupa is 50 feet high and 30 feet wide in size. The stair from the north side of stupa leads to its top. The stupa has an arched tunnel at ground level which crosses from north to south. It is believed that stupas like Hairo Khan were built in Sindh between 5th to 7th centuries CE. Thul of Hairo Khan appears to be series of discovered in other regions of Sindh.

World Peace Pagoda – Lumbini

World Peace Pagoda, also called Nipponzan Peace Pagoda, is a Buddhist monument in Lumbini, Nepal.

It was designed and built by Japanese Buddhists. The Pagoda acts as the starting point on the central axis of the Lumbini Master Plan, the other end being the Mayadevi Temple. The distance from the pagoda to the temple is about 3.2 km.

The stairs in stupa lead to three different levels. The stupa is whitewashed and the floor is stone-paved. It has four large golden statues of Buddha facing four directions.

Thul Mir Rukan

The Thul Mir Rukan is a Buddhist stupa, built possibly between the 6th to 11th century CE, near the modern cities of Kazi Ahmed and Daulatpur in the Sindh province of Pakistan. This monument has domed ceiling and it is 60 feet high, constructed with baked bricks. Details indicate the site being a religious Buddhist center since antiquity. Many evidences were explored from this site are related to Gautama Buddha.

Amluk-Dara stupa

Amluk-Dara stupa is located in Swat valley of Pakistan. It is a part of Gandhara civilization at Amluk-Dara. The stupa is believed to have been built in the third century. The stupa was first discovered by a Hungarian-British archaeologist Sir Aurel Stein in 1926. It was later studied by Domenico Faccena in the 60s and 70s.

Norbugang Chorten

The Norbugang Chorten is a stupa situated in the Geyzing subdivision of West Sikkim district in the Indian State of Sikkim. It was erected following the crowning of the first Chogyal of Sikkim in 1642 at Narbugong Coronation Throne near Yuksom. A holy lake known as Kuthok Lake, a serene lake, is also linked to the historicity of the place. The Chorten was the place where Lama Lhutsun Chempo created the time capsule by burying all the gifts to mark the occasion.

Peace Pagoda

A Peace Pagoda is a Buddhist stupa; a monument to inspire peace, designed to provide a focus for people of all races and creeds, and to help unite them in their search for world peace. Most peace pagodas built since World War II have been built under the guidance of Nichidatsu Fujii (1885–1985), a Buddhist monk from Japan and founder of the Nipponzan-Myōhōji Buddhist Order. Fujii was greatly inspired by his meeting with Mahatma Gandhi in 1931 and decided to devote his life to promoting non-violence. In 1947, he began constructing Peace Pagodas as shrines to world peace. The first was inaugurated at Kumamoto in 1954.

Kaathe Swyambhu

Kaathe Swayambhu Shree Gha Chaitya is a miniature replica of Swayambhunath. It was built around 1650AD and is one of the popular Tibetan pilgrimage site in Kathmandu, Nepal. The stupa is also called Shree Gha-Shanti Ghat Bhajradhatu Mahachaitya or Kathesimbhu stupa or Kashi Swayambhu.

Benalmádena Stupa

Benalmádena Stupa is a stupa in Benalmádena, Málaga in the Andalusian region of southern Spain, overlooking the Costa del Sol. It is 33 m (108 ft) high and is the largest stupa in Europe. It was inaugurated on 5 October 2003, and was the final project of Buddhist master Lopon Tsechu Rinpoche.

Butkara Stupa

The Butkara Stupa is an important Buddhist stupa near Mingora, in the area of Swat, Pakistan. It may have been built by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, but it is generally dated slightly later to the 2nd century BCE.

Chedi Doi Trimoorati

Chedi Doi Trimoorati is a Chedi in Chiang Rai, set in a countryside location surrounded by ricefields, woodland and mountain views. It is maintained by its designer Luang Phra Wichai Chotivaro and a small group of fellow monks. The Chedi is a few kilometers out of the city in the Bandu area; turn off the main road on soi 6 and follow the road a few kilometers until the tarmac ends and a dirt road starts, then take a right fork through a gate and up a slight incline.

Dharmarajika Stupa

The Dharmarajika Stupa, also referred to as the Great Stupa of Taxila, is a Buddhist stupa near Taxila, Pakistan. It dates from the 2nd century CE, and was built by the Kushans to house small bone fragments of the Buddha. The stupa, along with the large monastic complex that later developed around it, forms part of the Ruins of Taxila – which were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.

Great Stupa of Universal Compassion

The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion is a sacred Buddhist monument being constructed in Australia near Bendigo in central Victoria. The basic idea for building this stupa came from Lama Yeshe, and after his passing Lama Zopa Rinpoche decided to model the stupa (Kumbum) on the Great Stupa of Gyantse, which is 600 years old. When completed, the Bendigo stupa’s exterior will be an exact replica of the Great Stupa of Gyantse. It will be 50m high and its four sides will each be 50m long, making it one of the largest Buddhist monuments in the Western world. Buddhists say that viewing the stupa will help purify the mind.

Gumbat Stupa

Gumbat Stupa is a 2nd-century Buddhist stupa located in Swat valley in Pakistan. It is situated about 9 kilometres south of Birkot in the Kandag Valley of Gandhara.

Kalachakra Stupa (Greece)

Kalachakra Stupa is a stupa located just outside Lagkadaiika village, in the Xylokastro area of the Corinthia region of southern Greece, overlooking the Gulf of Corinth. It is the largest stupa in Southeastern Europe.

Barikot

Barikot is a town located in the middle course of the Swat River in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It is located about 20 km (12 mi) away from Mingora and the Butkara Stupa. It is the entrance town to the central Swat Valley with a population of approximately 25,000 people. Barikot is the location of an ancient citadel captured by Alexander the Great, with Chalcolithic remains dating back to c. 1700 BCE, and an early-historic period town dating back to c. 500 BCE. The Italian Archaeological Mission founded by Giuseppe Tucci has been excavating ruins of the ancient town of Bazira under Barikot since 1984.

Kalawan

Kalawan is the name of an archaeological site in the area of Taxila in Pakistan, where it is one of the largest Buddhist establishment. It is located about 2 km from the Dharmarajika stupa.

Kanishka Stupa

The Kanishka Stupa was a monumental stupa established by the Kushan king Kanishka during the 2nd century CE in today’s Shaji-ki-Dheri on the outskirts of Peshawar, Pakistan.

Kunala Stupa

Kunala Stupa is a Kushan-era Buddhist stupa and monastery complex to the south-east of Taxila, on a hill about 200 meters just south of Sirkap, Punjab, Pakistan, thought to date to the 2nd century CE. It is located on a hill overlooking the ancient Indo-Greek city of Sirkap.

Mankiala

Mankiala is a village in the Potohar plateau, Punjab near Rawalpindi, Pakistan, known for the nearby Mankiala stupa – a Buddhist stupa located at the site where, according to legend, Buddha sacrificed some of his body parts to feed seven hungry tiger cubs.

Mankiala stupa

The Mankiala Stupa is a 2nd-century Buddhist stupa near the village of Tope Mankiala, in Pakistan’s Punjab province. The stupa was built by the Kushans and is said to commemorate the spot, where according to the Jataka tales, an incarnation of the Buddha called Prince Sattva sacrificed himself to feed seven hungry tiger cubs.

Mohra Muradu

Mohra Muradu is the place of an ancient Buddhist stupa and monastery near the ruins of Taxila built by the Kushans. The ancient monastery is located in a valley and has views of the surrounding mountains. The monks could meditate in all stillness at this place but were near enough to the city of Sirsukh to go for begging as it is only around 1.5 km away.

Nemogram Stupa

Nemogram stupa is located 45 km west of Saidu Sharif and 22 km from Birkot, on the right bank of Swat river in Pakistan.This site was discovered in 1966 and excavated in 1967–68.Swat is rich in historical landmarks as well as natural beauty. In every direction, these are tangled in the wide valley. Aurel Stein, a British archaeologist, and Tucci, who was followed by other Italians, worked tirelessly to document and preserve these monuments.

Zurmala Stupa

Zurmala stupa is a remnant of the largest Buddhist stupa located in Termez district in Uzbekistan. It is considered to be the oldest construction still standing in Uzbekistan. It was built in the first or second century CE.