Buddhist architecture

Buddhist architecture is the architectural style that adheres to the philosophy and religious practices of Buddhism. The origins of Buddhism date back to the 5th century BCE in the Indian subcontinent. Buddhist architectural forms were developed to serve monastic, ritual, and commemorative functions. Distinctive features such as stupas, vihāras (monasteries), and chaityas (prayer halls) are often seen in Buddhist temples.

As Buddhism spread throughout and beyond South Asia, its architectural traditions evolved and diversified, leading to a wide range of regional adaptations across Southeast Asia and East Asia. It has been argued that certain stylistic features of Buddhist architecture, particularly the stupa, may have been influenced by elements from Hindu temple architecture, such as the shikhara. Over time, these forms evolved into the pagoda, a prominent architectural feature seen throughout the Indosphere and East Asia

Early development in India

thumb|The [[Relic Stupa of Vaishali in Bihar, India which is likely the earliest archaeologically known stupa]]

thumb|right|The Great Stupa in [[Sanchi ]]

Three types of structures are associated with the architecture style of early Buddhism: monasteries (viharas), places to venerate relics (stupas), and shrines or prayer halls (chaityas, also called chaitya grihas), which later came to be called temples in some places.

A characteristic new development at Buddhist religious sites was the stupa. The initial function of a stupa was the veneration and safe-guarding of the relics of Gautama Buddha. The earliest archaeologically known example of a stupa is the Relic Stupa of Vaishali located in Bihar, India. In accordance with changes in religious practice, stupas were gradually incorporated into chaitya-grihas (prayer halls). These are exemplified by the complexes of the Ajanta Caves and the Ellora Caves. The Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya in Bihar, India is another well-known example.

One of the earliest Buddhist sites still in existence is at Sanchi, India, and this is centred on a stupa said to have been built by King Ashoka (273–236 BCE). The original simple structure is encased in a later, more decorative one, and over two centuries the whole site was elaborated upon. The four cardinal points are marked by elaborate stone gateways.

As with Buddhist art, architecture followed the spread of Buddhism throughout south and east Asia and it was the early Indian models that served as a first reference point, even though Buddhism virtually disappeared from India itself in the 10th century.

Decoration of Buddhist sites became steadily more elaborate through the last two centuries BCE, with the introduction of tablets and friezes, including human figures, particularly on stupas. However, the Buddha was not represented in human form until the 1st century CE. Instead, aniconic symbols were used. This is treated in more detail in Buddhist art, Aniconic phase. It influenced the development of temples, which eventually became a backdrop for Buddha images in most cases.

As Buddhism spread, Buddhist architecture diverged in style, reflecting the similar trends in Buddhist art. Building form was also influenced to some extent by the different forms of Buddhism in the northern countries, practising Mahayana Buddhism in the main and in the south where Theravada Buddhism prevailed.

Regional Buddhist architecture

China

thumb|[[Mahavira Hall of Chongyuan Temple at Suzhou.]]

When Buddhism came to China, Buddhist architecture came along with it. There were many monasteries built, equaling about 45,000. These monasteries were filled with examples of Buddhist architecture, and because of this, they hold a very prominent place in Chinese architecture. One of the earliest surviving example is the brick pagoda at the Songyue Monastery in Dengfeng County.

Indonesia

thumb|[[Borobudur, 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist temple in Magelang Regency, in Central Java, Indonesia. It is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues.]]

thumb|[[Muara Takus temple, an 11th-century Buddhist temple in Sumatra.]]

Buddhism and Hinduism reached the Indonesian archipelago in the early first millennia. The oldest surviving temple structure in

Java is Batujaya temples in Karawang, West Java, dated as early as 5th century. The temple was a Buddhist sites, as evidence of the discovered Buddhist votive tablets, and the brick stupa structure.

The apogee of ancient Indonesian Buddhist art and architecture was the era of Javanese Shailendra dynasty that ruled the Mataram kingdom in Central Java circa 8th to 9th century CE. The most remarkable example is the 9th century Borobudur, a massive stupa that took form of an elaborate stepped pyramid that took plan of stone mandala. The walls and balustrades are decorated with exquisite bas reliefs, covering a total surface area of 2,500 square metres. Around the circular platforms are 72 openwork stupas, each containing a statue of the Buddha.

Borobudur is recognised as the largest Buddhist temple in the world.

Thailand

thumb|right|[[Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok, Thailand]]

In Thailand, Buddhist temples are known as wats, from the Pāḷi vāṭa, meaning "enclosure." A wat usually consists of two parts: the Phutthawat (worship area dedicated to Buddha) and the Sangkhawat (monastery dedicated for Sangha).

Thai Buddhist temples usually contains golden chedi in the form of a bell-shaped stupa tower covered with gold leaf, containing a relic chamber. Another typical feature is Prang tower in the top center of the Buddhist temple structure. Thai Buddhist temples consists of several structures, including Ubosot (ordination hall), Wihan (vihara), Mondop (mandapa), Ho trai (library), and Sala (open pavilion), Ho rakhang (bell tower), and other supporting buildings.

All of those temple structures display multiple roof tiers. The use of ornamented tiers is reserved for roofs on temples, palaces and important buildings. Two or three tiers are most often used, but some royal temples have four.

Japan

thumb|[[Negoro-ji in Iwade, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. ]]

After Buddhism arrived from the continent via the Three Kingdoms of Korea in the 6th century, an effort was initially made to reproduce the original buildings as faithfully as possible, but gradually local versions of continental styles were developed both to meet Japanese tastes and to solve problems posed by local weather, which is more rainy and humid than in China. The first Buddhist sects were Nara's six Nanto Rokushū (南都六宗, Nara six sects), followed during the Heian period by Kyoto's Shingon and Tendai. Later, during the Kamakura period, in Kamakura were born the Jōdo and the native Japanese sect Nichiren-shū. At roughly the same time, Zen Buddhism arrived from China, strongly influencing all other sects in many ways, including in architecture.

Stylistically, Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines share common characteristics under the Japanese philosophy of Shinbutsu-shūgō (神仏習合). However, during the Meiji Restoration, Emperor Meiji established Shinbutsu bunri (神仏分離) which was a separation of the native Japanese religion of Shinto from Buddhism. It was common for a Buddhist temple to be built inside or next to a shrine, or for a shrine to include Buddhist sub-temples. If a shrine housed a Buddhist temple, it was called a jingū-ji (神宮寺, lit. shrine temple). Analogously, temples all over Japan used to adopt tutelary kami (chinju (鎮守/鎮主) After the forcible separation of temples and shrines ordered by the new government, the connection between the two religions was officially severed, however is culturally unpopular with Shinbutsu-shūgō being in practice and is still visible today.

Converted houses

This was the earliest form of Buddhist temples in Hawaii. They took a larger plantation house and converted them into places of worship by adding things like an altar or shrines. This style offered an inexpensive way to build temples, and using residential space made the worshipers feel more connected. This style dropped in popularity during the 20th century.

File:Candi Sewu viewed from the south, 23 November 2013.jpg|The Sewu temple compound, second largest Buddhist temple complex in Indonesia.

Image:Rinpung Dzong, Bhutan 01.jpg|The Rinpung Dzong follows a distinctive type of fortress architecture found in the former and present Buddhist kingdoms of the Himalayas, most notably Bhutan.

Image:Sanchi Stupa from Eastern gate, Madhya Pradesh.jpg|The Great Stupa in Sanchi, India is considered a cornerstone of Buddhist architecture.

File:Ulan Bator.- Gandan Monastery (3).JPG|Mongolian statue of Avalokiteśvara (Mongolian name: Migjid Janraisig), Gandantegchinlen Monastery. Tallest indoor statue in the world, 26.5-meter-high, 1996 <small>rebuilt</small>, (1913)

File: 023 Reclining Buddha (38656061860).jpg|Reclining Buddha statue, this is the largest Buddha statue in Indonesia and Southeast Asia.

File:Kalasan Temple from the north-east, 23 November 2013.jpg|Kalasan, 8th-century Buddhist temple in Java island.

Image:Vatadage.jpg|Vatadage Temple, in Polonnaruwa, is a uniquely Sri Lankan circular shrine enclosing a small dagoba. The vatadage has a three-tiered conical roof, spanning a height of 40–50 feet, without a center post, and supported by pillars of diminishing height.

File:Zhengding Longxing Si 2013.08.31 15-50-10.jpg|The Mani Hall of the Longxing Temple, Hebei, China.

File:2010 CHINE (4591075733).jpg|Shaolin Monastery complex and bell tower, Mount Song, Henan, China.

File:Zhengding Lingxiao Pagoda 1.jpg|Lingxiao Pagoda in Zhengding, Hebei, China.

Image:Kofukuji08s3200.jpg|Pagoda of Kofukuji, Nara, Japan.

Image:Ajanta Caves, India, Ajanta stupa worship hall.jpg|Ajanta Caves cave with chaitya, India.

File: Candi Gumpung Muarojambi.jpg| Candi Gumpung, a Buddhist temple at Muaro Jambi of Malayu Kingdom.

File:Plaosan Temple Guardian.jpg|Plaosan temple

Image:Minar-i Chakri in 1836, Kabul.jpg|Minar-i Chakri in 1836, Afghanistan

Image:Borobudur as Pilgrimage Site Painting by Hooijer c1910s.jpg|A painting by G.B. Hooijer (c. 1916–1919) reconstructing the scene of Borobudur during its heyday

File:Potala Palace, former residence of Dalai Lama, 2006.jpg| Stupa near Potala Palace, Lhasa, Tibet.

File:Shwedagon-Pano.jpg| Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar

File:GreatStupa.jpg|Great Stupa at Drala Mountain Center, United States

File:Nan Hua Main Temple.jpg |Nan Hua Main Temple, South Africa

File:Golden Temple Elista Kalmykia.jpg|Golden Temple of Shakyamuni Buddha, Kalmykia, Russia

File:Japantown-pagoda-crop.jpg|The five-tiered Peace Pagoda Japantown, San Francisco

File:Great Drigung Kagyud Lotus Stupa.JPG|The Great Drigung Kagyud Lotus Stupa in Lumbini, Nepal

File:Taktshang edit.jpg|Paro Taktsang, Paro, Bhutan

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Notes

References

Sources

External links

Peabody Essex Museum – Phillips Library: The Herbert Offen Research Collection – books and items on Buddhist architecture.