The Living Journal – What is Stupa ?

The Living Journal – What is Stupa?

There are three representations of the Buddha - body, speech, and mind. Actual statues are representations of Buddha's holy body. The scriptures represent Buddha's holy speech. And stupas are the representation of the Buddha's holy mind.

Stupas are also called "the embodiment of wisdom". Stupas reveal the path to enlightenment, how an ordinary mind can be transformed into an enlightened mind. 

Generally of Buddhist practices, there are three main types:

1. The foundation
2. The path 
3. The result

Before the Shakyamuni Buddha passed away two thousand five hundred years ago, he instructed his students to build and place his remains in a stupa. 

The stupa is an architectural rendering of enlightenment, depicting the Buddha, crowned and seated in meditation posture upon a lion's throne. His crown is the top of the spire, his body the vase shape or bumps, his legs four steps of the terrace and the base, his throne. 

The function of a stupa is not only symbolic, when a great Buddhist teacher is alive, his body is not just regarded as an ordinary body, but is seen as containing the very essence of his or her awakened mind. 

Similarly, when the teacher passes away the physical remains are considered to be distillation of his same essence, and are said to have enormous power, the power of complete wakefulness.Since the time of the historical Buddha many thousands of stupas have been built to enshrine the relics of great Buddha and Buddhist teachers.  

Adapting to many different cultural forms they have become objects of veneration, pilgrimage and warship in all Buddhist cultures. Stupas are held to promote peace, prosperity, longevity, good health and harmony, subduing negativity of all kinds, dispelling ignorance and delusions and holding the power to arouse the awakened mind. 

Thank you for reading and may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world. 

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

May the precious Bodhichitta arise

Where it has not arisen

And where it has arisen may it not decrease

But increase further and further.

Nagarjuna's Dedication of Merit
By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.
Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.
May we liberate migrators from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

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