• netnapit
  • ranking : General member
  • created : 2008-11-04
  • entry : 47
  • visitors : 12204
  • votes : 12
  • send msg :
Bird Eyes from Americas
Reflections on Thailand from Mexico and Canada.
Permalink : http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/netnapit
Thursday , November 5 , 2009
The several names of a Stupa
Posted by netnapit , Reader : 232 , 02:18:40   | Category : history  
Print

An important Bhuddhist structure, the Stupa, is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics. The word ‘stupa’ is a Sanskrit word, in Pali, the language that Gautama Buddha used for teaching the Buddhist religion, the related word is ‘thupa’.  In the Thai language, it is more commonly known as ‘chedi’, which is related to the Pali word, ‘cetiya’.  In a more colloquial Thai, or the northeastern dialect, it is also know as ‘pra that’, which is related to the Sanskrit word, ‘dhatu’, for which the Sinhalese’s name for the stupa, “dagobah’ is derived from.  In Tibet, the stupa is known as a ‘chorten’.  In Koren, Vietnam, China and Japan, they are known as ‘Tap’, ‘Thap', 'Ta', and 'To', respectively.


 
Shwegaddon Pagoda, Myanmar

In Myanmar, the stupa is more commonly known as ‘pagoda’, the general English term for tiered tower with multiple eaves. According to wikipedia, the word is first attested for in English in the period c. 1625–35; introduced from the Portuguese pagode, temple, from the Persian butkada (but idol + kada temple, dwelling.)  Another etymology, found in many English language dictionaries, is modern English pagoda from Portuguese (via Dravidian), from Sanskrit bhagavati, feminine of bhagavat "blessed" bhaga "good fortune."

The architectural structure of the stupa has spread across Asia, taking on many diverse forms as details specific to different regions are incorporated into the overall design.  After his conversion to Buddhism in the third century BC, King Ashoka had several thousand stupas build across the Mauryan empire. According to Brahmi, Kharoshti, Pali and Sanskrit edicts Ashoka The Great  founded 84,000 stupas all over the south Asia.

 

Advanced engineering techniques and knowledge, for example the use of lightning conductors, were used and shared across cultures in their construction. Numerous stupas across South and Southeast Asia have been standing undamaged for a thousand years or two.

A stupa is essentially made up of a square base, a hemispherical dome, a conical spire, a crescent moon, and a circular disc, representing the five purified elements which constitute the fabric of manifest existence.  The elements are earth, water, fire, air and space. The shape of the stupa represents the Buddha, crowned and sitting in meditation posture on a lion throne. His crown is the top of the spire; his head is the square at the spire's base; his body is the vase shape; his legs are the four steps of the lower terrace, and the base is his throne.

To build a stupa, transmission and ceremonies from a monk is necessary.  Which kind of stupa to be constructed in a certain area, is decided together with the teacher assisting in the construction. Some times the kind is directly connected with events that have taken place that certain area.  All stupas contain a treasury filled with various objects.

A very important element in every stupa is the Tree of Life. It is a wooden pole covered with gems and thousand of mantras, and placed in the central channel of the stupa.  It is placed here during a ceremony or initiation, where all the participant hold colorful ribbons connected to the Tree of Life. Together all make their most positive and powerful wishes, which are stored in the Tree of Life. In this way the stupa is charged up, and will start to function.

There are eight kinds of stupas which are related to major events of the Buddha’s life, however, a ninth, the Kalachakra Stupa’s symbolism relates to Tibetan Kalachakra Tantra, is created to protect against negative energies.  A Kalachakra Stupa was built in Karma Guen, Benalmádena city, Spain in 1994.


Kalachakra Stupa in Spain

Read comment

comment 13
netnapit date : 08/11/2009 time : 23.49
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/netnapit

Khun Ideefix, thanks for the links, the timeline link was most interesting. I usually read all wikipedia articles on the subjects I plan to write about, but thanks anyway.

How can historical records at any point be 'accurate' when it is not possible to discover all of them at any point in time. Reading history from records alone can also be deceiving because the people who have recorded that historical record all had their bias and other reasons for documenting them.

History can also be discovered through other fields such as art, archeology, literature, etc. History is always changing. History never has its own true voice, it will always carry the voice of the person telling it. As an observer of history one must be very aware of whose voice it was that was doing the telling.

For the relationship of the three kings, thank you for supplying the name of the third king, I think I read somewhere, it could have bee Wyatt's book, that at least K. Ramkamhaeng and Mengrai had met before the making of the alliance when they were studying a Buddhist learning institute. I may have mixed it up, but if I have time to look for more details about them and that meeting, I will probably write a blog about it later.
comment 12
Ideefix date : 07/11/2009 time : 11.44

K. Netnapit,

C9: My apology for not being able to recommend any books on the Nalanda University. I have a collection of books only on Abhidhamma and Dependent Origination Doctrine.

C10: I am not sure about rewriting history. I believe in unbiased historical accuracy (perhaps this is an oxymoron). Only with undistorted historical accuracy can people learn from past mistakes.
comment 11
Ideefix date : 07/11/2009 time : 11.02

K. Netnapit, C9:

1. Re: the Nalanda University

For details relating to the Nalanda University go to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nalanda

For time line go to.
http://www.google.com/search?q=nalanda+university&hl=en&tbs=tl:1&tbo=u&ei=Eeb0Ss-mB8nl8Qag19DzCQ&sa=X&oi=timeline_result&ct=title&resnum=15&ved=0CDIQ5wIwDg

2. Re: the 3rd King (Phya Ngam Muang of Payao).

The meeting place is not mentioned anywhere. It is likely to be a diplomatic shuttling between the then three states. Below is an excerpt from one of the sites.

“……Concurrently, in the north, the Lanna (‘a million rice fields’) Kingdom was being formed by the migration of the Tai-Yuan and the Tai Yai (or Shan) of northern Burma. These Tai’s moved slowly south in a clearly planned expansion over a period of 100 years building the cities of Chiang Roong in Sibsong Panna and Chiang Toong in northern Burma. Around 1259, Mengrai, the only local ruler from a legitimate royal house, noted the suffering of his peoples and determined to unite the many squabbling Tai states in the northern region. In quick succession he conquered his neighbours at Chiang Khong, Muang Lai and Chiang Kaam and in 1268 founded a northern Tai capital at Chiangrai. In 1281 he also conquered the surviving Morn Haripunjaya state at Lamphun. In 1287 the three powerful Tai kings; Ramkhamhaeng of Sukothai, Mengrai of Lanna and Ngam Muang of Payao, signed a peace accord which was to allow the culture and the institutions of the Tai to develop. This alliance marked the beginning of the formation of Siam. The name “Siam” had appeared earlier when the Khorm city of Lopburi had become the administrative capital of a land called “Syam”. It is thought the name may have originated from the sanskrit language where it means ‘swarthy’. In 1296 King Mengrai moved on southwards and in consultation with his two fellow kings established a new Lanna capital at Chiangmai. To deter Mongol attacks from China King Mengrai also made other alliances further afield within Laos and Burma although from 1312 he was obliged to send the Mongols small tributes to keep the peace. Later Mongol China gave their support to King Ramkhamhaeng to finish off the remains of the Khorm Angkor empire on Thai soil and eventually China officially recognised the Kingdom of Sukhothai.

Go to:
http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/dinosaurs-siamese-thai_7.html

http://www.usmta.com/history-2.htm
comment 10
netnapit date : 07/11/2009 time : 00.21
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/netnapit

As for the gold....well, I think it's time our cultures healed the rift. In this present world, we allow an Australian company to mine in our country and export that gold. If both Thailand and Myanmar opened up to each other, there is much that can be done for the understanding of Buddhist history in the region, I think.

Same for other rifts with our other neighbors, I think the course of nationalism has been pretty detrimental to understanding that can be cultivated between cultures and people. In that sense, I question history, a lot can be rewritten, retold with a different tone, one of reconciliation rather than division.
comment 9
netnapit date : 07/11/2009 time : 00.12
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/netnapit

c8, I'm very interested in the Nalanda University, can you recommend some good books or internet sites?

Speaking about Buddhist institution of learning, another one I'm interested in is the institution in Thailand, could have been Nakorn Pathom, where it was said that allowed three greats Thai leaders to meet and form the alliance that repelled aggression from the North, a crucial element I believe that has nurtured the emergence of the Thai nation. The kings were Mengrai, Ramkamhaeng, and .... I don't remember the third.
comment 8
Ideefix date : 06/11/2009 time : 10.11

K. Netnapit,

The resplendence of Shwedagon is partly due to the gold that the Burmese brought from Ayudhya in BE 2310 (242 years) ago. Perhaps that is the reason why the name Ayodhayan remains in the mind of the Burmese.

During his lifetime, Buddha forbade people to use Sanskrit as it was a language for the elite and to use his image. After the death, only stupas were constructed. However, many years later, ingrates that some of the Buddhists were, his images were developed and Sanskrit was used as a means of recording and as a medium of instruction. The teaching and scripts at the famous Nalanda University (circa 10,000 students at that time) were in Sanskrit. BTW Nalanda was a Mahayana university. Pali was used in the south and in Sri Lanka by the Theravada schools.
comment 7
netnapit date : 05/11/2009 time : 23.40
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/netnapit

c4, You're right. We also call the ash containers of the deceased "sathup".

Is it true that it's called 'tap' in Korea? Can you post a picture of some well known ones from your country?
comment 6
netnapit date : 05/11/2009 time : 23.30
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/netnapit

c5, they asked me where I came from. I responded, from Thailand. They then said, "Oh, you're from Ayodhya." I said, "No, from Thailand". A shrug.
comment 5
yabua date : 05/11/2009 time : 13.28
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/yabua

Re C3
Net, I don´t really understand what you mean in your last sentence. What did you experiance? Could you please explain more? Thank you.
comment 4
GGrass date : 05/11/2009 time : 11.34
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/GGrass

I think in Thailand, in the north, they use Pratad and the central or south use Jedi...
comment 3
netnapit date : 05/11/2009 time : 04.48
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/netnapit

Yes, I have visited Myanmar. Yes, the Shwedagon temple is super, super impressive! As long as you have a fixed tour plan and stick to it, it won't be a problem. I think if you want to go to other parts of Myanmar apart from Yangoon, you need to ask for special permit.

For those other parts, you will have to travel with a guide. Worth the restriction if only to be blessed by the sight of all the magnificent Buddhists monuments that is there. I would like to visit Mandalay one day. I would say, yes, go to visit Myanmar, because it is through tourism, economic growth that we can help bring down its military rule. The increased presence of foreigners should also help the common people open up to the world. I was quite shocked to discover that their reference to Thais were as Ayudhyan, that's 700 years back in history.
comment 2
yabua date : 05/11/2009 time : 03.58
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/yabua

My most loved Stupa is Pra Prang Wat Arun, followed by Pra Prang Wat Pra Sri Mahatat in Sukhothai and Pra Prang Wat Rajburana in Ayudhya but from your cvltvre.com, I find the Shawedagong also very impressive.
Have you been in Mianma? If yes, Is it difficult to travel there?
comment 1
netnapit date : 05/11/2009 time : 02.26
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/netnapit

My other community life is with cvltvre.com, the above blog was written in response to a friend's question, "What is a stupa?"

Please visit: http://www.cvltvre.com/pg/sitesnsights/view/47374 for a collection of pictures of beautiful Stupas across SE and East Asia the webpage has enabled me to create. If you would like to be culturally connected and active and like cvltvre.com, please sign up and participate. Thank you.
Comment

  "If you are not member, please register to comment.
It take only a few steps."

  |  
name :  
email :  
website :  
comment :  
   
   

back top