Podcast
Questions and Answers
When was the Great Stupa at Sanchi built?
When was the Great Stupa at Sanchi built?
Where is Sanchi located?
Where is Sanchi located?
Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh, India
What type of media is used in the Great Stupa's construction?
What type of media is used in the Great Stupa's construction?
Stone masonry, Sandstone on dome
What is a stupa primarily used for in Buddhism?
What is a stupa primarily used for in Buddhism?
Signup and view all the answers
What does a staircase in the stupa connect?
What does a staircase in the stupa connect?
Signup and view all the answers
Why do Buddhists walk clockwise around the stupa?
Why do Buddhists walk clockwise around the stupa?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the shape of the Great Stupa at Sanchi?
What is the shape of the Great Stupa at Sanchi?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the Great Stupa act as?
What does the Great Stupa act as?
Signup and view all the answers
What do the three umbrellas at the top of the stupa symbolize?
What do the three umbrellas at the top of the stupa symbolize?
Signup and view all the answers
What is located in the square area of the stupa?
What is located in the square area of the stupa?
Signup and view all the answers
What are toranas in the context of the Great Stupa?
What are toranas in the context of the Great Stupa?
Signup and view all the answers
A Buddhist shrine that is a mound shape and faced with dressed stone containing the relics of Buddha is called a ______.
A Buddhist shrine that is a mound shape and faced with dressed stone containing the relics of Buddha is called a ______.
Signup and view all the answers
What does circumambulating the stupa represent?
What does circumambulating the stupa represent?
Signup and view all the answers
What were the original colors of the Great Stupa?
What were the original colors of the Great Stupa?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the hemispherical dome of the stupa replicate?
What does the hemispherical dome of the stupa replicate?
Signup and view all the answers
How many toranas are there at the Great Stupa?
How many toranas are there at the Great Stupa?
Signup and view all the answers
What do the orientations of the toranas represent?
What do the orientations of the toranas represent?
Signup and view all the answers
The inscriptions carved into the stupa reveal that it was funded by ______.
The inscriptions carved into the stupa reveal that it was funded by ______.
Signup and view all the answers
Who is believed to have built the Great Stupa?
Who is believed to have built the Great Stupa?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
General Information
- Date of construction ranges from the 3rd century BCE to the 1st century CE.
- Located in Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Structure and Materials
- Built using stone masonry, primarily sandstone on the dome.
- Central plan featuring three umbrellas at the top symbolizing the key elements of Buddhism.
Function and Symbolism
- Serves as a reliquary for Buddhist relics; worshipers believe proximity grants spiritual merit.
- Represents a mound-shaped shrine facilitating early Buddhist worship.
- Circumambulation around the stupa allows followers to connect spiritually, reflecting the cycle of birth and rebirth.
Design Features
- Hemispherical dome symbolizes the dome of heaven, representing cosmological connections between earth and the heavens.
- A staircase provides access from the base to the drum for worshipers.
- Four toranas (gateways) at cardinal points serve as entrances with rich carvings representing pivotal Buddhist narratives.
Important Components
- Contains a sacred tree within a square, fenced for protection.
- The configuration includes a railing crest encircling the sacred tree and the three umbrellas.
Toranas and Reliefs
- Richly detailed with scenes; Buddha is symbolized by an empty throne or tree, not depicted directly.
- Features high-relief sculptures with imagery of yakshi figures representing fertility, and significant narratives like Buddha's virtue of generosity shown through an elephant.
Community Involvement
- Over 600 inscriptions on the stupa's surface indicate funding from a diverse group of donors, including both genders and monks.
- The effort to build the stupa is attributed to the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, who is believed to have housed the ashes of Buddha within it.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Test your knowledge of the Great Stupa at Sanchi with these flashcards. Learn about its historical significance, architectural details, and cultural context. Perfect for students of Buddhism, architecture, or Indian history.
