THE SYMBOLIC MEANING OF THE STUPAS

(picture captured from Buddha Temple Clement Town Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India)

The Stupa represents the physical form of the Buddha. It also represents his journey to enlightenment, rising from the base of the stupa to the top, representing his awakening.

The Base : 

The basic platform is said to hold the earth. It symbolizes The Ten Virtues associated with Body, Speech, and Mind.

The Virtues of Body

1.       Protecting and saving lives

2.       Practicing generosity

3.       Maintaining  pure ethics

The Virtues of Speech

4.       Speaking truthfully

5.       Reconciling differences

6.       Speaking gently and kindly

7.       Speaking meaningfully

The Virtues of Mind

8.       Contentment

9.       Altruism

10.   Right view

The Three Steps : 

The three Steps mounted on the base represent The Three Jewels.

The Three Jewels

1.       Buddha

2.       Dharma

3.       Sangha

The Lion Throne :

The Lion Throne symbolizes the supreme qualities of the Buddha, known as The Four Kinds Of Fearlessness. The Four Fearlessness arise from The Four Kinds of Knowledge.

The Four Knowledge

Knowledge that :

1.       All factors of existence are understood

2.       All the obstacles are correctly known and their cessation can be taught to others

3.       The path of renunciation, cause of all virtuous qualities, has been accomplished

4.       All corruption has been brought to an end

The Four Fearlessness

No fear of asserting:

1.       Perfect complete enlightenment

2.       The exhaustion of all delusion

3.       The end of disruptive phenomena and their perpetuation

4.       The way to certain release

The Four Ascending Steps :

Above The Lion Throne base, four steps ascend. These four steps altogether symbolize The Four Immeasurables.

The Four sides symbolize

The Four immeasureables :

1.       Immeasurable love

2.       Immeasurable compassion

3.       Immeasurable joy

4.       Immeasurable equanimity

The first step symbolizes

The Four Mindfulness :

1.       Mindfulness  of Body

2.       Mindfulness of Feelings

3.       Mindfulness of Mind

4.       Mindfulness of Phenomenon

The second step symbolizes

The Four Perfect Endeavors :

1.       Perfect preservation of the roots of virtue that have been produced

2.       Perfect generation of roots of virtue not yet produced

3.       Perfect abandonment of un-virtuous  Dharmas that have been produced

4.       Perfect non production of un-virtuous Dharmas not yet produced

The third step symbolizes

The Four Legs of Miraculous Powers:

1.       Power of motivation

2.       Power of mental commitment

3.       Power of perseverance

4.       Power of analysis

The fourth step symbolizes

The Five Faculties:

1.       Faith

2.       Perserverance

3.       Mindfulness

4.       Samadhi

5.       Wisdom

The Five Powers :

The base that supports the vase symbolizes The Five Powers.

The Five Powers :

1.       Power of faith

2.       Power of perseverance

3.       Power of mindfulness

4.       Power of Samadhi

5.       Power of wisdoms

The Vase :

The Vase or Dome of the stupa represents The Seven Limbs of Enlightenment.

The seven Limbs of Enlightenment :

1.       Mindfulness

2.       Discrimination of dharmas

3.       Perseverance

4.       Joy

5.       Pliancy

6.       Samadhi

7.       Equanimity

The Harmika or Tré : 

The square Harmika or Tré, with its eight corners, symbolizes The Eight-Fold Noble Path

The Eight-Fold Noble Path :

1.       Right view

2.       Right thought

3.       Right speech

4.       Right action

5.       Right livelihood

6.       Right effort

7.       Right mindfulness

8.       Right concentration

The Parasol : 

The Parasol symbolizes the Buddhas great compassion for all sentient beings.

The Sogshing : 

The Sogshing is the central life-force tree of the stupa. It symbolizes The Ten Knowledges. The thirteen wheels around the sogshing spire symbolize the thirteen bodhisattva bhumis. They also represent The Ten Powers of the Buddha, above which are The Three Close Contemplations.

The Three Close Contemplations :

1.       The Buddha does not experience pleasure when all his disciples listen with respect

2.       The Buddha does not experience anger when none of his disciples listen with respect

3.       The Buddha experiences neither pleasure nor anger when some disciples listen with respect and others do not.

The Ten Knowledges/Powers :

Knowledge of:

1.       Phenomena

2.       Others thoughts

3.       Dharma

4.       Karma

5.       Suffering

6.       Cessation

7.       Originations

8.       Paths

9.       Exhaustion

10.   Non-action