Eastern Religions

Buddhism

Founder = Siddartha Gautama

• Born a prince in a wealthy family in ~500 BCE

• Abandoned his rich lifestyle and lived as an ascetic

• Believed in freedom from ignorance, craving, rebirth, and suffering

• His teachings were compiled into SUTTAS

Originates from Bodghaya (a city in India) at the convergence of 2 rivers

Bodhi Tree - “Tree of Awakening”

• a fig tree where Gautama meditates & finds enlightenment

• pilgrimage site

Enlightenment (aka NIRVANA)

• achieved through INDIVIDUAL meditation

• become one with the universal soul

• once achieved, no longer in cycle of reincarnation

3 levels of Existence

1. DESIRE (bad) - level where humans live, the humans WANT things, desires, cravings, something better

2. FORM (middle) - Higher spiritual beings live here, free from BASIC desires, still have physical form

3. FORMLESSNESS (good) - highest level

WHAT DOES THE RITUAL LOOK LIKE?

• pilgramage - holy site

• Nature usually involved

• Circumambulation (walking in a circle)

• chanting - repetition of a mantra (repeat things over and over; reincarnation)

• private; you go INDIVIDUALLY on your own time

INDIAN BUDDHIST TEMPLES:

• Stone - permanence

• Nature - Bodh Ghaya

• Layout - Mandala (layout of the universe)

• Pillars = axis mundi

Typical Symbols

• Lotus - represents the 3 levels of existence

  • 1. starts in mud (desires)

  • 2. grows into the water (form)

  • 3. blooms out of the water (formlessness)

Bodhi Tree - where enlightenment was first achieved

Buddha’s Footsteps - achieving Nirvana by following Buddha’s footsteps

“Great Stupa at Sanchi” India; Buddhism; 300 BCE; Stone masonry; sandstone on dome

Cannot go inside

Built by Emperor Ashoka for good karma

Reliquary - contains ashes of Gautama in mound

Functions as a PILGRAMAGE site

ARCHITECTURAL PLAN:

• cannot PHYSICALLY go to 3rd floor (must achieve Nirvana & go there MENTALLY)

• AXIS MUNDI

• Hamrika: stone railing to divide sacred space with outer world (cannot go physically)

• Chattra: mast to connect cosmos & earth (AXIS MUNDI)

• Designed after a MANDALA - map of the universe

BELIEF: desire, form, formlessness (3 lvls of existence) → FUNCTION: ascend on stiars → VISUAL: 3 levels of architecture (3 levels of existence); 3rd ONLY accessed through the MIND

BELIEF: reincarnation → FUNCTION: Chanting (repetitive = reincarnation) whille circumambulation (circle/circumabulation = circle of life) → VISUAL: radial (circle); accomodates the circumabulation

BELIEF: Gautama found Nirvana → FUNCTION: pilgrammage site → VISUAL: protect holy site with balustrade (protects the holy site w/ good karma from profane world; CANNOT go in)

CONTEXT: Gautam meditated in nature UNDER BODHI TREE → FUNCTION: outdoors → VISUAL: images of trees, rivers, animals (nature); SPIRAL: reincarnation; EVENTUALLY ends when nirvana is achieved

Stairs to ASCEND physical AND mental

BELIEF: no personal god; ANYONE can become Buddha → PRACTICE: solo worship → VISUAL: ANICONIC (until 5th cent.), no platform for speaker, footsteps (walk the path of Buddha)

“Bamiyan Buddha” Afghanistan, 6th cent.; Stone Stucco Paint

Monumental; 175 ft

Stone, cave-like: where Gautama used to live & meditate

Buddha Vairochana: primordial buddha, center of the universe

Carved in the round (circumambulation)

Togas - Greek scholars

Adorned with jewels & paintings (giving these up to achieve enlightenment; leaving material world)

VISUAL: carved in the round

FUNCTION: circumambulation (reference to reincarnation)

LOCATED ALONG THE SILK ROAD → ALLOWED RELIGIONS TO TRAVEL/DIFFUSE

Pilgrimage site

Close to temples & schools

DESTROYED BY THE TALIBAN (2001) - ICONOCLASM

• forced the residents there to blow up, they didn’t want to but did to save their families

“Borobudur Temple” Buddhist, Indonesia, 750 CE, Volcanic Stone Masonry

Based on “Stupa at Sanchi”

Traditional: 

• circumambulate & chant, private & solo

• roadmap to NIRVANA

• 3 levels = kama, rapa, arupi

NEW: 

• decorated w/ 2000+ relief sculptures & 500+ buddhas

• Humans CAN PHYSICALLY access the 3rd level

Shaped like a MANDALA

Built by SAILENDRA DYNASTY

• shows success of NATION (unlike Stupa at Sanchi, they built for good karma)

• built at joining of 2 rivers

  • Island mountain on a lake

  • resembles LOTUS; symbol of nirvana/3 stages of existence

FIRST LEVEL = DESIRE (KAMA); carvings of ppl being beaten/fighting; EVERYONE UPSET, TORTURED, WANT TO LEAVE

SECOND LEVEL = FORM (RUPA)

• Buddha Maya (Siddartha’s Mom) riding to Lumbini

• PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT

• Narrative relief sculptures detailing Buddha’s life

• ICONIC REPRESENTATION - BIG CHANGE

THIRD LEVEL = FORMLESSNESS (ARUPA)

• CAN ACCESS PHYSICALLY

“Jowo Rinpoche” Tibet; 641 CE; Gilt Metal & Semiprecious stones

Buddha Shakyamuni

Moment of enlightenment; most sacred image of Buddha - statue acts as his proxy after he leaves earth & enters celestial realm

Contains the blessings of the Buddha - Provide offerings to receive spiritual blessings

Transforms energy into positive

Pilgrimage site

Larger than life-size, supremely ornate

Ritually repainted & restored - believed it still contained the spirit of Buddha and served as a connection to Buddha → need to care for it

Mudra - meditation; pose that Buddhas take, enlightenment

“Longmen Caves” Tang Dynasty; China; 7th cent.

CONTEXT:

• Yi River - trade; ppl. (travelers) are going to see it

• Emperor Gaozong adopts foreign religion (buddhism) to unify newly amalgamated (united) districts

  • adopts foreign religion to avoid looking like a tyrant by forcing his own religion onto the people

• Confucius beliefs - clear ordering of the Buddhas

VISUALS:

• Primordial Buddha - celestial buddha

• Guardian figures - ward off evil spirits w/ open hand

• combines Buddhist, warriors, and court official in relief → legitimizes rule

“Todai-ji” Japan; 743 CE rebuilt c 1700; Bronze and wood w/ ceramic tile roof

City plagued, crop failure, epidemics, & famine → build Buddhist temple for good karma (like Great Stupa at Sanchi)

Chinese pagoda style

Rectilinear & perpendicular

Wood - impermanence of life (circle of life, have to ritually rebuild → reincarnation); references Shinto past

Deer = messengers of the cosmos

Nio Guardian Statues” - Todai-Ji

Located at TEMPLE GATE

Protects against evil spirits

Profance world = outside of gates of Todai-ji → the gate separates the sacred space from profane world

Represents life(open mouth) & death (closed mouth) → Yin & Yang

CHANGES FROM INDIAN BUDDHIST TRADITIONS:

• HEAVILY ICONIC (imgs. of Buddha)

• WOOD

• MASCULINE GUARDS

Buddha Birushana - bronze 50 ft tall

• want good karma, expensive mats. (bronz) to show dedication

Buddha Birushana

“Ryoan-ji” 1450; Japan; Buddhist

Peaceful Dragon

• opposing forces (rock & water)

  • opposites represent yin & yang

Chinese pagoda

Zen Buddhist - active meditation, appeals to warrior class now in power

• takes mind off negative energy

RYOAN-JI ROCK GARDNE

Rocks = islands on water, mountains breaking through clouds, tiger carrying cubs

Unable to see all rocks from a single viewpoint → cannot comprehend entirety of universe UNLESS you have achieved FORMLESSNESS/NIRVANA

Ryoan-ji Temple - Wet Garden

• references chinese paintings (mntn. water)