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BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE

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Pramana Research Journal ISSN NO: 2249-2976

BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE

M. ARUMUGA MASANA SUDALAI

Reg.No. 17212231051006Ph.D. Research Scholar (Full time),
P.G & Research Department of History,
V.O.Chidambaram College, Thoothukudi
(Affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu, India)
Email: [email protected]

Dr.K. SASIKALA,
Guide & Supervisor,
Assistant Professor,
P.G & Research Department of History,
V.O.Chidambaram College, Thoothukudi
(Affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, Tamilnadu, India)
Email: [email protected]

Abstract
Indian subcontinent is known for its various majestic architecture and monuments.
Some of the most important and historically significant masterpieces, dated oldest were the
Buddhist architecture. These beautiful architectural buildings belongs to the Maurya dynasty.
During the period of Maurya, these buildings were constructed for prayer and as a resting
place for the Buddhist monks. These buildings were carved to emphasize their devotion for
Buddhism; and considered as a sacred place for prayer or temple. The Buddha temple
comprises of different chambers which includes; the Chaitya hall, where the monks conduct
the group prayers Vihara as a chamber for community discussion and later on used as a
resting place for the monks.

The buildings of Buddhist architecture initially constructed in round structure

undergone changes with time attained rectangular shape and in near future got add-on
constructions with different shapes. When the stupa styled buildings were raised they stood
identical to the centuries old Christian churches.

Right after the trending of stupa fashioned buildings, the Buddha temple chambers
were used for research, propagation and group prayer organization. As the devotees for
Buddha increased, the temple for Buddha increased directly proportional. The monks living
under the chambers of Buddha temple later started constructing houses of wood or some
lived under thatched based on their convenience. Just like Buddha’s preaching for simplicity
and humbleness in life, these houses of monks replicates the same.

Keywords: Architecture, stupa, viharas, monuments, built, Buddhist, monks, cave

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Introduction
Buddhism left its mark on the art, architecture and sculpture of ancient India. Art and
architecture did not make much progress during the Vedic period. But the rulers like Ashoka,
Kanishka and Harshavardhana, who patronised Buddhism, constructed several Viharas,
Stupas and monasteries for the growth and spread of Buddhism. The first human statues
worshipped in India were probably those of the Buddha. The Mahayana Buddhists made
several statues of the Buddha and Bodhisatvas and started worshipping them. The pillars of
Ashoka are living specimen of fine metallurgical technology of the Mauryan period. The
famous cave architecture was another contribution of Buddhism to the art and architecture of
ancient India. Many rooms were hewn out of the rocks in the Barabar hills of Gaya and in
Western India around Nasik to provide accommodation to the Buddhist monks. The faithful
devotees portrayed the various events in the life of the Buddha in stone. The panels found at
Gaya in Bihar and at Sanchi and Bharhut in Madhya Pradesh are glaring examples of their
artistic activity. The Greek and the Indian sculptors worked together to create a new kind of
art on the north-west frontier of India, which in known as the ‘Gandhara School of Art’. The
Gandhara and Mathura Schools of Art contributed a lot to the development of the Buddhist
art.

Definition of Architecture
Architecture could be basically defined as ‘the art and science of designing and
constructing buildings’. As a word, ‘architecture’ can carry several other meanings, such:

1) The product or result of architectural work: buildings, urban areas and landscapes.
2) A style or method of building characteristic of a people, place or time.
3) The profession of designing buildings and other habitable environments by architects.
The conscious act of forming things resulting in a unifying or coherent structure.

Etymologically (in terms of the root of the word), the word ‘architecture’ comes from
the Greek. Arkhitekton which is a combination of the word arkhi, meaning “chief” or
“master”, and tekton, meaning “mason” or “builder”. In line with the etymology, architecture
used to denote both the process and the product of designing and constructing buildings; and
the architect used to be known as the “master mason” or “master builder” in the past.

Architecture is one of the oldest professions in human history. It appeared with

human being’s need of shelter to protect himself from the weather and danger outside. It first
evolved as the outcome of needs (like shelter, security, worship etc.) and means (like the
available building materials and skills). As human cultures progressed, building became a
craft and later the formalized version of that craft, which is practiced by educated
professionals, is called ‘architecture’.

Architecture is the art and science or technique of designing and building which must
demonstrate the solution of the practical problems associated with the purpose of building
such as beauty and utility, and form and function.

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Indian Architecture
India boasted of fine Architecture. It has many historical rock-cuts, buildings,
sculptures and monuments. Art Historian A.S. Thayenbi says, “The main source of a
country’s civilization is its Architecture”. For instant, Greek’s Architecture stands for purity.
French Architecture shows the power of sensitivity, Roman Architecture stands for Science
improvement and Italian Architecture shows the Renaissance of intelligence. But Indian
Architecture formed on the basis of ‘Spiritual Life’.

Architecture is the art of planning a building. The main structural and functional
features of a building are the roof arches, walls, doors and windows. The word architecture
hail from the word “arch”.

There are two types in Arts. They are Arts for use and Arts for sense. Arts for use
means objects which are made for our daily use. Arts for sense means objects which are
made for attract the minds of people by its beauty. Architectures, painting and sculptures
coming under the sense art. According to art historian E.P. Heval “Indian Architecture
Indicates the belief in the Almighty who has ordained a spiritual life even after death of the
individual”.

Buddhist Architecture
Ashoka expanded Buddhism as State religion to eliminate social tension and sectarian
conflicts and to promote a harmonious relationship between the diverse elements of the
empire. So, Ashoka and the rulers after him had built many Chaityas, Viharas and Stupas.
These are often called ‘Caves’ and ‘Cave-temples’. James Farcuson called them as ‘Buddhist
Architecture’.

People who had belief in Buddhism worship the symbolism of Buddha’s messages,
his life history and personality. Also they worshipped the holy places like Kapilavasthu were
Buddha was born; Gaya where he had enlighten; ‘Kashi’ where he preached about his
religion first time and ‘Kushi’ where he lost his spirit. There they established monuments
such as Pillars, Chaityas, Viharas and Stupas. The reflects the ‘Jataka Stories’ in the form of
sculptural ornaments. Hence the Buddhist Architecture became famous among the people.

In North India the Buddhist monuments were established and introduced by Ashoka.
Examples for his monuments were at Siravasti, Sangasiya, Rajgirika, Vaishali, Nalantha,
Gausambi, Sanchi and Thatchasila.

Starting from the Mauryan period to the middle age, Sanchi was the centre for the
monuments of many religions. It was famous for the stupa which was built by Ashoka.
Some of its parts were ruined during the excavation by Archaeologists. During first BC its
four gateways were built. The models of that gateways might be made in wood before the
construction of stone-gateways. They have beautiful sculptural arts with high technical skill.
The says about the life History of Buddha.

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Saranath is the famous holy place of Buddhism, where Buddha had started his first
Preach. During the excavations between 1904 and 1928 many monuments were found here.
There was a Stupa with 18 meter diameter in the shape of hemi-sphere which was built by
Ashoka. Near to this stupa a monolithic Pillar of Ashoka with Dharma Chakkara was found.
Also ruins of many Viharas were found. They may be belong the period from 400 AD to
twelfth century AD.

Buddha Gaya or Bodh Gaya is the very important holy place of Buddhism. Many
Stupas and viharas are seen in Buddha Gaya. The monuments of this place says about the
incidents of Buddha’s life before and after his attainment of faith (or knowledge or
enlightment) Many of them were in ruined stage. Among the other monuments, those which
were built by Ashoka, are belongs to early period. Stone monuments of Sungas also present
there. Others are belongs of Bhalas period. Some belongs to 200 A.D.

It was told that Buddha and Mahavira and visited this place. The chaitya of
‘Saribudra’, who was the student of Buddha, was visited by Ashoka. During the period of
Harshavardhan (606 – 647 AD) Nalanda served as a important Mahayana Buddhism centre.
The University, meant for Buddhist monks, was maintained by Harsha. Chinese Buddhist
pilgrims Hiewn Tsang and Itsing had studied in the Nalanda University. Many Chaityas and
Viharas were found there which were built on the basis of sharply planned diagrams.

A part of the refurbishing of Sanci during the fifth century, four Buddha images were
placed at the entrances of the Great Stupa, ne facing each of the four directions. An
inscription added to a crossbar of the ground balustrade of the stupa records an endowment
by a female lay worshiper named Harisvamini to a Buddhist community (at Sanci) for
keeping lamps at the jewel house as well as at the “place of the four Buddhas.” This
inscription may refer to the four Buddha images located at the entrance ways to the stupa,
providing proof that they were in existence by A.D. 450 (Gupta era 131), the date given in the
epigraph.

A particularly fine example of the Saranath treatment of the bodhisatva shows

Khasarpana Avalokitesvara standing in the slightly relaxed abhanga pose. In accordance with
textual descriptions, this form of Avalokitesvara is decked with ornaments, has a smiling
face, appears to be about sixteen years of age, and holds a lotus stem in his left hand, while
his right displays the varada (gift-bestowing) mudra. Adorning his jatamukuta hair style is a
representation of Amitabha/Amitayus in his characteristic dhyana mudra, signifying the
family from which the bodhisatva emanates. Beneath the right hand of Avalokitesvara are
two preta figures, ghosts of beings who were greedy in past lives and whose doom it is to be
hungry forever. Avalokitesvara’s compassion for all creatures is demonstrated by the nectar
that flows from his gift-bestowing hand to feed these ravenous beings. A somewhat parallel
generosity is expressed in the donative inscription at the bottom of the sculpture, offering the
merit accrued from the giving of the image for the attainment of supreme knowledge for all
sentient beings.

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Other sites in the former Kusana territories besides Mathura produced art during the
fifth and sixth centuries, but these were not specifically part of the Gupta empire. The history
of this period in the northwest regions of Gandhara, Bactria and associated areas is still
unclear, but patronage of Buddhist establishments seems to have continued. Instead of stone,
however, which had been widely used for architecture and sculpture in the second and third
centuries, stucco became a major artistic medium. Perhaps the inexpensiveness of this
material accounts to some degree for its popularity, although it is likely that the great
flexibility and freedom that it allowed the artist was also a factor. At Hadda, in Afghanistan,
stucco facings that often contained elegant sculptural compositions were put on numerous
stupas. One example shows a Buddha attended by male and by female devotees. Clear
evidence of the Bactro-Gandhara heritage is seen in the depiction of the Buddha’s robe, his
hair style, and even in the much classicised faces of the three figures, yet a greater softness
and refinement are also present, suggesting that the Gupta style had permeated the perimeters
of the empire.

On the basis of its strong similarities to a recently discovered Buddha sculpture from
Mathura dated to A.D. 434. A standing Buddha image from Mathura may be used to define
the Mathura Gupta style of about the mid-fifth century. An inscription on the pedestal states
that the image was dedicated by a monk named Yasadinna.

Mathur’as cultural dominance in northern India was virtually unchallenged during the
Kusana period. But under the Guptas, other sites rose to prominence and eclipsed the former
Kusana capital’s preeminence. In particular, Saranath, the site where Sakyamuni Buddha
performed his first preaching, emerged as one of the leading Buddhist centres of India. The
Chinese traveller Fa-hien, who visited Saranath in the fifty century, noted only two large
stupas and two monasteries (samgharamas) at the site, but by the seventh century, when
Hsuan-tsang arrived, the establishment had expanded considerably, for he described a vast
complex in which a community of 1,500 monks of the Sammitiya School lived.

Although several hand postures (especially abhaya mudra) were used during the
Kusana period to signify this event, by the Gupta period, variations on the dharmachakra
mudra, one of which is shown here, became by far the most common indicators of the event
and of Buddhist teachings in general. Also characteristic of scenes depicting the First Sermon
are the pair of deer flanking the wheel and the disciples to whom Sakyamuni preached in the
panel beneath the main figure.

Conclusion
In this paper, I analysed the art and architecture of Buddhism. From the ancient period
to the present day. Buddhism against the doctrines of Hinduism, some people considered
Buddhism as a religion and few others believed it a moral principle. The Buddhist
architecture developed tremendously in India due to the impact of Buddhist religious cultural
progress. To attain knowledge for soul the Hinayana Buddhism directs one to gather
information about bakthi and its ceremonies. Hinayana states individual salvation through
self-discipline and meditation. Mahayana believes in the heavenliness of Buddha of believes

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in idol worship. As Buddhism spread, Buddhist architecture diverged in style, reflecting the
similar trends in Buddhist art.

References
1) Beal, Buddhist Records, 2: 45 ff.
2) Ching, F., Visual Dictionary of Architecture
3) Farelly, Mimarligin Temelleri
4) Fleet , CII3, Texts and Translations Section, 260-262 Le
5) Le Huu Phuoc , Buddhist Architecture, (2010) , Gra fikol
6) Mohideen Badusha, A.H., Dr., History of Indian Architecture (2009), Sulthans,
Tirunelveli
7) Nanda, S.P., History of Ancient India (2009-10), Dominant Publishers and Distributors,
Delhi.
8) Patricia Eichenbaum Karetzky , Making Sence of Buddhist Architecture , (2001) , Thames
and Hudson
9) Robert , E . Fisher, Buddhist Art and Architecture, (1993) ,Thames and Hudson
10) SeeJ .Ph. Vogel, Catalogue of the Archaeological Museum at Mathura, 50. Interestingly,
the inscription of the Govindnagar piece also mentions one Yasadinna.
11) Susan Huntington, L., The Art of Ancient India Buddhist, Hindu, Jain., (1999) Weather
Hill, New York.

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