BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE

Miguel Justin Fernando P. Reyeg

History of Architecture 3

September 1, 2020
 Buddhism is a faith that was founded by Siddhartha Gautama (“the

Buddha”) more than 2,500 years ago in India. With about 470 million

followers, scholars consider Buddhism one of the major world religions. 1 The

beginnings of the Buddhist school of architecture can be traced back to B.C. 255

when the Mauryan emperor Asoka established Buddhism as the state religion of

his large empire.2 The Buddhist architecture began with the development of

various symbols, representing aspects of the Buddha's. For the first time, it

was the Indian Emperor Ashoka, who not only established Buddhism as the

state religion of his large Magadh empire, but also opted for the

architectural monuments to spread Buddhism in different places. Distinctive

Buddhist architectural structures and sculptures such as Stupas, Pagodas,

monasteries and Caves, which have been mere spectators of different eras

quietly speaks about the phases of the Buddhist stages. 3

According Leslie Ross in her book Art and Architecture of the World’s

Religion, she stated:

From the birthplace of Buddhism in India, the religion spread rapidly to

many other Asian regions, adapting to and adopting local building
and iconographic traditions and, in turn, adding to the development
of indigenous styles of art and architecture. 4

1 History.com Editors, “Buddhism,” History.com (A&E Television Networks, October 12, 2017),
https://www.history.com/topics/religion/buddhism.
2 “Buddhist Architecture,” MANAS, October 18, 2016,
http://southasia.ucla.edu/culture/architecture/buddhist-architecture/.
3 Aishwarya Janwadkar, “Buddhist Architecture,” Aishwarya Janwadkar (Aishwarya Janwadkar,
December 1, 2015), http://www.aishwaryaj.com/blog/2018/12/1/buddhist-architecture.

4Leslie Ross, Art and Architecture of the World's Religions (Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood Press,
2009).
With what Leslie Ross said, we can see how huge the influence of Buddhism as a

religion in the architectural style and progress of Buddhist Architecture.

According to Arumuga Masana Sudalai .M and Sasikala .K in .M, Arumuga

Masana Sudalai & .K, Sasikala. (2019). BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE., they state that:

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.5

Inferring from the quote, Buddhist architecture flourished more when the people

who believe in Buddhism established monuments and structures to worship

according to their beliefs.

According to Arumuga Masana Sudalai .M and Sasikala .K in .M, Arumuga

Masana Sudalai & .K, Sasikala. (2019). 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

5Arumuga Masana Sudalai .M and Sasikala .K, “(PDF) BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE,” September 11,
2019, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335749813_BUDDHIST_ARCHITECTURE.
of the empire.” 6 The social and political issues during Ashoka’s era was

immediately fixed when he declared Buddhism as a state religion. With that, we

can see how Buddhism was a driver to solve the social and political aspects

during that time.

According to Sir Banister fletcher in Banister Fletcher et al., Sir Banister Fletchers a

History of Architecture (Amsterdam: Architectural Press/Elsevier, 2011), the

architectural influence of Buddhist architecture is stated as:

Buddhist Architecture. - As only rock-cut examples are existent, the

appearance of the structural temples is only to be conjectured from these.
The rock-cut temples have but one external facade, which is in the face of
the rock, and the architecture is therefore mainly internal, but interesting in
showing an undoubted imitation of timber originals. Wooden forms were
repeated long after their significance was dead. With the exception of the
one facade, the ornament was lavished on the interior columns and roof,
the former of which were short and overladen with ornament, the latter
being generally semicircular, with ribs showing a timber derivation. 7

Fletcher in Banister Fletcher et al., Sir Banister Fletchers a History of

Architecture (Amsterdam: Architectural Press/Elsevier, 2011), also stated

examples of the Buddhist architectural style:

1. Stambhas, or Lats, were columns on which were carved inscriptions, the

top being crowned with emblems, such as the elephant and lion, often
reminiscent of Persepolitan architecture. The best known is the Lat at
Allahabad, B.C. 250.
2. Topes, or Stupas (Sanscrit sthupa = a mound), were
mounds erected (a) to commemorate some sacred spot ; (b) to contain
sacred relics and then known as dagobas or receptacles for relics.

6 Arumuga Masana Sudalai .M and Sasikala .K, “(PDF) BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE,” September 11,
2019, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335749813_BUDDHIST_ARCHITECTURE.
7 Banister Fletcher et al., Sir Banister Fletchers a History of Architecture (Amsterdam: Architectural
Press/Elsevier, 2011)
 The principal group is that known as the Bhilsa Topes, north of the Nerbudda
River, and the best known of the group is the Sanchi Tope (B.C. 250-A.D.
100). It is a solid mound of brick- work, faced with stone and cement, and
contains the relic near its base. It is 106 feet in diameter, 42 feet high,
crowned by a "Tee" or relic casket, and is placed on a platform 14 feet high,
surrounded by a procession path, railing and four gateways. An excellent
model is in the Indian Museum, South Kensington. Other groups are at
Sarnath (near Benares), Buddh-Gaya, Amravati (remains in the British Indian
Museums), and Jarasandha.
3. Rails were often used as inclosures to the Topes. They clearly indicate a
wooden origin (No. 266 A, F), and were elaborately ornamented with
sculpture. The rail and gateways (of which there is a full-size cast in the
Indian Museum surrounding the Sanchi Tope are the best known, and date
from the first century of our era. The height is 35 feet andwidth30feet. The
symbolic sculpture is of historic interest: it tells the life story of Buddha, and
illustrates the worship of relics, trees, the law, and battle scenes. These
gateways are the prototypes of the numberless pailoos.
COMPARATIVE ARCHITECTURE.
4. Chaityas, or Temples (B.C. 250-A.D. 750), are all excavated out of the
solid rock, thus presenting only one external face. They recall the rock-cut
tombs of Upper Egypt. The normal type resembles in plan an English three-
aisled cathedral with circular apse, containing the shrine, at the end
furthest from the entrance. The roofs are hewn to a semi- circular form, and
have ribs resembling timber work. In many, the frontal screen of horse-shoe
form, through which the only light was admitted, was of wood.
5. Viharas, or Monasteries. The rock-cut examples are in proximity to the
Chaityas. The normal type is a central square space, with or without
columns, surrounded by chambers for the priests, and occasionally
containing a sanctuary for the shrinje. In Gandhara (North-West India),
General Cunningham has opened out some structural monasteries,
probably of the fourth century A.D., some of which contain courts for shrines.
Their details show Greek and Byzantine influence, the acanthus leaf, the
Byzantine cube-capital, and the Corinthian capital being met with. 8

8Banister Fletcher et al., Sir Banister Fletchers a History of Architecture (Amsterdam: Architectural
Press/Elsevier, 2011)
Ajanta Caves
- Aurangabad District, Maharashtra State, India
- 100 BCE – 100 CE
- Monuments
- Hindu Satavahana Dynasty

-
Mahabodhi Temple
- Bodh Gaya, India
- 3rd Century
- Temple
- Emperor Asoka
References

Aishwarya Janwadkar. “Buddhist Architecture.” Aishwarya Janwadkar.

Aishwarya Janwadkar, December 1, 2015.
http://www.aishwaryaj.com/blog/2018/12/1/buddhist-architecture.

Banister Fletcher et al., Sir Banister Fletchers a History of

Architecture (Amsterdam: Architectural Press/Elsevier, 2011))

“Buddhist Architecture.” MANAS, October 18, 2016.

http://southasia.ucla.edu/culture/architecture/buddhist-architecture/.

History.com Editors. “Buddhism.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, October

12, 2017. https://www.history.com/topics/religion/buddhism.

“Indian Architecture.” Accessed August 24, 2020.

http://www.oldandsold.com/articles23/architecture-140.shtml.

.M, Arumuga Masana Sudalai, and Sasikala .K. “(PDF) BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE,”
September 11, 2019.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335749813_BUDDHIST_ARCHITEC
TURE.

Ross, Leslie. Art and Architecture of the World's Religions. Santa Barbara, CA:
Greenwood Press, 2009.