Buddhist Stupa: Dome of Enlightenment and its Types
The stupa , as an object of veneration, is considered a physical embodiment of the enlightened mind of a Buddha, having originated historically from the chaitya (funerary mounds) and metaphorically from the ushnisha (crown of the Buddha's head). Stupa existed even before it became popular in Shramanic traditions such as Jainism and particularly in Buddhism and now, it is a distinctive style of Buddhist architecture. To begin with, stupa was created as a cosmic emblem in response to one of the major human conditions, death. Eventually, apart from being an important repository of sacred relics in Buddhism, it evolved with time and with the spread of Buddhism in the Indian subcontinent and beyond. In Tibet and in places such as Sikkim, Bhutan and Nepal where Tibetan Buddhism is practiced, stupa is known as chorten . Saririka Stupa or Relic Stupa : It houses the body relics of the Buddha and his principal disciples, often enclosed in a casket. It can also h...