The document discusses Buddhist architecture. It provides an overview of key architectural features associated with Buddhism such as pillars, stupas, and rock-cut caves that were developed during the reign of Emperor Ashoka to spread Buddhism. It then describes the architectural developments during the early Mahayana phase, including masonry stupas, wooden chaitya halls, and rock-cut monasteries. Specific examples of notable Buddhist architectural structures are highlighted such as the Sanchi stupas, Ajanta caves, and Borobudur temple. In conclusion, it notes how Buddhist communities decided to promote their religion through architectural monuments that reflected the preachings of Buddha and spread Buddhism across many countries through a variety of styles

1. Buddhist
Architecture
Submitted By
SWARA BENDRE
and
AYUSHI DONGRE
(B. Arch Sem II)
SDPS Women’s
College

2. Acknowledgement
We would like to express our special thanks to our H.O.D Ar.
Vishal Yardi sir as well as our teacher Mr. S. P. Verma sir who
gave us the golden opportunity to work on paper presentation
on the topic “Buddhist Architecture” which helped us to obtain
knowledge about so many new things.
Secondly we would also like to thank our faculty members
Mr. Ketan Jain sir and Mr. Abhijit Kulkarni sir who helped us a
lot in finishing this paper. We are making this paper not only
for competition but also to increase our knowledge .

3. INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHIST
ARCHITECTURE
 The places connected with the four principal events
of Buddha’s life such as his birth, enlightenment,
first preaching and decease. Two major branches
of Buddhism are recognized as Thervada and
Mahayana.
 The Indian emperor Asoka established Buddhism
in Magadha as state religion and opted
architectural monuments as the way to propagate
the religion. He is credited with the authorship of
three principal types of monuments, viz., (1) pillars,
(2) stupas, and (3) rock-cut caves,
 Asoka set up at least thirty pillars including ten
inscribed with his edicts on sites scattered in
Districts Champaran and Muzaffarpur of Bihar.
Also he introduced 84,000 stupas along the stretch
of his empire.

4. The early mahayana phase
 During the centuries
immediately after the
beginning of the Christian
era, the Buddhist
communities in the middle
and southern parts of the
peninsula were actively
engaged in producing
monuments, such as
masonry stupas, wooden
chaitya halls, and rock-cut
monasteries, according to
the system of the Buddhist
faith. Also the main area of
inspiration was from
Afghanistan and some
European countries.
Borobudur Stupa , Indonesia

5. Pillars
 Made of Chunar
sandstone and bearing a
highly lustrous polish are
tapering monolithic
shafts, between 10 and
15 m. high, with an
ornamental capital,
surmounted by powerful
animal-sculpture of
symbolical significance.
 The best-preserved pillar
is that at Lauriya-
Nandangarh (District
Champaran), which is
complete with the
Asokan edicts and a
capital crowned by a
stately figure of lion.
Pillar at Lauriya, Nandangarh

6. Stupas
 A stupa is a mound-like or semi-
hemispherical structure containing
buddhist relics, typically the ashes
of Buddhist monks, used by
Buddhists as a place of
meditation.
 Stupas originated as pre-Buddhist
earthen burial mounds, in which
ascetics were buried in a seated
position, called chaitya . After the
parinirvana of the Buddha, his
remains were cremated and the
ashes divided and buried under
eight mounds with two further
mounds encasing the urn and the
embers.
 Ghalegay hosts one of the biggest
stupas at Mohallah Singardar in
district Swat, Pakistan.the
Dhamek Stupa at Sarnath and the
Great Stupa at Sanchi in Madhya
Pradesh.
Dhamek Stupa, Sarnath

7. Sanchi stupas
 Sanchi in Raisen district of
Madhya Pradesh is famous for
its magnificent Buddhist
monuments and edifices.
 Situated on a hill, these
beautiful and well preserved
stupas depict the various
stages of development of
Buddhist art and architecture
over a period of thirteen
hundred years.
 The Great Stupa is 120 feet
across (36.6 meters) and,
excluding the railing and
umbrella, is 54 feet high
(16.46 meters).
 The present stupa encases
an earlier one of about half its
present dimensions.
Sanchi Stupa ,MP

8. Plan and Elevation of Sanchi Stupa

10. Chaitya halls
 Chaitya grihas or halls of
worship were built all over
the country either of brick
or excavated from rocks.
 Ruins of a large number of
structural Buddhist chaitya
grihas are found in the
eastern districts of Andhra
Pradesh, in valleys, near
rivers and lakes.
 The largest brick chaitya
hall was excavated at
Guntapalli.
 The chunar sand-stone
rock-cut chaityas are at
Bhaja. Kondane.

11. Chaityagriha Karla,
Maharashtra

13. Viharas
 Viharas are constructed with brick or excavated from
rocks are found in different parts of India.
 An arrangement of apartments for the accommodation
of the monks, and known as a vihara.
 A typical vihara consisted of a square central hall
entered by a doorway, Out of the central hall it has
cells and on the top it has shrine.
 The original plan was for one of these viharas to be
situated close to the chaitya
Plan of ViharasRock-cut Vihara , Nasik

14. Rock-cut caves
 These caves are true
treasure and history of
great India followed by
the era of Ashoka the
Great of Mauryan,
Chalukyas and
Pallava.
 Most of the natural
caves in India are
Hindu cave temples
such as Vaishno Devi,
Amarnath and Varaha
cave temple and these
Hindu cave temples
are one of the most
visited pilgrimage site
in India.
Ajanta Caves

15. Examples of Rock-cut caves
 Ajanta Caves: The Ajanta
caves are the world’s
greatest historical
monument situated in
Jalgaon city of
Maharashtra.
 The 29 rock-cut cave
monuments include
paintings and sculptures of
religious art. The
Ajanta and Ellora caves in
India are the masterpieces
of India’s hillside rock cut
architecture.
 The other famous caves in
Maharashtra are Karla and
Bhaja caves, Kanheri
caves, Ellora caves and
Elephanta caves.
Elephanta Caves, Maharashtra

16. Plan Of Elephanta Caves
Main Cave
Interior of cave

17. Temples and monastries
Another important monument type in buddhist
architecture are the temples and monastries of
Buddha spread across South-eastern area of Asia.
Some of the famous temples are as follows.

18. Borobudur Bagan
Shwedagon Pagoda Mahabodhi Temple

19. Boudhanath Todaiji Temple
Jokhang Pha Thut Luang

20. Wat Arun
Haeinsa
Temple

21. Conclusion
 The Buddhist communities in Mahayana
phase decided to freeze their principle for
years in the form of monuments.
 The preachings of Buddha have a effect on
architecture of Pillars, Stupas, Rock cut
caves, Chaityagrihas, Viharas, Temples and
Monastries.
 Also inspired by architecture of diff
countries.
 Showcase a variety of shapes and
stuctures like Dome, Pagodas, Stone-made
structures, Brick-made and Wooden
structures spreading Buddhism across

22. Bibliography
•The Great ages of world architecture by G.N.
Hiraskar
•Percy Brown, Indian Architecture (Buddhist
and Hindu period), Taraporevala and sons,
Bombay, 1983
• Satish Grover, The Architecture of India
(Buddhist and Hindu period),Vikas Publishing
House, New Delhi, 1981
• http://www.wikipedia.org/
• http://indiapicks.com/
• http://www.google.co.in/