interesting

1. BUDDHISM
RELIGION AND
ARCHITECTURE

2. GROUP MEMBERS
IRADAT ALI
AMEER HAMZA
MOHSIN ALI
MUHAMMAD KHIZAR
MUHAMMAD KAZMEEN

3. Origins of Buddhism
The Big Idea
Buddhism began in India
and became a major religion.
Main Ideas
• Siddhartha Gautama searched for wisdom in
many ways.
• The teachings of Buddhism deal with finding
peace.
• Buddhism spread far from where it began in
India.

4. Quest for Answers
• Siddhartha was born a
prince, but he questioned
the meaning of life.
• Determined to find
answers using:
• Meditation
• Fasting
• Learning from
different teachers
Enlightenment
• Found it under the Tree of
Wisdom while meditating
• Called the Buddha
(Enlightened One)
• Spent the rest of his life
traveling and teaching his
ideas
Siddhartha

5. Religions of South Asia

6. Buddhism in the
Subcontinent

7. The essence of Buddhism
 The “middle way of wisdom and
compassion.”
 2,500 year old tradition.
 The 3 jewels of Buddhism
 Buddha, the teacher.
 Dharma, the teachings.
 Sangha, the community.
Buddha – 19c Thailand

8. Buddha’s head 2c Pakistan

9. Types of Buddhism
• Therevada Buddhism
• Mahayana Buddhism
• Tibetan Buddhism
• Zen Buddhism

10. Theravada Buddhism
• The oldest school of Buddhism.
• The “Way of the Elders” or the “Small
Vehicle.”
• Found in southern Asia.
• The monastic life is the best way
to achieve nirvana.
• Focus on wisdom and meditation.
• Goal is to become a “Buddha,” or
“Enlightened One.”
• Over 100,000,000 followers today.

11. Theravada Buddhism

12. Mahayana Buddhism
• The “Great Vehicle.”
• Founded in northern Asia (China, Japan).
• Buddhism “for the masses.”
• Seek guidance from Boddhisatvas, wise
beings.
• Goal: Not just individual escape from the
wheel, but the salvation of all humanity
through self-sacrifice of those enlightened
few.

13. Seated Boddhisatva –
16c
Bhutan

14. Tibetan Buddhism
• The “Diamond Vehicle.” [Vajrayana]
• Developed in Tibet in the
7c CE.
• A mix of Theravada and Mahayana.
• Boddhisatvas include
Lamas, like the
Dalai Lama.
• The Tibetan Book
of the Dead
[Bardo Thodol].

15. The
Dalai
Lama

16. zen Buddhism
• The “Meditation School.”
• Seeks sudden enlightenment [satori]
through meditation, arriving at emptiness
[sunyata].
• Use of meditation masters [Roshi].
• Beauty, art, and aesthetics:
• Gardens.
• Archery.
• Tea ceremony.
• Calligraphy.

17. Buddhism in America
(1999)

18. Distribution of Buddhism
Centers in the US, 2001

19. 10th Annual western
Buddhist monastic
conference
• California, 2004

21. Suffering and unhappiness are a part of human life. No one
can escape sorrow.
Teachings of Buddhism
Four Noble Truths
Suffering comes from our desires for pleasure and material
goods.
People can overcome desire and ignorance and reach
nirvana, a state of perfect peace.
People can overcome ignorance and desire by following an
eightfold path that leads to wisdom, enlightenment, and
salvation.

22. The Eightfold Path

23. Ancient
Ways
• The Buddha
taught that
following the
Vedic texts was
unnecessary.
• Challenged the
authority of
Hindu priests
Changing
Society
• A more
individualistic
approach to
enlightenment
• Rebirth as a
means to evolve
Challenging Hindu Ideas
Caste
System
• Opposed
caste system
• The Eightfold
Path could
lead any
individual to
nirvana.
• The Buddha’s
teachings
reached all
classes.

24. Buddhism branches out
Buddhism splits
• Asoka, one of the most powerful kings in India, became a
Buddhist and spread Buddhism in India and foreign lands.
• Buddhist missionaries traveled the world to teach
enlightenment.
• Buddhism split into two main sects: Theravada and Mahayana.
• Members of the Theravada followed the Buddha’s teachings
exactly.
• Members of the Mahayana believed that individual
interpretation was important.
BUDDHISM BEGAN IN INDIA AND
THEN BECAME A MAJOR RELIGION

25. EARLY SPREAD OF BUDDHISM

26. ARCHITECTURE
OF BUDDHISM

27. FEATURES OF BUDDHIST
ARCHITECTURE
THE MAJOR ARCHITECTURE
FEATURE ARE
STUPAS
( EXAMPLE : SANCHI STUPA )
STAMBAS
( EXAMPLE : ASHOKA PILLAR)
CHAITYAS
( EXAMPLE : CHAITYA AT KARLI)
VIHARAS
( EXAMPLE : VIHARA AT AJANTA)

28. STAMBAS
LOOKS COMMON TO INDIAN ARCHITECTURE STYLES
SHAFTS WERE INSCRIBED AND CAPITAL WERE OF
EMBLEMS OR ANIMALS.
TYPICAL BUDDHIST COLUMNS ARE OF 2 TYPES
1) PERSEPOLITIAN TYPE
- SHAFT IS OCTOGONAL
- ANIMAL SCULPTURE ON CAPITAL
-BASE OF THE SHAFT IS VASE SHAPED
2)GRAECO-ROMAN TYPE
CIRCULAR SHAFT WITH FLUTES
TALL AND SLENDER
HEIGHT OF IT IS 6 TO 8 TIMES OF THE THE LOWER
DIAMETER
CAPITAL WITH FLUTE VASE MOTIF

30. STUPA AND PAGODA
BUDDHA TEMPLE HAVE UNIQUE SHAPES
WELL KNOWN SHAPES ARE THE PAGODA
STYLE IN CHINA AND JAPAN
ANOTHER IS THE STUPA.

31. STUPA
A STONE STRUCTURE BUILT ON TOP OF
RELICS(ARTEFACT, BUDDHA'S TEACHINGS ) OF BUDDHA.
THE CIRCULARITY OF THE DOME RESEMBLES THE WHEEL
OF LIFE.
GRADUALLY, THE STUPA BECAME LARGER, SOON,
RELIEFS OF SIDDHARTHA'S LIFE BEGAN APPEARING ON
ITS OUTER WALLS.
THE WORLDS'S LARGEST STUPA RESTS ON THE ISLAND
OF JAVA, INDONESIA.
ON TOP, IN MAHAYANA SHRINE A GRAND IMAGES OF
BUDDHA AND STATUES OF BODHI SATTVAS.

34. TEMPLES
THE DESIGN OF BUDDHIST TEMPLES ORIGINATED WITH THE
STUPA.
HISTORICAL VERY ORNATE INSIDE WITH GOLD AND JADE.
WHILE TODAY'S TEMPLES ARE MORE MODERN.
IF THE TEMPLE ISN'T DESIGNED IN THE SHAPE OF A PAGODA,
THERE WILL BE A REPLICA OF ONE INSIDE.
THE TEMPLES ARE DESIGNED TO SYMBOLIZE THE FIVE
ELEMENTS
FIRE,
AIR/WIND
EARTH,
WATER
WISDOM/VOID

35. 1200 YEARS OLD DA FOU SI, HONG KONG
(GUANGZHOU)

36. BUSSY-SAINT-GEORGES, FRANCE

37. THE STUPA GREW TALLER AND THINNER
PAGODAS ARE EIGHT-SIDED TOWERS
CONTAIN AN ODD NUMBER OF STORIES-BETWEEN THREE
AND THIRTEEN.
THE BASE OF THE STUPA IS OFTEN SEALED WITH A
COPPER PLATE INCISED WITH A VISHVA-VAJRA CROSSED
THUNDERBOLT DESIGN THAT IS REGARDED AS
PROTECTION FROM EVIL.
STUPAS THEMSELVES WERE VENERATED AS SYMBOLS OF
THE BUDDHA
FEATURES

38. BUDDHIST TEMPLES IS INFLUENCED BY THE
ARCHITECTURE OF COUNTRY AND VARIOUS TRADITIONS
FOLLOWED BY THE COUNTRY.
 MANY BUDDHIST TEMPLES ARE LOCATED IN THE
FORESTS AND MOUNTAINS.
- MOUNTAINS AND FOREST HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
ASSOCIATED WITH SPIRITUAL PURITY.
- BUDDHIST MONKS WERE OFTEN PERSECUTED AND
REMOTE LOCATION GAVE THEM SOME SAFETY.
 IN CHINA, JAPAN AND THAILAND TEMPLES ARE OFTEN
IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN.
FEATURES

39. FEATURES
REASONAL BIRTH OF BUDDHIST TEMPLE : BUDDHISM HAS RITUAL
LIKE WORSHIP, BIRTH,DEATH AND MANY MORE, MONKS, NUNS
CARRY THEM OUT. THROUGH TEMPLES, MONASTRIES BUDDHIST
PEOPLE KEEP THEIR RELIGION LIVING.
INSIDE, TEMPLE MAY HAVE A WORSHIP HALL, MEDITATION HALL,
AND GOLD WARRIOR-TYPE FIGURES, AND STATUE OF
BUDDHA(SITTING IN A LOTUS POSITION )WILL BE THE MAIN
SUBJECT OF INTEREST.
GREEN, ORANGE, AND YELLOW ARE USED FOR THE ROOF AND
WALLS INSIDE.
DEMONS AND MONKEY GUARDIAN STATUES PROTECT THE TEMPLE
FROM EVIL SPIRITS.
TEMPLE MAY HAVE A MONASTERY ATTACHED, THE MONKS ARE NOT
HOUSED THERE AS IN OTHER MONASTERIES.
 SYMBOLIC ART AND SCULPTURE WILL BE ON WALLS OF THE
PRAYING AREAS
MORE DIFFERENT SIZED STATUES OF BUDDHA ARE PLACED
THROUGHOUT THE TEMPLE AND ON THE ALTAR.

43. HINDU TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE
> HINDU TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE DEVELOPED OVER
2000 YEARS AGO.
> FROM 1ST CENTURY CEA NEW TYPE OF WORSHIP
BAKTHI (IDOL WORSHIP) STARTED
> BUILDINGS WERE CONSTRUCTED WHICH COULD
HOUSE A SACRED SYMBOL FOR A PARTICULAR
GOD.,WHICH IS SCULPTURAL FIGURE.

44. EVOLUTION OF HINDU TEMPLES:
>HINDU TEMPLE ARCH. WAS INFLUENCED BY EARLY
BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE CALLED STUPAS.
> FIRST HINDU TEMPLES WERE BUILT FROM ROCK CUT
CAVES AND REPEATED THE ART FORMS OF RELIEFS.
ARCHITECTURAL DEVELOPMENT
> ROCK CUT CAVE TO MASSIVE ORNAMANTAL TEMPLE.

45. IMPORTAT ELEMENTS OF HINDU
ARCHITECTURE
> HARMONIOUS GEOMETRY.,
>SQUARE FORM.,
>GRID FLOOR PLANS.,
> DECORATIVE SCULPTUERS
*ORNAMENTATION*
SQUARE FORM*

46. > SPACE IS PROVIDED FOR WORSHIPPERS TO LEAVE
OFFERINGS.,PERFORM DIFFERENT RITUALS LIKE BATHING
AADN DANCING ETC

47. THANK YOU!