Religious architecture of Buddhism. Features of temples of different faiths

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Buddhism is rich in various paraphernalia. It is very interesting to understand which statue depicts whom. Consider ritual objects. Today I will show what I saw while visiting the numerous Buddhist temples of Ladakh. Fortunately, almost everywhere, if the ministers were allowed to enter the premises at all, they were allowed to take pictures. And often they were not against a tripod! Nothing could be touched. :) Therefore, if there is a plastic bottle in the frame on a completely authentic still life ... then it means it should be so. :)))

The first and most important thing is, of course, the Buddha statues. Pictured is Buddha Matreya, the Buddha of the future. Distinctive sign - crown:

Buddha Matreya

We take off our shoes and go in. Matreya Buddha in full (the crown is visible) and Shakyamuni Buddha (the present Buddha). Matreya from the monastery of Thiksey (Thiksey Gompa). Shakyamuni - from the gompa in the Neck. It should be noted here that there were so many monasteries, temples and gompas that it is now difficult to figure out where which photo came from. Moreover, we did not visit them according to plan. So where I remember - I'll write. Where not, alas...

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Statues of lamas from Tiksi monastery:

Lam statues from Tiksi monastery // mari-pazhyna.livejournal.com

More Buddhas with lamas:

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I didn’t know who that scary next to the lama was. The comments suggested that this is Chum Spring, the protector of the monastery:

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Interior with a ritual mask. In general, when you enter the twilight of a room, and there are such masks ... jokes are bad in short.

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We look into the room ... and there is a fresco:

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Here we smoothly move on to the frescoes. They are old. Many are painted with natural paints, the recipe of which has been lost. Unique painting:

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In the background, in the interior (in the previous photo), shelves with books are visible. Books are piles of sheets of paper wrapped in weave with sacred texts written or printed on them.

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There are rules for reading sacred books. The book must not be placed on the floor or on a chair. You can't cross over it. You can not put other objects on the book, even images of the Buddha. Store relies on a place of honor. And if the book has become unusable, then in no case should it be thrown away. Only burn. Then I involuntarily remembered: "manuscripts do not burn ..." (c) Woland.

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There is no access to books. There are sacred texts that only lamas are allowed to read. Open book:

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Next to the book is a bell and a vajra. The two most important ritual attributes of Tibetan lamas. Usually they are used together and symbolize the unity of the teachings. Also masculine and feminine. This is in short. And if you climb further, then they have so many meanings ... They take the bell in one hand, the vajra in the other. Another bell:

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Another element that is impossible not to notice when entering almost any hall of a Buddhist temple. The Kengarge drum is used for prayers and meditations:

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Well, I think everyone has seen such ritual drums. But these are special. Very old:

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Ritual sea shell inlaid with metal. Used as a bugle:

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So we smoothly moved on to musical instruments.

Buddhism gradually spread throughout the planet over several millennia. Today, Buddhist temples can be found in different countries, and the roots of this religion are concentrated in India. In the article we will get acquainted with what a Buddhist temple is and what are the features of their architecture, we will learn about the most famous temples and monasteries.

Temple and monastery cave complex Ajanta

What is the name of the Buddhist temple

The Buddha Temple may have different names: datsan, or, directly the name of the temple itself, combined with the words ji, dera, tera, garan.

In the event that the temple is named after the locality or in honor of the founders, then the name contains tera or dera. For example, Asuka-dera so called due to the fact that the temple is located on the Asuka plain. A Tachibana-dera is the temple of the Tachibana clan.

If the name of a teacher or the name of a revered deity is used in the name of the building, then ji is used. For example: Yakushiji – bhaishajyaguru temple or Buddha healer Yakushi.

The additional name garan is used to designate ancient temples. From Sanskrit "sangharama" - "communal dwelling" .

If the building for the ceremonies does not have everything that is necessary for such a room, then such a building is called a prayer house.

Architecture of Buddhist temples and monasteries

What does it mean to be a Buddhist? If explained from the point of view of this religious teaching, then to be a Buddhist is to seek refuge in " Three Treasures ". "Three Treasures" This Buddha, his doctrine And community, formed around this doctrine. The building is designed in such a way as to embody all the "Three Treasures". They are all presented in one place, but at the same time divided into parts, each of which carries its own semantic and religious meaning.

Buddhist temple is a sacred complex building, representing a religious value, a place of pilgrimage, worship and habitation of Buddhist monks. It must be protected from external influences disturbing it. Holy place- extraneous sounds, sights, smells and other influences. The territory is closed from all sides, and at the entrance there are powerful gates.

In the "golden room"(kondo) any buddha images are placed ( Buddha Shakyamuni , compassionate Amitabha etc.) - embroidered, drawn, in the form of sculptures. In the same room there can be any images of various revered beings, bodhisattvas.

Pagoda- This a building designed to store the remains of the body of the (terrestrial) Buddha Shakyamuni. Almost every Buddhist temple has its own legend about how the remains got into it. Often the pagoda consists of three or five tiers, and the main pillar is placed in the center. Under it or at its very top, the remains of the Buddha are kept.

In addition to the textual versions of Buddhist teachings stored in the form of scrolls, religious information and various sacred traditions are passed from mouth to mouth. In addition, readings and expositions of the teachings are regularly held in the "reading room" (ko:do).

Since the 8th century, kami have appeared - places for honoring "native gods". They are placed both on the territory of the temple and outside it. The gods are revered as protectors of the temple.

The temple community includes monks, their students and lay people who temporarily settled in the galleries.

Buddhist temples in India have their own design features. Monumental buildings have a large number of arches, vaults, columns, reliefs dedicated to the Buddha. At the same time, all these unique architectural elements are brought to perfection. In India, stupas are most often found in the form of a sphere based on a cubic shape. Their entrances are usually presented in the form of stone gates, on which carvings flaunt. There are also buildings with sharp high domes with bas-reliefs.

Buddhist temples in India

There are many Buddhist temples in India, as this religious direction is especially revered here. Let's focus on the most famous.

1. . Maharashtra is the third largest state in India. This area is best known for its rock monasteries and temples:

• Ajanta - a temple and monastery cave complex, represented by a rock in the shape of a horseshoe. There are 29 caves in total. They are divided into viharas (hostels of Buddhist monks, having a portico-terrace at the entrance and square halls surrounded by cells on three sides) and chaityas (prayer halls). The walls in the caves are skillfully painted with illustrations of Buddhist myths and legends. Ajanta is a World Heritage Site.
• Caves of Aurangabad – relatively small three complexes cave temples located near the city of Aurangabad. There are nine caves in total, divided into eastern and western.
• Pithalcora - cave temple complex, consisting of 13 caves. Equipped in the II century BC. Somewhat later, in the 5th-6th centuries, there were additions to them.
• Ellora - a system of 34 caves. Of these, 17 caves are Hindu, 12 caves are Buddhist, 5 are. The most remarkable building with unique architecture is Kailas, which has deservedly become one of the precious monuments religious culture India. Numerous castles located in Ellora are classified as World Heritage by UNESCO.

1. - exactly the place where Gautama Siddhartha achieved enlightenment, the result of which was his reincarnation as a Buddha. The temple is located in Bodh Gaya, the Indian state of Bihar. Bodhi is also located here - the sacred tree, sitting under which Gautama found his enlightenment. It is believed that it was grown from a seed that gave exactly the original tree under which the enlightened Buddha sat.

1. Sanchi, which is the World UNESCO heritage, is a village in the state of Madhya Pradesh, famous for its preserved temples, monasteries and stupas from early Buddhism. The main attraction is the first known stupa in history. It was conceived as a visual symbol of the Wheel of Dharma. It was from the Sanchi stupa that other stupas began to copy.

1. It is impossible not to remember about dhamek stupa located in Sarnath. According to legend, here the Buddha, who achieved enlightenment, held his first sermon and launched wheel of dharma.

Buddhist monasteries in India

There are also a considerable number of Buddhist monasteries in India. It is not possible to list all of them, so let's get acquainted with some of them:

1. Temples of Ladakh. The land of Ladakh is located in the extreme western part of the Tibetan plateau. The highest mountains in the world rise along the southern and northern parts. Here are concentrated all those beauties for which travelers come here with pleasure - snow-covered mountain ranges, lakes, rivers, outlandish animals and birds, incredible mountain monasteries. True, all this has become available to foreign tourists only since 1974. Basically, the population of Ladakh is represented by the descendants of settled nomads who arrived from Kham (eastern Tibet). In the 7th century they mixed with the Indo-Aryan tribes. There are many temples in this region: Alchi-Gompa, Vanla, Lamayuru, Mulbek-Gompa, Seni-Gompa, She-Gompa and others.

1. Tiksi- This is a Buddhist monastery, located on the banks of the Indus on a hilltop. Its location is amazing: it rises 3600 meters above sea level and consists of 12 floors. There are also statues, frescoes, weapons, thangkas (images of a religious nature in Tibetan art), buildings with chortens. The temple of Maitreya, who later became the Buddha, is also amazing. It is famous for the 15-meter statue of Maitreya, erected in 1970 before the visit of the Dalai Lama.

1. , located on a hill near the suburbs of the city of Tawang. It is located at an altitude of 3300 meters. Designed for 700 monks, at the present time it is home to approximately 450 lamas. There is the Parkhang Library, known for containing many historically valuable manuscripts.

Buddhist monasteries in Russia

In Russia, Buddhism is practiced in different parts of the country - the Trans-Baikal Territory, Tuva, Buryatia, the Republic of Altai, Kalmykia, the Irkutsk Region. Buddhist monasteries in Russia exist in a large number of cities, including Moscow and St. Petersburg.

1. Ivolginsky datsan (Gandan Dashi Choynhorlin - Tibet.) is located in the Republic of Buryatia, in the village of Upper Ivolga. This is a real complex, consisting of many buildings, including:

• temple-palace, which stores the imperishable body of the great Teacher Khambo Lama Itigelov;
• tantric temple (Zhan-dugan);
• the main cathedral temple (Tsogchen-dugan);
• a greenhouse created for the sacred Bodhi tree, etc.

Also on the territory of the complex there is a library, a summer hotel, sacred suburgan stupas and even an aviary for roe deer.

1. Another Buddhist monastery in Russia, or rather a temple-monastery, is the Bodhidharma Hoymor Datsan, located in Buryatia (Arshan Village, Tunkinsky District). This is the central temple of the Buddhist organization "Maidar".
2. Tsugolsky datsan is the most oldest monastery, erected in the Trans-Baikal Territory in 1801. Monastic schools of classical Buddhist philosophy and Tibetan medicine were founded here. The monastery has a very rich history.

In Russia, there are other, no less wonderful Buddhist temples: Aninsky(Buryatia) and Aginsky(Trans-Baikal Territory) datsans, , Temple of the Great Victory(Kalmykia), Egitui datsan(Buryatia).

Buddhist temples and monasteries are mysterious and even mystical. They attract pilgrims from different parts of the world who want to see the sacred places with their own eyes and break away from the bustle of the world, staying within their walls.

Buddhism, founded in the 6th century BC, is one of the ancient religions peace. Its distinguishing feature is its close connection not so much with the traditional beliefs present in any modern religion how much emphasis on philosophical concept knowledge of oneself. In fact, Buddhism is the doctrine of the spiritual awakening of a person, which becomes possible only under the condition of certain actions on the part of the person himself.

For two and a half thousand years, Buddhism has spread widely among different peoples Southeast Asia, absorbing local beliefs and cultural traditions. To date, there are several major currents in Buddhism, each of which aims to achieve personal liberation from the binding fetters of the world - nirvana.

Buddhist monasteries bear little resemblance to religious communities of other religions. The monks living in them, although they live permanently in monasteries, are not strongly attached to them. In ancient times, Buddhist monks wandered the endless roads of Asia, living on donations from the population. Today, the collection of donations is also an integral feature of the life of a modern Buddhist monastery. In addition to caring for the welfare of the community, Buddhist monks are in ongoing process self-improvement, which, however, does not prevent them from time to time to communicate with the people and even visiting tourists, who are met quite cordially in Buddhist monasteries.

Buddhist monasteries — Photo.

1. Yumbulagang Monastery, Tibet

Yumbulagang Monastery is one of the oldest architectural and religious monuments in Tibet. Translated into Russian, its name literally means - the Sacred Palace of the Deer, but usually the monastery is called the Palace of Mother and Son. Built on the east bank of the Yarlung River over two thousand years ago for the first king of Tibet, today it is an important Buddhist shrine. The four-tier buildings of the monastery end with the main temple, decorated with square Buddhist domes. Inside, the eastern cloister is painted with ancient frescoes reproducing the early history of Tibet. Today, several Buddhist monks live in Yumbulagang.

2. Erdene Zuu Monastery, Mongolia

The Mongolian monastery of Erdeni-Dzu is one of the most ancient Buddhist architectural structures that have come down to us. Its name, given at the end of the 16th century when the first buildings were laid by Abtai Khan, is translated into Russian as “The Temple of the Precious Lord”, that is, the Buddha. The architectural ensemble of Erdeni-Dzu is a composition of three temples that combine the ancient architectural traditions of Mongolia, China and Tibet. In the old days, more than ten thousand lamas lived on the territory of the monastery and there were about sixty separate idols. Today, Erdeni-Dzu is a functioning temple of Labran and a museum of ancient culture.

3. Ganden Monastery, Tibet

The Tibetan Ganden Monastery, located on Mount Wangbur, at an altitude of four and a half thousand meters above sea level, is considered one of the most serious Buddhist organizations in the world. Here is the university of the Buddhist school of Gelug, known as the "yellow faith". The abbot of the monastery is the head of a teaching that calls on true Buddhists to adhere to morality and a strict monastic way of life. Ganden was founded at the beginning of the 15th century. The monastery was badly damaged in the 60s during the "cultural revolution" in China. Today it has not yet been fully restored, but it already receives visitors on its territory.

4. Key Gompa Monastery, Tibet

The amazingly beautiful Ki Gompa Monastery, lost in the harsh mountains of the Spiti Valley, from afar reminds its appearance fabulous toy. Founded in the 11th century as a religious fort to observe the surrounding area, today it is a functioning Buddhist monastery, where at least 250 lamas live in the winter season. The monks replenishing the monastery are the second sons of local residents. Within the walls of Ki Gompa there is a rich collection of sculptures, musical instruments, books and weapons. During its history, the monastery was destroyed several times, which determined its modern architectural form - an unusual, multi-tiered one.

5. Tibetan Buddhist temple Yonghegun (Yonghe Temple), China

Yonghegong Buddhist Temple, belonging to the Tibetan Gelug school, is located in the northeast of Beijing. Several names are assigned to it: for example, "Palace of Peace and Harmony", "Lamaist Temple" or "Lama Temple". Erected at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th centuries, Yonghegun initially served as the residence of the palace eunuchs, and only decades later began to gradually come under the rule of Tibetan monks. Architecturally, Yonghegun is a combination of five halls - Heavenly Kings, Harmony and Peace, eternal protection, Dharmachakra and the Pavilion of ten thousand fortunes.

6. Thikse Monastery, India

Located in North India, on a hilltop overlooking the Indus River, the Buddhist monastery Thiksi Gompa consists of twelve levels of snow-white buildings with red and yellow splashes of separate buildings. Ten Buddhist temples convent, a meeting room and numerous outbuildings were erected in the 15th century. Today Tiksi Gompa is an active monastery, school-owned Gelug. The main attraction of the Buddhist community is the temple of the future Buddha with a huge fifteen-meter statue of Maitreya, made of clay, copper and gold.

7. Fortress Monastery Punakha Dzong, Bhutan

The Bhutanese Punakha Dzong Monastery is “Happiness” itself in the architectural flesh, because this is how its name is translated into Russian. The prefix "dzong" indicates the fortress function of the building, erected in the 17th century as a fortified fortress, which housed not only a Buddhist monastery, but also the city administration. In the case of Punakha Dzong, we are talking about the city of the same name Punakha, the former for a long time the capital of Bhutan. Built at the confluence of two rivers, Punakha Dzong is an unusually beautiful architectural complex consisting of two temples and a library.

8. Taung Kalat Monastery, Myanmar

The Buddhist monastery Taung Kalat got its name from the name of the mountain on which it is located. Rising above the city, almost floating in the clouds, the Myanmar architectural ensemble is distinguished by elegant architectural features and real human fearlessness. Mount Taung Kalat is a volcano extinct more than 24 centuries ago, overgrown in our time green trees- makes an ideal natural basis for snow-white temple buildings, to which 777 steps lead from the ground. Locals believe that spirits - nats - live in the depths of Taung Kalat Mountain, so visiting the monastery is a must with their favorite fresh meat.

9. Taktsang Lhakhang (Paro Taktsang), Bhutan

Taktsang-lakhang, which means "Tiger's Nest", got its name from the ancient legend about how the Buddhist teacher Padmasambhava ascended a high mountain, sitting astride his wife, who temporarily turned into a wild beast. The monastery-fortress for observing the surroundings, is located at an altitude of three thousand meters above sea level and seven hundred meters above the local Paro valley. Founded in 1692, Taktsang Lhakhang was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1998 and restored by 2005.

10. Xuankong-si (Hanging Monastery), China

The Chinese Xuankong-sy Monastery is a unique temple complex belonging to the “hanging” types of architectural structures. Founded in 491 AD in the Chinese province of Shanxi, near the sacred mountain Hengshan, Xuankong-si unites representatives of three religions. In addition to Buddhists, Confucians and Taoists also settled here. The buildings of the monastery are attached to the mountain with wooden piles. Their back wall is dense rocks. Xuankong-si consists of forty halls and pavilions and contains more than eighty statues sacred to the eastern peoples.

Buddhism is one of the most popular religious and philosophical movements in the world today. It is professed by both experienced people and young people, attracted by the incredible aesthetics and the opportunity to touch the sacred knowledge that has been passed down from generation to generation for many hundreds of years. Buddhism originated in the 5th century BC. in present-day India. The teaching, founded by Siddhartha Gautama, better known as the Buddha, invites his followers to achieve nirvana, leaving suffering and the cycle of rebirth. According to some estimates, the number of Buddhists around the world reaches 500 million. Naturally, for such a number of believers, an appropriate number of churches is needed. Some of them are more popular than others. We have compiled a selection of the most famous Buddhist temples.

The Temple of Reflection in a Calm Sea (think about what a beautiful name!) is one of the most important shrines in South Korea. An interesting artifact is kept here - Tripitaka Koreana. These are 80 tablets containing the wisdom of Buddhism. The temple was built in 802, but its reconstruction, created in the 19th century, has survived to this day, as it had to survive a large-scale fire.

located on west side Chaphraya River, the temple complex is one of the architectural gems of Siam. The central building of the Temple of Sunrise is a 79-meter pagoda that sparkles in the sun with different colors. Despite its name, Wat Arun is best viewed at sunset. The temple is an architectural representation of Mount Meru, considered the center of the universe in Buddhist cosmology.

The temple bearing the name "Great Stupa in Lao" is one of the most revered in Laos. It is located in Vientiane and is a stupa with several terraces, symbolizing the levels of spiritual enlightenment in Buddhism. The lowest level is material life, the highest level is the world of non-existence. The temple was built in the 16th century on the ruins of a Khmer sanctuary. In 1828 it was heavily damaged by the Siamese invasion and was rebuilt by the French in 1931.

Speaking of Buddhism, one cannot help but recall Tibet, a country permeated with the spiritual wisdom of this teaching. Lhasa is the center not only of Tibet, but of all Tibetan Buddhism, attracting thousands of pilgrims every year from all over the world. The temple was built by King Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century. The Mongols who attacked Lhasa ravaged it several times, but left the building untouched. Today the temple complex covers an area of ​​more than 25,000 square meters. meters.

The "Great Oriental Temple" in Nara is one of the most unusual Buddhist temples in Japan and the largest wooden temple in the world. It was built in the 8th century by Emperor Shomu as the main temple, but little has survived from that time. It consists of a complex of pagodas and various buildings and is surrounded by a park in which sacred deer live, who are not afraid of people. It also houses one of the largest Buddha statues in Japan.

Located in the suburbs of Kathmandu, Boudhanath temple is known worldwide for being the largest stupa. It is surrounded by monasteries of various schools and movements of Buddhism, and everyone who lives in them comes to worship in Boudhanath. The stupa was built in the 6th century (the first version was destroyed by the Mongols and restored in the 14th century) and has since occupied the place of the main shrine of Nepal. The eye of the Buddha, located on the stupa, is one of the most famous images of its kind. The stupa even "lit up" in the film "Little Buddha" by European film director Bernardo Bertolucci.

The Mahabodhi (Great Enlightenment) Temple is a Buddhist stupa located in Bodh Gaya. In the main complex there is a rare shrine - the Bodhi tree, grown from the same tree under which Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment. It is believed that the temple was founded 250 years after the Buddha attained enlightenment. The temple dates from the 5th and 6th centuries and was restored in the 19th century by the British, acting on behalf of the British Archaeological Society.

The Buddhist temple is the temple of the followers of the teacher and the prophet Buddha, the third largest religion in the world in terms of the number of believers. Buddhism is the most distributed in the countries of the East, in Asia: in China, Japan, Korea, Tibet, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Indonesia, Taiwan and other countries of this region of the planet. In Russia, Buddhism is widespread in the regions of Siberia and the Far East (the Republic of Tyva, Buryatia, Transbaikalia, and so on), as well as in Kalmykia.

The head of the Buddhist Church in the world is dalai lama, elected from among the Buddhist monks. Buddhism is a very peaceful religion that denies violence and war.

Of course, like any world, and even small, religion on Earth, Buddhism has its own temples. Buddhist temple is called "datsan". It is easy to distinguish it from other buildings by oriental style pagoda roof. It is also richly decorated with bright and colorful traditional ornaments - this symbolizes the joy of delivering a person from the cycle of suffering, samsara.

Often Buddhist temples are painted bright red. There are enough bright colors in the temples - for example, the traditional clothes of Buddhist monks are always bright orange. But in the structure of the temple itself, asceticism and austerity, the absence of unnecessary things and decorations, should prevail. Buddhism does not recognize the abundance, heaps in the temple of very expensive and magnificent utensils. At the same time, he does not deny precious items in the temple.

Golden, gold-plated, silver or inlaid precious stones May be buddha teacher statue on the throne - an indispensable attribute of each temple, placed in the so-called "golden halls" of the datsan. Also in the temples you will find images of the main sacred symbols of Buddhism. Another indispensable attribute of a Buddhist temple - bells with melodic sound. Often they are also made of precious metals. How in Christian churches, in datsans you can also see magnificent multi-colored stained-glass windows.

In datsans, their servants often collect good libraries. At a Buddhist temple they can live monks. In Buddhism, unlike Christianity, there is no difference at all between a monastery and an ordinary temple. Any datsan must have strong gates, a courtyard well closed from the street, and few windows in order to create an atmosphere of silence, spirituality and solitude for believers. In the temple it is important to renounce outside world, entertainment, worldly spectacles and influences. Here it is supposed to think about the high, calmly pray and meditate.