- Nepal is a beautiful country. My country is a piece of heaven. Due to being a landlocked country, it looks beautiful as more as we think about it. I am proud of being a citizen of this country (being Nepali).
Boudhanath Stupa (or Bodnath Stupa) is the largest stupa in Nepal and the holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple outside Tibet. It is the center of Tibetan culture in Kathmandu and rich in Buddhist symbolism. The stupa is located in the town of Boudha, on the eastern outskirts of Kathmandu.
History of Boudhanath StupaBodnath was probably built in the 14th century after the Mughal invasions; various interesting legends are told regarding the reasons for its construction. After the arrival of thousands of Tibetans following the 1959 Chinese invasion, the temple has become one of the most important centers of Tibetan Buddhism. Today it remains an important place of pilgrimage and meditation for Tibetan Buddhists and local Nepalis, as well as a popular tourist site.
What to See at Boudhanath Stupa
From above, Bodnath Stupa looks like a giant mandala, or diagram of the Buddhist cosmos. And as in all Tibetan mandalas, four of the Dhyani Buddhas mark the cardinal points, with the fifth, Vairocana, enshrined in the center (in the white hemisphere of the stupa). The five Buddhas also personify the five elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether), which are represented in the stupa's architecture.
There are other symbolic numbers here as well: the nine levels of Boudhanath Stupa represent the mythical Mt. Meru, center of the cosmos; and the 13 rings from the base to the pinnacle symbolize the path to enlightenment, or "Bodhi" — hence the stupa's name.
At the bottom, the stupa is surrounded by an irregular 16-sided wall, with frescoes in the niches. In addition to the Five Dhyani Buddhas, Boudhanath Stupa is closely associated with the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Padmapani), whose 108 forms are depicted in sculptures around the base. The mantra of Avalokiteshvara - Om Mani Padme Hum - is carved on the prayer wheels beside the images of Avalokiteshvara around the base of the stupa.
The base of the stupa consists of three large platforms, decreasing in size. These platforms symbolize Earth, and here you can look out at the mountains while listening to the chants of the devout doing kora, walking around the stupa praying.
Next come two circular plinths supporting the hemisphere of the stupa, symbolizing water. As at Swayabunath, Bodnath is topped with a square tower bearing the omnipresent Buddha eyes on all four sides.
Instead of a nose is a question-mark-type symbol that is actually the Nepali character for the number 1, symbolizing unity and the one way to reach enlightenment—through the Buddha's teachings. Above this is the third eye, symbolizing the wisdom of the Buddha.
The square tower is topped by a pyramid with 13 steps, representing the ladder to enlightenment. The triangular shape is the abstract form for the element of fire. At the top of the tower is a gilded canopy, the embodiment of air, with above it a gilded spire, symbolic of ether and the Buddha Vairocana. Prayer flags tied to the stupa flutter in the wind, carrying mantras and prayers heavenward.
The main entrance to the upper platform of Bodnath Stupa is on the north side. Here Amoghasiddhi, progenitor of the future Buddha, presides. Below Amoghasiddhi is the Buddha Maitreya, the future Buddha.
Surrounding Boudhanath Stupa are streets and narrow alleys lined with colorful homes, Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, and street vendors.
Festivals and Events
During the festival of Losar (Tibetan New Year) in February or March, Boudhanath hosts the largest celebration in Nepal.
Quick Facts on Boudhanath Stupa
| Site Information | |
| Names: | Bodnath Stupa · Boudha Stupa · Boudhanath Stupa · Chorten Chempo (Great Stupa) |
|---|---|
| Country: | Nepal |
| Categories: | temples |
| Dates: | 14th C |
| Status: | active |
| Visitor and Contact Information | |
| Coordinates: | 27.721434° N, 85.362128° E |
| Address: | Boudha Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Lodging: | View hotels near Boudhanath Stupa |
Legend of the construction of the stupa according to Newar Buddhist mythology
According to the history of Nepal, the palace of King Bikramaditya (Licchavi King) once stood where the Narayanhity Palace currently stands. King Vikramaditya instructed that a Dhunge Dhara should be built in the southern part of the palace courtyard. But there was no sign of water from the Dhunge Dhara, for which the king consulted Astrologers. Astrologers suggested that a Human sacrifice with a male candidate having Battis-Lakshanas, or thirty-two perfections[4] should be performed. Only the king himself and his two princes were suitable candidates. So, the king decided to sacrifice himself and ordered one of his sons to sacrifice him so that sign of water could be seen at the Dhunge Dhara. According to local mythology, during the time of sacrifice, the head flew off to a place nearby Sankhu Bajrayogini Temple.
The prince than with a regretful heart flew a hen from the top of Bajrayogini and decided to construct a Stupa where the hen landed. The hen landed in the place where Boudhanath Stupa is currently standing. During the same time, the place was struck with a Drought and the people managed to abate the scarcity of water by collecting the droplets of dew. So, the place was named Khāsti as in Nepal Bhasa, "khas" refers to dew and "ti" refers to drops.
Later His Majesty Government of Nepal renamed the place from Khasti to Boudhanath in order to reflect Hinduism as being the Hindu Nation.
- "The village that surrounds the great Kāśyapa stupa is generally known by the name of Bauddha. ...which in Tibetan is called Yambu Chorten Chenpo (Tibetan: ཡམ་བུའི་མཆོད་རྟེན་ཆེན་པོ། Wylie: yam bu'i mchod rten chenpo). Jya Lung Khashor Chorten Chenpo, literally which may be translated as "Chorten of Hens skin-rope breach promise" The stupa has an interesting history of its own which explains this strange name. It is said in this story that Kāśyapa was a Buddha that lived a long time before Śākyamuni Buḍḍha. after Kāśyapa Buddha's demise, a certain old woman-Ma-jha-zi-ma (Tibetan: མ་བྱ་རྫི་མ། Wyle: ma bya rzi ma)who owned hens farm, with her four sons, interred this great sage's remains at the spot over which the great mound now stands, the latter having been built by the woman herself. Before starting on the work of construction, she petitioned the King of the time to grand a land size of a piece of skin and obtained permission to "proceed with" building a tower. the king was surprised how she going to build it on such small size of land, and gave her both land and permission. She then carefully cut the skin and made skin-rope (lung) and circulate the area. Which become the size of present area of Bouddhanath. By the time that, as a result of great sacrifices on the part of the woman and her four sons, the groundwork of the structure had been finished, those who saw it were astonished at the greatness of the scale on which it was undertaken. Especially was this the case with the high officials of the country, who all said that if such a poor old dame were allowed to complete building such a stupendous tower, they themselves would have to dedicate a temple as great as a mountain, and so they decided to ask the King to disallow the further progress of the work. When the King was approached on the matter his Majesty replied: "I have finished giving the order to the woman to proceed with the work. Kings must not eat their words, and I cannot undo my orders now" which is known as (Kha-Shor), thus, the name came as Jya Lung Khashor. So the tower was allowed to be finished, and hence its unique name, "Jya Lung Kha-shor Chorten Chenpo." I rather think, however, that the tower must have been built after the days of Śākyamuni Buddha, for the above description from Tibetan books is different from the records in Sanskrit, which are more reliable than the Tibetan." the biggest stupa in Nepal[6] However, Nepalese historians reject this history since it was heard only after Tibetan refugees established themselves in Nepal.[7]
History
The Gopālarājavaṃśāvalī says Boudhanath was founded by the Nepalese Licchavi king Śivadeva (c. 590–604 CE); though other Nepalese chronicles date it to the reign of King Mānadeva (464–505 CE).[8][9] Tibetan sources claim a mound on the site was excavated in the late 15th or early 16th century and the bones of King Aṃshuvarmā 605–621 were discovered there.[10]
The earliest historical references to the Khaasti Chaitya are found in the Chronicles of the Newars. Firstly, Khaasti is mentioned as one of the four stupas found by the Licchavi king Vrisadeva (ca.AD 400) or Vikramjit. Secondly, the Newars legend of the stupa's origin attributes it to king Dharmadeva's son, Manadeva as atonement for his un writing parricide Manadeva was the great Licchavi king, military conqueror and the patron of the arts who reigned ca.AD 464–505. Manadeva is also linked with the Swayambhu Chaitya of Gum Bahal. Thirdly, another great Licchhavi king Shivadeva (AD 590–604) is associated with Boudha by an inscription; he may have restored the chaitya.
According to the history of Nepal, the palace of King Vikramjit (Licchavi King) once stood where the Naranhiti Palace currently stands. King Vikramjit instructed that a Hiti should be built in the southern part of palace courtyard, but there was no sign of water from the Hiti, for which the king consulted Astrologers. Astrologers suggested that a sacrifice with a male candidate having ‘swee-nita lachhyan'(स्वीनिता लछ्यन), or thirty-two perfections should be performed. Only the king himself and his two princes were suitable candidates. So, the king decided to sacrifice himself and ordered one of his sons to sacrifice him so that sign of water could be seen at the Hiti. The king told his son that a man will be sleeping by covering his face and body, and to sacrifice him without looking at his face. After the son did so, he realised he had killed his own father. With regret and guilty he consulted with priests for way to salvation. The priests suggested him to fly a ‘bwo-khaa'(ब्वःखा) a flying hen from the top of Mhaasu Khwaa Maju(म्हासु ख्वा: माजु). The hen landed in the place where the chaitya is currently standing. An Ajimaa was already located at that place before the chaitya construction started. During the time of its construction, the place was struck with a drought and the people managed to abate the scarcity of water by collecting the droplets of dew. Dew is called ‘Khasu'(खसु) and droplets are called ‘Ti'(ति).
Historians suggest that the traditional knowledge to harvest dew droplets have been lost with time. The places that end with ‘Ti'(ति) have similar history, such as Chalati(चलति), Kusunti(कुसिन्ति), and so on. Khaasti Ajimaa(खास्ति अजिमा) is one of the important Ajima of Kathmandu. The Newa tradition consider Ajima as super power. These female energies protect the nation. The tradition of Kumari relates to a place called ‘Kumari-gaal’ which is south to Khaasti.[11]
However, the emperor Trisong Detsen (r. 755 to 797) of the Tibetan Empire is also traditionally associated with the construction of the Boudhanath Stupa. The Yolmo Shakya Zangpo from Helambu resurrected Boudhanath. Princess of Nepal Bhrikuti married the King of Tibet Songtsen Gampo. His other Chinese wife and Bhrikuti are credited for introduction and spread of Buddhism in Tibet. Along Songtsen Gampo was Trisong Detsen, first Dharma King under him. While Buddhism was spreading in Tibet, and Tibet-Nepal trade relations were being stronger, a widow Tibetan woman travelled from Lhasa to visit Khaasti. She brought her four sons and they were fascinated by witnessing how Newa people constructed chaitya, a meta-symbolic construction with distinct levels of suggestion, sagacity and profoundness. The woman's name was Jyajhima, who took shade for many days in Khaasti. Impressed by the hospitality of Newars, she and her sons went back to Lhasa and told people stories about her experience in Nepal. She is notable as in those times, only traders and specially men were ones traveling Nepal-Tibet and back. She was fascinated by Khaasti, when she heard stories of Bhrikuti spread in Lhasa. Being a widow woman she had to ask permission from the king to visit Khaasti.
Jyajhima, a hen rearer woman is noted down by the local Newars of those times because of her attraction to the pilgrimage. It is said that she spend many days with her four sons in the premises of Khaasti before going back to Lhasa.[12]
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