What is the stupa in a Buddhist temple?

stupa, Buddhist commemorative monument usually housing sacred relics associated with the Buddha or other saintly persons. The hemispherical form of the stupa appears to have derived from pre-Buddhist burial mounds in India.

What is pagoda and stupa?

In general, however, “stupa” is the term used for a Buddhist structure in India or Southeast Asia while “pagoda” refers to a building in East Asia which can be entered and which may be used for secular purposes. However, use of the term varies by region.

What are two types of Buddhist temples?

Overview: Buddhist Architecture

• Monasteries (viharas).
• Places to venerate relics (stupas).
• Shrines or prayer halls (chaityas or chaitya grihas), which later came to be called temples in some places.

What is a Buddhist place of worship called?

Temples are centres for study and worship for the whole community. The most important part of a Buddhist temple is the shrine room, which contains one or more Buddharupas . Any place where an image of the Buddha is used in worship is known as a shrine , and many Buddhists also have shrines at home.

What is Buddhist pagoda?

pagoda, a towerlike, multistory, solid or hollow structure made of stone, brick, or wood, usually associated with a Buddhist temple complex and therefore usually found in East and Southeast Asia, where Buddhism was long the prevailing religion. Stupas evolved into several distinct forms in various parts of Asia.

What is Vihara and Chaitya?

Viharas were for the purpose of living, Chaityas were assemblies for the purpose of discussions. Both early Chaityas and Viharas were made by woods and later stone-cut Chaityas and Viharas were made. Chaitya was a rectangular prayer hall with a stupa placed in the centre, the purpose was prayer.

How many types of pagodas are there?

By the plane shape, there are square, hexagonal, octagonal, twelve-sided and circular pagodas; by the number of storeys, there are single-, three-, five-, seven- and nine-storeyed ones; by the building materials, there are those made of wood, those made of gold, silver, bronze, iron and other metals, those made of …

What is Buddhist temple called?

A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages.

What does Vihara mean in English?

Buddhist monastery
Definition of vihara : a Buddhist monastery or temple.

What is another word for pagoda?

In this page you can discover 13 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for pagoda, like: tower, memorial, temple, alcove, pavilion, dewal, kiack, stupa, obelisk, minaret and asakusa.

What is a Buddhist temple called?

Buddhist temple. A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery, is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in Buddhism represent the pure land or pure environment of a Buddha.

What is a pagoda in Buddhism?

The term pagoda is used to describe both temples and stupas. The word pagoda is derived from dagada , the word used for relic chamber in Sri Lanka. In Buddhism, there are also monasteries. Monasteries are places where both women and men can be ordain as nuns and monks.

What is the difference between a temple and a stupa?

In conclusion, the biggest differences between a temple and a stupa consist in the shape of the building and their purpose. Temples are places where Buddhists can go inside and meditate while stupas are usually closed buildings.

What are the characteristics of traditional Buddhist temples?

Traditional Buddhist temples are designed to inspire inner and outer peace. Its structure and architecture varies from region to region. Usually, the temple consists not only of its buildings, but also the surrounding environment. The Buddhist temples are designed to symbolize 5 elements: Fire, Air, Earth, Water, and Wisdom.