BOROBUDUR AS A YANTRA – DR UDAY DOKRAS

The geometry and symmetry of stupas baffle you. You wonder how the architects and
builders of this gigantic monument even imagined such a structure The whole structure is
built by interlocking the stones – no mortar or nails have been used. At some levels of the
temple when you walk, you can see through the gaps between some of the stones. Loose
stones made me miss a heartbeat. After the stupas at the top 3 levels, the temple had
circumambulation paths at the bottom 6 levels. I took a parikrama or circumambulation at
each of them. As you walk, both sides of the walls around you have sculpted wall panels.
They talk about the life of Buddha and Bodhisattvas. I could identify very few scenes from
Buddha’s life. The relief sculptures are not in very good shape. There are mismatched
panels that must have got misplaced during restoration. After all, Borobudur stayed in
oblivion and was covered with volcano ash for many centuries.

The world knows Borobudur as a center of Mahayana Buddhism. To me, standing before
this, this was a surviving example of highly evolved aesthetics, that merge science and art
in such a way that it appeals to every sense of yours. It has the power to make the stone talk
to you. It is supposed to be a part of three temples all of which were built in a straight line.
The other two temples are Pawon & Mendut. Apart from the fact that it is the largest known
Buddhist temple in the world, Borobudur comes from two words – Boro means big and
Budur refers to Buddha, so it essentially means Big Buddha. Budur is also a word for a
mountain in Javanese – no wonder the monument looks like a huge mountain. Some
scholars think Boro is a distortion of Sanskrit Vihara – a word used for Buddhist
monasteries. I do not recall any monasteries around or any mention in any literature
anywhere.

It is located between two volcanoes and two rivers – making it a part of extremely fertile
land.

Although further minor restoration was conducted through subsequent years of world wars
and national revolution Borobudur continued to suffer from neglect and lack of necessary
funds. Finally in 1973 UNESCO coordinated an international renovation effort and over a
seven year period nearly US$7 million was spent dismantling and rebuilding the entire
monument with stabilized foundations and improved drainage. Following this huge project

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UNESCO listed Borobudur as a World Heritage Site in 1991. -Borobudur temple is the
world's largest Buddhist temple. -And this megalithic wonder is actually a Mandala. -There
are no known records of construction or the intended purpose of Borobudur. -It is decorated
with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues.

Architecture & Cosmic Meaning of Temple Structure

Temple consists of 9 platforms stacked together. The bottom 6 platforms are square while
the top 3 are circular. The Central dome is surrounded by 72 smaller stupas with perforated
domes at the upper 3 levels. The temple represents the three stages of a seeker:
 Kamadhatu or the level of desires refers to worldly existence. Panels at this level
tell Jatakas or the stories of Bodhisattvas. These stories represent the earlier lives
of Buddha.
 Rupadhatu or the world of forms where we start looking inward but through the
forms which are represented by idols or storytelling panels. This is like the
Saguna stage of Hinduism. The panels at this level tell the story of Buddha with
important scenes from his life journey.
 Arupadhatu or the formless divine for the seekers who no longer need visual
aids to look inside. This is parallel to Nirguna’s philosophy like the one followed
by poets like Kabir. At this stage no form is required, so no sculpted panels.

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An aerial view of Borobudur temple

Relatively few people would point to the world’s largest Muslim country, Indonesia, and
the temple of Borobudur on the island of Java which after 1000 years still stands
impressively as the world’s largest Buddhist temple.
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As mentioned it is fundamentally a large square step pyramid built out of an estimated
55,000 cubic-metres of andesite volcanic stone upon a natural hill. At its base each side
measures 118 metres. Whilst the first six levels are square the top three levels switch to a
circular design. The pyramid structure is topped off by a large stupa reaching to a height of
35 metres. What makes Borobudur unique is the 504 Buddha statues across every level of
the complex and the 2,672 beautifully preserved carved stone reliefs which depict scenes
from everyday life as well as scenes from Buddhist mythology. There is a huge amount of
detail in these carvings for a visitor to take in as well as spectacular views from the top
levels of the lush green country of Java’s Kedu Plain with no less than three volcanoes
towering in the distance, Mounts Sumbing, Merbabu and Merapi. The latter is Indonesia’s
most active volcano.

Spectacular views of Mount Merapi from the top of Borobudur temple

We all probably have heard about the term stability of structures. However, very few
understands what exactly it is. There are various points on stability of buildings that one
need to be aware of. Most civil and structural engineers focus on strength of the building.
They spend time in ensuring the load calculations are all correct and the analysis using
ETABS and Staad Pro is all fine and then focus on detailing and produce the drawings and
finish off the building project. Most structural consulting offices do this. Hardly structural
engineers give due thought about stability.
What is stability of Borobudur?

A building needs to be stable first before being strong. Stability aspects needs careful
attention to ensure safety of the building

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OVERTURNING
Overturning is a primary instability in a building. Controlling overturning is of primary
importance. However how can a building over turn? There are many reasons that a building
can overturn.

a) Slender buildings: Think of a situation when the building base width is small and the
building is tall. Under lateral loads like that of wind induced forces, the building will sway
and this will result in uplift on one side of the building. This can happen mostly only in a
slender building. One need to check the support reactions and ensure that there is no uplift
in the base to avoid overturning.
b) Excavating near an existing building: This can also result in instability. If you look at
the history of building failures in India, you can see that most of the failure has been
triggered by careless and non-engineered excavation near an existing building.
c) Another reason is differential settlement of foundations: This generally occur in poor
soils and when the soil exploration is not done. Also, the planning of the building has to be
done, keeping in mind the differential settlement and the load distribution has to be
uniform.
SLIDING
Sliding as the name suggests, mostly results from a lateral load. The lateral load could be
wind, seismic or any water pressure or earth pressure as in a retaining wall. The chances of
a building sliding are lesser as the dead weight of the building will be considerable. Sliding
generally occurs for free standing retaining walls. The solutions for preventing sliding can
be one of the following.
a) Increasing the self-weight by more thickness for stem and toe and heel of the retaining
wall
b) Increasing the length of the toe and heel
c) Having counter weight / earth on the passive side of the wall
PROBABLE VARIATION IN DEAD LOAD
During construction, there are chances of variation in load and this needs to be considered If
not there are chances of overturning.
DIRECTION
Lack of moment connection can result in instability generally
monolithic Fframes suffer from this. However, if you have precast buildings with slotted
connection, this will not have a frame action and the building will be instable under lateral
sway unless braced.

LATERAL SWAY

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Excessive lateral sway creates instability. The building frames do sway under wind and
seismic forces.
Some solutions might work are-
a) Change the orientation of columns
b) Increase the size of the column
c) Increase the number of columns
d) Introduce shear walls or bracing systems
In Borobudur there are no columns hence they used a solid SQUARE base and topped it
with the circularity that was desired in Stupa designs.

Jetavanaramaya (also known as Jetavana) Stupa in Sri Lanka was built by King
Mahasena in 273-301 AD. Situated in the ancient city of Anuradhapura, which was the
capital of Sri Lanka during that era. At the time of its inception, Jetavana was appreciated as
the third tallest structure in the world followed by the Great Pyramids of Giza. Jetavana
currently has a Volume of 233,000 cubic meters, which inarguably makes it the largest
brick structure in the world. In 1985 Jetavana was named a World Heritage Site by
UNESCO.
After its construction, Jetavana stood at 121.9m (400ft). At present, Jetavana stands at
70.7m with a base diameter of 102m. It is a brick stupa, where more than 93,300,000 baked
bricks have been used for its construction (Ranaweera, 2004).

Jetavana is a religious monument built to honour the Eight Great Deeds of Lord Buddha and
to enshrine the possessions of Lord Buddha. Jetavana is said to enshrine a sash or belt tie
which belonged to Lord Buddha.

Construction of a stupa is believed to be a great deed in Buddhism; hence countless number

of Kings in ancient Sri Lanka built stupas to accumulate good Kamma. Furthermore, the
presence of a stupa gives one a feeling of stability, strength, nobility, and grandeur
(Ranaweera, 2004)..

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 Jetavanaramaya Stupa.
Design-etavana is a solid construction, mostly composing of burnt bricks. The design
of the stupa can be broken down into 9 main components. Figure 2 shows the basic
components of a Sri Lankan stupa.

Figure 2. Main components of a Sri Lankan stupa.

Source: Ranaweera & Silva, 2006, fig. 10

The dome is the largest and structurally the most important component of the Jetavana.
There are many different dome shapes used for stupas such as; bell, bubble, paddy, pot &
lotus. In the case of Jetavana, the paddy heap shape was adopted. This dome shape is

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geometrically similar to an ellipsoid.
The basal rings, square chamber, cylinder and spire are all made of different sizes of burnt
bricks, made specifically for each component of the stupa.

Foundation
Like all mega stupas, the location of Jetavana was carefully chosen so that the bed rock was
situated close to the surface. In the case of Jetavana, the foundation extends 8.5m (28ft) to
the bed rock (W. Geiger, 1950).

No accountable source of the foundation constructions of Jetavana exists. However, the

Mahavamsa a chronicle that records the history of Sri Lanka contains a description of,
construction of a foundation of a mega stupa similar to Jetavana, called Ruvanvelisaya.
This account states that initially the proposed land was dug out to the bedrock. Then
crushed rocks were carried in to fill the space and were compacted by elephants, whose legs
were covered with leather. Afterwards, butter clay was used to fill in and level out the
surface of crushed rock. This is followed by a course of bricks placed on top of the clay.
Over this, a layer of lime paste was reinforced by a network of iron. The last layer was
sheets of copper and silver for water proofing (W. Geiger, 1950). The end product was a
reinforced concrete foundation with water proofing. This foundation method might have
been used for the construction of the Jetavana foundation, as Ruvanvelisaya was
constructed 100 years prior to the construction of Jetavana.

Also according to Mahavamsa there was firm quality control on materials used by the
ancient builders. The bricks used in the construction of Jetavana had much better strength
and a larger size relative to modern factory made bricks in Sri Lanka. The mortar analysis
has revealed that the mortar consisted of finely crushed dolomitic lime and sand and clay in
a ratio 1:5. The role of mortar was primarily to fill the gaps in between the bricks.
Therefore, a thin mortar of slurry consistency was used in the construction.
Given that the mortar was of thin consistency, the mortar layer was close to zero. This made
A final layer of plaster was used on the outer surface of the brickwork to provide water-
proofing for the stupa.

Ancient brick work of Jetavana Stupa.

Construction process-The design of a stupa is far more complicated than that of a pyramid.
Thus, builders who worked on Jetavana showed great technological skills and management
skills. The site was well supervised and quality control was a major priority for the builders.
Mahavamsa gives a description of, construction of colossal stupas similar to that of
Jetavana. (W. Geiger, 1950). According to Prof. M.P.Ranaweera, Department of Civil
Engineering, University of Peradeniya, the paddy heap shape of Jetavana was ideal in terms
of the structural perspective. This is due to the gradient of the paddy heap being equal to the
angle of repose. This in turn creates very low tension in the dome due to self-weight
(Ranaweera & Silva, 2006). According to many, ancient builders have discovered this
shape from trial and error.
A Finite Element studies done by Prof. Ranaweera on Jetavana, showed that a maximum
vertically compressive stress of 837kPa exists at the centre of the stupa at foundation level.
This compressive stress is 1/10 of the maximum strength of the brick. In addition, the hoop
and radial stress are compressive with a maximum stress of 208 kPa (Ranaweera, 2004).

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Climbing the Buddhist Universe
The layout of Borobudur is in fact a cosmological map of the Buddhist universe. Seen from
above the shape of the pyramid is that of a traditional mandala whereby a square with four
cardinal entry points gives way to a circular centre point. Moving from outside to inside one
crosses three regions of Buddhist cosmology; Kamadhatu is the realm of desires, that of
ordinary people; Rupadhatu is the realm of forms, where beings have controlled their
earthly desires but are still bounded by physical form; Arupadhatu is the formless realm, of
beings who have achieved sufficient merit to escape not just desires but even form and
location.

Borobudur represents the Buddhist cosmos

As one climbs the temple of Borobudur one enters each of these realms. These first four
levels around the temple represent the Rupadhatu realm, of beings who have controlled
desire. Starting at the east facing entrance the carved stone reliefs depict mainly Jataka
scenes, that is scenes from the Buddha’s life, organised to instruct devotees as they proceed
clockwise around each of the first four levels in turn.

One of the lower Rupadhatu galleries of Borobudur. On the four Rupadhatu levels there are
also 432 Buddha statues located in niches along each side of the temple . On the east facing
terraces these statues are all in the Calling the Earth to Witness posture. Moving round to
the south the statues are in the Alms Giving posture and then to the west they are in
the Concentration & Meditation posture. On the north facing levels they are in the posture
of Courage, fearlessness. Around the fifth uppermost balustrade of the Rupadhatu levels
the Buddha images facing in all directions are in the Reasoning & Virtue posture.
East facing Buddha statues in the Calling the Earth to Witness posture

On reaching the fifth level one moves into the Arupadhatu formless realm of nirvana,
represented by the shift to a circular layout. This realm is perhaps the most famous aspect of
Borobudur due to its iconic perforated stupas. A total of 72 of these stupas are arranged on
three circular terraces around the main central stupa. On the first two Arupadhatu levels the
stupas have rhombic perforations whereas on the third and highest level the openings are

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square. In each of the 72 stupas there is a Buddha statue in the posture of Turning the Wheel
of Dharma.

 Borobudur structure is similar to the other temples in that it contains a foot section
(Bhurloka), a body part (Bhuvarloka), and a summit portion (Swarloka). Many
Some reliefs are read on the body.

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The upper Arupadhatu levels of Borobudur representing nirvana

The central stupa represents the centre of the Buddhist universe. It looks rather truncated
because it is missing its original chattra, a three-tiered stone parasol that would have topped
the stupa. There is known to be an empty room at the centre of the stupa which would be
expected to contain the most highly revered images and relics. It is not known when or how
these were lost.

Archaeologists have discovered traces of coloured pigments and gold leaf on the reliefs and
believe that rather than the drab volcanic stone we see today Borobudur was once covered
in white plaster, painted in vivid colours and covered in gold. It would have been a truly
awe inspiring sight 1000 years ago.

The Hidden Foot

One of the mysteries of Borobudur concerns the lowest level of the temple representing
the Kamadhatu realm of desires. On an initial climb of the temple the first level appears to
start in the second level realm of Rupadhatu with tales of the Buddha’s life. In fact the
lowest Kamadhatu realm is represented by a gallery of carved reliefs which are hidden
under an encasement and are hence known as the “hidden foot”. This Hidden Foot was only
re-discovered during European led restoration activities in 1885. It is not known exactly
why this lower level has been covered up. Some postulate that the encasement had to be
added due to structural problems with the overall structure.

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One of the 160 panels of the “Hidden Foot” depicting everyday life and karmic cause and
effect/// Borobudur’s south-eastern corner where the “Hidden Foot” has been left on show

There are a total of 160 completed panels in the hidden foot depicting scenes from everyday
life and providing didactic instruction on karmic cause and effect. Other panels appear to be
incomplete with inscriptions still visible providing instructions to the sculptors. These
inscriptions have provided valuable evidence in dating the construction of Borobudur.
Today only the southeast corner of the hidden foot is still visible to visitors, the rest of the
foot encasement having been restored.

Bas-relief panels and Buddha Images on the parapets

There are more than 500 Buddha statues, most of them in Padmasana or the lotus position.
Most of them sit on the periphery of lower levels and some of them are in the niches of the
walls. Unfortunately, most of them are headless today. Buddha images can be seen in all 5
mudras associated with Buddha:

 Bhumi-Sparsha Mudra – touching the earth mudra that represents the time
Buddha attained enlightenment.
 Varada Mudra – the giving position – when Buddha is blessing someone or
giving something.
 Abhaya Mudra – the fearless position – when he is protecting you or giving you
assurance.
 Dhyan Mudra – meditation position – when he is meditating.
 Dharam Chakra Parivartan Mudra – when he set the wheel of Dharma in
motion – represents the time he gave his first sermon in Sarnath.
 Vitarka Mudra – when he is presenting an argument – a teacher’s task is to
present a counter view.

Bas-Reliefs on walls & Balustrades

The walls and the inner sides of the balustrades have story panels. The carvings on the stone
give you a glimpse of the time when the temple was built. What is interesting is that most
human figures are in Tribhanga i.e. the body is bent in three parts. You can observe the
dresses, the hairstyles, the headgear, and the animals in use. There are everyday scenes that
depict the life of a common man. There are scenes from the life of Buddha that depict the

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places he lived in, the horse he left, the Bodhi tree under which he meditated, and his
descent from Tushita heaven.

I also saw symbols of prosperity like Puran Ghatak or the overflowing pot. There are 2600+
bas-relief sculptures in the whole of the temple complex. These panels were probably
painted in bright colors, as was the case with ancient caves like Ellora in India.

MODES OF NARRATION IN BUDDHIST ART IN STONE- Anuradha Goyal

Stone sculptures began in India about 2200 years ago with the depiction of Buddhist art
stories that we know as Jataka Tales. Before this, the art must have existed but on
perishable material like wood that has not survived the times.

Buddha at Sanchi Stupa. Image

Earliest stone sculptures are attributed to the sites of Barhut near Jabalpur in MP and
Sannati-Kanganahalli near Gulbarga in Karnataka, quickly followed by many sites spread
all across the Indian subcontinent.

Buddhist Art Narration

In this post, I will talk about 7 different modes adopted by the artists of that era to depict
Buddhist art stories in stone. These stories primarily came from the Jatakas – which are
stories of Bodhisattvas. About 550 such stories exist but most artists chose to depict a few
stories repeatedly. Stories or scenes from the life of Buddha are the second most common
depictions we find in stone. Followed by some stories of post–Buddha times that primarily
include visits to Buddha sites by prominent kings who also contributed to

Followed by some stories of post–Buddha times that primarily include visits to Buddha sites
by prominent kings who also contributed to the erection of these sites. All art is typically
around a Stupa – which is a hemispherical mound that holds Buddha’s relics casket at the
base of it. It has a circumambulation path or Pradakshina path around it. Marked by a stone
railing that usually has a crossbar pattern. Sometimes with carved stones and sometimes
plain. Without getting into the architecture of Stupa, let me get into the story-telling styles
in early Buddhist Art.

Read about the Jatakas. And some of the Jatakas mentioned in this post: Vessantara

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Jataka, Dipankara Jataka, Mahakapi Jataka, Nanda Jataka & Simhala Jataka.

Monoscenic Narrative – Theme in Action

Monoscenic narrative of Buddhist Art

This is the simplest mode of telling the story. Artist picked up the highlight of the story or
one episode and carved it in stone. Usually, they did not take the beginning or the end of the
story. But the high action point of the story. Art historians conclude that artists assumed the
viewers’ familiarity with the story. Hence only the high point was highlighted to remind
them of the story. For example, at Barhut the Artist depicts the Vessantara Jataka through
the depiction of only one scene. Where Vessantara donates his prosperity by giving a white
elephant to a Brahman to highlight the virtue of charity.

Monoscenic Narrative – Being in State

In this mode instead of depicting action, the outcome of the story is depicted. I interpret this
as depicting the moral of the story. Again, assuming that the viewer knows the story well.

This mode of narration has been used to depict the states of Buddha after say he achieved
enlightenment or just before his Mahaparinirvana. He is the supreme figure in the narrative.
Take this example from a Barhut pillar where the descent of Buddha from heaven at
Sankissa is depicted through the footprints on a ladder.

Sequential or Liner Narrative

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The sequential or Linear narrative of Buddhist art
Sequential episodes of the story are depicted in a linear or sequential fashion, with the
protagonist repeating in every scene. Scenes are clearly demarcated from each other.

An example of this is the story of Nanda Jataka depicted at Nagarjunkonda with scenes
clearly demarcated with pairs of pillars with amorous couples. Historians are still figuring
out the relevance of these punctuation marks in the narrative. This is the mode that is easiest
to understand and almost intuitive to our modern sensibilities.

Continuous Narrative in Buddhist Art

Con
tinuous narrative of Buddhist art
Multiple scenes of a story with the protagonist repeated are shown within a single frame. A
scene of the Great departure of Buddha on a crossbar of arches in Sanchi uses this mode.
The horse with a parasol depicts the departure of Siddharth from his palace. Then, the
empty horse returning back shows the staying back of Buddha.

Here the scenes are carved in continuity and have no clear demarcation. It’s the repetitive

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depiction of the horse that shows the movement of the narrative.

Synoptic Narrative

Synoptic narrative of Buddhist art

Multiple scenes of a story are shown within a single frame. But without indicating any
chronological order of the story. The protagonist tends to repeat in all the scenes. Lots of
stories are depicted within a limited space of a roundel or a rectangular tablet either as part
of a pillar or larger panels have these stories.

Take the case of Mahakapi Jataka from a pillar panel at Sanchi Stupa. The sequences in the
story can be very confusing unless you know the story very well and can relate to the
scenes. Art historians have tried to put numbers on the sketches of some of these narratives
to explain but that does not tell us why did the artists choose this mode. It is a given they
assumed familiarity with the story, but why disregard the chronology or flow of the story?

Conflated Narrative

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 Con
flated narrative of Buddhist art
This is Similar to the synoptic narrative. But with a single conflated depiction of the
protagonist while the story gets revealed around this large figure. In other words, in this
mode, the protagonist does not repeat, but the story is depicted around him.

An example of the Dipankar Jataka from a Gandhara panel is a good example of this with a
towering figure of Buddha around which the story of Sumedha moves.

Narrative Networks in Buddhist Art

A narrative network of Buddhist art

The story is depicted as a network of scenes. With scenes scattered across the available
space that follow no chronological order, leaving a lot to the interpretation of the viewer.
However as Prof Dehejia explained in her lecture – the artist was following a spatial
narrative than a chronological narrative. That means that scenes that were happening in a
given space were depicted in one place.

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The scenes that were happening at another place were clustered together. So you have to
follow the story and move across spaces. Most paintings in Ajanta follow this complex
narrative network mode. For example, Simhala Jataka is depicted in cave 17 at Ajanta in 29
scenes on a 45 feet wall that is 13 feet high from floor to ceiling. Imagine the complexity
and add to this the fact that it is pitch dark inside those caves to paint.

Remember visual narratives in stone are following the oral tradition. They pre-date the
written text making them an important milestone in the journey of storytelling.

This post on Buddhist art is based on the short course ‘Visual Narratives in early Buddhist
Art’ conducted by Prof Vidya Dehejia. I took her permission to write this post based on her
work. 6 of the 7 pictures have been taken from the material provided by Goa University. I
am using them only to illustrate the various modes of Buddhist Art, for the reader to
understand them clearly.

Viewed from the top, the complex looks like one single stupa. The geometric design can be
interpreted as resembling a Buddhist mandala or Hindu Shri Yantra. It can also be looked
like a stepped pyramid. Incidentally, the structure follows a uniform ratio of 4:6:9
throughout the rising pyramid. It was also found that the basic unit of measurement is Tala
– that is roughly the length of the human face or the length of the extent of an extended
hand. In Hindi / Punjabi, this is called Gith. Even though it varies for every person, it can be
quite a uniform measure.

Was there a Lake?

There is a conjecture that Borobudur once stood in the middle of a lake, It appeared to float

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in the lake. However, the current research concludes that there was probably a lake close by
when it was built and in its initial days of existence, but probably temple never floated in a
lake. Apparently, the real foot of the temple is hidden below the stone encasement. Some
say it is because the Vaastu is bad, while others say it is to provide extra support to the
structure. The stone for the monument came from neighboring stone quarries. The bas-
reliefs were sculpted in situ. Artistically designed corner Makar or crocodile-shaped
openings are a part of the integrated drainage system that does not let any water stay on the
monument.

History of Borobudur

Borobudur temple was built around 800 CE making it over 1200 years old. The Sailendra
dynasty was ruling Java under the Srivijaya empire when it was built. Not much is known
about its construction or the purpose for which it was built. It is estimated that it took 75
years or so to build it. It was probably abandoned around the 14 th CE when the Hindu
kingdom gave way to Islam. Some sources say it was abandoned much earlier. Both the
reason & the time of its abandonment are uncertain. However, all we know is that it stayed
under layers of volcanic ash and jungle growth. The impact can be seen in its bas-reliefs on
walls and balustrades.

Re-discovery of Borobudur

Th
ese panels were colored once upon a time…

Much like our own Ajanta caves, it was rediscovered in 1814 CE by an Englishman –
Thomas Stamford Raffles. Raffles was then the British ruler of Java. It took about 20 years

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to completely unearth the monument. Since the discovery, efforts were made to restore it.
Major efforts were done in the late 20 th CE just before it was declared a UNESCO world
heritage site. After restoration, it has again become a popular pilgrimage for the followers
of Mahayana Buddhism. Incidentally, the name is also credited to Raffles even though there
is evidence of the name being used in some ancient court records of the Majapahit era
during the 14th CE.Re-discovery of the heritage site, while bringing back the wonder to us,
it also invited people who pilfered the precious artifacts. Most of the Buddha’s heads were
severed from Buddha idols and sold. I wonder if it was because Buddha’s heads are
considered precious spiritually or financially. If there was an image of Buddha inside the
central Stupa – no one knows. Similarly, the Chhatra, or the parasol on top was dismantled
and is kept in a museum now. No one knows what the original Chhatra looked like.

Temple
complex

Borobudur as a Complete Exposition of Doctrine

The construction of stupas were considered acts of great merit. The purpose of stupas were
mainly to enshrine relics of Buddha. The design specifications are consistent within most of
the stupas, entrances to stupas are laid out so that their centre lines point to the relic
chambers. It is therefore no surprise that the Shailendra Dynesty not only gave asent to
Temple but also Stupa construction.
The stupas were covered with a coating of lime plaster, plaster combinations changed with
the requirements of the design, items used included lime, clay, sand, pebbles, crushed
seashells, sugar syrup, white of egg, coconut water, plant resin, drying oil, glues and saliva
of white ants. The fine plaster at Kiri Vehera used small pebbles, crushed seashells mixed
with lime and sand were used in the stupas from the fifth to twelfth centuries.
Borobudur is one of the most impressive monuments ever created by humans. It is both a
temple and a complete exposition of doctrine, designed as a whole, and completed as it was
designed, with only one major afterthought. It seems to have provided a pattern for Hindu
temple mountains at Angkor (see above Cambodia and Vietnam), and in its own day it must
have been one of the wonders of the Asian world. Built about 800, it probably fell into

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neglect by c. 1000 and was overgrown. It was excavated and restored by the Dutch between
1907 and 1911. It now appears as a large square plinth (the processional path) upon which
stand five terraces gradually diminishing in size. The plans of the squares are stepped out
twice to a central projection. Above the fifth terrace stands a series of three diminishing
circular terraces carrying small stupas, crowned at the centre of the summit by a large
circular bell-shaped stupa. Running up the centre of each face is a long staircase; all four are
given equal importance. There are no internal cell shrines, and the terraces are solid.
Borobudur is thus a Buddhist stupa in the Indian sense. Each of the square terraces is
enclosed in a high wall with pavilions and niches along the whole perimeter, which prevents
the visitor on one level from seeing into any of the other levels. All of these terraces are
lined with relief sculptures, and the niches contain Buddha figures. The top three circular
terraces are open and unwalled, and the 72 lesser bell-shaped stupas they support are of
open stone latticework; inside each was a huge stone Buddha figure. The convex contour of
the whole monument is steepest near the ground, flattening as it reaches the summit. The
bottom plinth, the processional path, was the major afterthought. It consists of a massive
heap of stone pressed up against the original bottom story of the designed structure so that it
obscures an entire series of reliefs—a few of which have been uncovered in modern times.
It was probably added to hold together the bottom story, which began to spread under the
pressure of the immense weight of earth and stone accumulated above.

Add to new book on Borobudur

The ultimate effect is that of a profusion, of similar forms emanating out of the structure. It
is a way to express the builder’s notion of the divine as self-manifesting. Similar concepts
exist in Buddhist art and architecture. The temple at Borobudur, Indonesia, is a magnificent
example of similar forms arranged in a harmonic whole, interpreted differently from a
classical Hindu temple.

Borobudur Buddhist Temple Designed As Sri Chakra Meru

If seen from the air and from the small reproduction of it in the museum and it was made in
the form of a Hindu Meru which is a vertical representation of the Sri Yantra. Apparently
this was the sh…

21
 The Borobudur Temple: An architectural and
cultural wonder built by hindu king of
shailendra dynasty which symbolizes the sacred
mount meru and looks like it's design inspired
from sacred shri yantra

Meru chanda from Aparajitprachha / The

temple at Borobudur and influence of Indian
architecture in Indonesia.
Aparajitaprchha of Bhuvandeva describes six
chandas (Perspective views) in science of
architecture. Sahitya, Sangeeta and Vaastu
all carry six primary chandas.
These chandas in Music carry sound
vibrations that can control objects and can
help levitate and place them at certain
positions. The science was demonstrated by
Tibetian lamas (Though with smaller
objects). I believe that Music has a key for
these formations. Music can levitate objects
and can be used for building difficult things.
These Pics belongs to Borobudur temple. See
the meru formation which resembles a shree
yantra.

22
if consciousness is light then the opposite of consciousness is un-consciousness and the
opposite of light is darkness BUT since the ‘I AM’ is infinitely aware of its consciouness
the state of un-consciousness is also a state of consciousness and so the darkness is also
within the light…..

….darkness by itself has no existential conception the same as the hole in the sock has no
existence without the sock….darkness needs the light first in order to exist as much as un-
consciousness needs consciousness first to exist…..the nothing needs the everything first for
its existence….

….in order for the soul go gain enlightenment, it has to gain understanding and that
understanding is only accessible to the individual soul, when the soul has experienced
enough and is now desiring to understand its own reality, it wants to understand of why it
experiences the universe and the world in the way it does…..

….once that desire becomes an all absorbing longing, crowding out anything and all, the
rapid ascent toward the light begins….the individual soul begins to realise that life flows
from inner contemplation, it begins to see the pattern that nothing in its life can be
experienced that was not first internally contemplated and accepted….once the soul has
grasped this truth, the inner eye (third eye) is opened and the world for the first time is seen
as it really is…..

….with the opening of the inner eye, the soul begins to understand its connection to all and
everything because it now knows that nothing exists without a conscious contemplation, our
mind is trying to keep us away from that understanding because it is beyond the rational and
anything that it cannot discern rationally, it simply rejects…..the bravest of the brave soul
press on and don’t let themselves be pulled back into the world of judgement and at a time
that is unknown, the heavens open and the soul gets a true understanding of its own oneness
with the I AM….

The whole building symbolizes a Buddhist transition from the lowest manifestations of

23
reality at the base, through a series of regions representing psychological states, toward the
ultimate condition of spiritual enlightenment at the summit. A yantra or Mechanism in 3D.

The unity of the monument effectively proclaims the unity of the cosmos permeated by the
light of truth. The visitor was meant to be transformed while climbing through the levels of
Borobudur, encountering illustrations of progressively more profound doctrines nearer to
the summit. The topmost terrace, whose main stupa contained an unfinished image of
Buddha that was hidden from the spectator’s view, symbolized the indefinable ultimate
spiritual state. The 72 openwork stupas on the circular terraces, with their barely visible
internal Buddhas, symbolize incomplete states of enlightenment on the borders
of manifestation. The usual way for a pilgrim to pay reverence to a Buddhist stupa is to
walk around it, keeping it on his right hand. The vast series of reliefs about three feet (one
metre) high on the exterior walls of the terraces would thus be read by the visitor in series
from right to left. Between the reliefs are decorative scroll panels, and a hundred monster-
head waterspouts carry off the tropical rainwater. The gates on the stairways between
terraces are of the standard Indonesian type, with the face of the Kala monster at the apex
spouting his scrolls.

24
The reliefs of the lowest level illustrate scenes that show the causal workings of good and
bad deeds through successive reincarnations. They show, for example, how those who hunt,
kill, and cook living creatures, such as tortoises and fish, are themselves cooked in hells or
die as children in their next life. They show how foolish people waste their time at
entertainments. From these scenes of everyday life, one moves to the terraces above, where
the subject matter becomes more profound and metaphysical. It illustrates
important Mahayana texts dealing with the self-discovery and education of the bodhisattva,
conceived as being possessed by compassion for and devoted wholly to the salvation of all
creatures. The reliefs on the uppermost terraces gradually become more static. The sensuous
roundness of the forms of the figures is not abated, but, in the design, great emphasis is laid
upon horizontals and verticals and upon static, formal enclosures of repeated figures and
gestures. At the summit all movement disappears, and the design is entirely subordinated to
the circle enclosing the stupa.

The iconography of Borobudur suggests that the legend of the royal bodhisattva recounted
in many of the reliefs was meant to “authenticate” some king or dynasty. Yet, it hardly
seems possible that Borobudur was the focus of a specific royal cult, as there is no provision
at all for the performance of royal ritual. It must have been, then, in some sense a
monument for the whole people, the focus for their religion and life, and a perpetual
reminder of the doctrines of their religion.

A considerable number of bronzes, some small, some large, have been found in Indonesia in
a style close to that of the sculptures of Borobudur and Mendut. One fine, large standing
image comes from Kotabangun in Borneo, but some come from Java. Many small cult
images of the Buddha and Buddhist deities exist. Some are close in type to the
early Pala images of Indian Bihar, the homeland of Buddhism, with which the Javanese
must have maintained close touch. A few small but extremely fine gold figurines of
undoubted Javanese workmanship have also turned up. For all their small size they must

25
 rate as first-class works of art. As well as images, there are many beautiful bronze
ceremonial objects, such as lamps, trays, and bells. Borobudur – Temple or Stupa ?

It was debated if Borobudur is a Stupa or a Temple. The conclusion was that it is a temple
– a place of worship or rather a place of pilgrimage.During the time it was lost to the world,
the stories and legends associated with it continued to live. People believed it to be a
harbinger of bad luck. There are many theories about how these stories came up. In Asia,
any abandoned monument gets associated with bad luck – otherwise, why would such
magnificent structures be abandoned? In a strange coincidence, it remained intact when a
major earthquake hit Java.

Bheema relief on the wall of a home at Kotagede in Yogyakarta/// Headless Buddha statues

As per Vedic texts the "Sri Yantra" is one of the most powerful and auspicious amongst all
different Yantra as it represents energies of all Gods and Goddesses and basically is a
representation of your entire Life which is a Play of Goddess Lalita.
When it comes to Vastu, you always hear about mystic instruments such as Yantra and
Pyramids that are used to correct the faults in design. Traditionally Yantra find seat in
temples near the deity idols or are placed in altars or near entrances of homes. In South
India, Yantra are drawn with Rangoli designs at entrances of homes during religious
festivals. The famous Tirupathi temple is in the shape of a Shree Yantra and many attribute
its power and fame to this geometry. But what does Yantra mean? How do they work? Are
they really beneficial? Let’s get into the bottom and find out the core meaning.

A Yantra also referred as Mandala is a sacred figure or symbol characterized by simple

geometric forms arranged in a symmetric design. These are mystical religion based
diagrams which have an ultimate reality and are of strong astronomical esthetics. It carries
the signification of a mantra or process. It can be etched on a plain surface or made in a
three dimensional form or used as an amulet or charm. Adi Sankaracharya's Saundarya
Lahiri is an authoritative work on Yantra. The literal meaning of Yantra is: "to control,
curb, bind or influence".They can also be considered as diagrammatic representations of
different Mantras and thus helps resonate positive energies disperse negative energies and
help individual elevate spiritually.

26
As per ancient Vedic texts there are different kinds of Yantra meant for different purposes.
Yantra geometries are three dimensional in nature but are represented as two dimensional
when etched or drawn. Different types of Yantra include Planetary Yantra, Numerological
Yantra, Yantra for different Gods and Goddesses and others. Yantra represent a Physical
force or a creative energy. Yantra in Sanskrit means the chant that awakens energy when
you place it anywhere in the environment around you. This energy is said to cleanse the
environment and electrify the atmosphere with positivity.
.

Subtle Energy: If you see any divine object such as OM, Swastika or Trident (Hinduism),
Cross (Christianity), Moon and Crescent (Islam), they have a distinct shape and this emits a
specific frequency and cosmic energy pattern. One can draw a yantra on paper, wood,
gemstone, metal, or earth, or can give it a three-dimensional shape. It would attract cosmic
energies for Yantra science is based on the sacred Vedic geometries representing scriptural
mantras.

Powers of Mantras: A Yantra is composed of geometrical shapes generating a subtle range

of cosmic force matching the invoked energy. When you chant a Vedic mantra, the layers of
energy in the microcosm vibrate on the same wavelength with the corresponding energy
current in the macrocosm. Thus the energy of the Yantra and Mantra comes from the
creation as a whole (Macrocosm).

WHAT IS YANTRA
A Yantra is a divine figurine which is also commonly referred to as the‘Mandala’ in
Sanskrit. It is a visual representation of the specific mantra and is a sacred instrument which
comprises of symbols and geometric forms which are aligned in a design that is symmetric
in nature. The driving force of a Yantra is the divine mantra through which it is born. Most
of the Yantras are ruled by a specific deity, planets or are ruled by the mystical energies that
are designed for a specific purpose. A Yantra in lay man’s language can be described as a
Holy object which holds the supreme energies of the Gods, which when energised and
prayed upon daily can help to achieve all the heart’s desire.

The literal meaning of the word ‘Yantra’ means "to control, curb, bind or influence".
Yantras are powerful representations of the cosmic energies and the associated mantras in
diagrammatic forms. Praying over a Yantras by chanting the respective mantra can resonate
positive energies and destroy negative energies and can help an individual to elevate
spiritually.

Yantras work on the divine vibrations of the mantras and helps to connect to the energies of
the divine through this process. Yantras can also be described as diagrams which are based
on religion and which are symbolic of ‘ultimate reality’. They canalso be defined as an
object holding divine astronomical powers and aesthetics.

Sage AdiSankaracharya is one of prominent names that is remembered as he is one of the

scholars whose literary work titled ‘SaundaryaLahiri’ is a masterpiece that talks about
yantras.
Yantras are made of which objects
Yantras can be etched on wood, metal or printed on cloth or can be made in three

27
dimensional forms or can be made in the form of an amulet or charm that one can wear or
keep with oneself on an everyday basis. One of the most astonishing facts about the Yantras
which are carved on different metal sheets hold special significance as each metal sheet has
a different mantra for the Yantras carved or etched on it.
What is the Properties of Yantra
There are various types of Yantras and each Yantra has a deity, a celestial body or a specific
energy associated to it. A Yantra is a divine symbolic visual representation of the mantra
which is a source of Supreme energy. A Yantra works on the vibrations created by the
resonance of the mantras chanted and magnifies the force of energy to manifest it into
reality. It can be referred to as the magnetic field that when energised helps one attain union
with the divine.

The divine cosmic rays that are emitted by the cosmic bodies are attracted by the yantras.
The Yantra then work in union with the divine energies and nullify the negative energies the
surroundings hold and transform them into positive energies. Once the energies become
positive, it spreads them in the atmosphere where it is installed.

The properties of the Yantra combines with the supreme energies of the divine and
amplifies the thought process through mantra signification.
ANALOGY OF A YANTRA
When you look at a Yantra, you will notice the certain symbols making up the entire
Yantra. These symbols include bindu (dot), trikona (triangle), chakra (circle), shatkona (six-
pointed star) (bhupura (square) and Padma (divine lotus)

All the Yantras are made up of signs are symbols which hold a deep meaning. The symbols
that one would witness while taking a closer look at the Yantras are as follows

This symbol is known as a ‘Bindu’ meaning ‘Dot’. In the world of Yantras, the dot
is known as ‘Guru GyanBindu’ It indicates the energy and its extreme concentration at the
centre. It is also called the centre of cosmic radiation. Bounded by different surfaces such as
a triangle, a hexagon, a circle, the bindu represents the union with the force or creative
energy ruling the yantra.

This symbol is known as ‘Trikona’ meaning ‘Triangle’. In the world of Yantras,

the Trikonas are referred to as the ‘Guru GyanTrikona’ It is the emblem of Shakti, the
absolute female energy of the Divine. It completes the creation or manifestation of both,
material as well as spiritual worlds. The triangle pointing down characterizes the Yoni
which is the source of all creations. Pointing upwards signifies forceful spiritual desire, the
transferal of one’s nature into the subtler sphere and the Fire Element because Agni always
burns upwards. A triangle pointing downwards represents the Water Element for water
flows down. Fire Element represents Shiva and Water Element represents Shakti

This symbol is known as ‘Shatkona’ meaning ‘Hexagram’ in Greek and

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‘Sexagram’ in Latin. This symbol displays two triangles which are interlocked and inverted
forming a star sign(six-pointed star). In the world of Yantras, the Shatkonas are referred to
as the ‘Guru GyanShatkona’ It is an archetypal amalgamation of two triangles structured
in all the Yantra. It characteristically signifies the divine unification of Shiva (Male energy)
and Shakti (Female energy) which is the cause of all creation.

This symbol is known as ‘Chakra’ meaning ‘Circle’. In the world of Yantras, the
Chakra symbol is referred to as the ‘Guru GyanChakra’ It stands for rotation which is
central to the functioning of the macrocosmic progression. At the same time, the circle
signifies perfection and the peaceful creative void of the Vishudha chakra. In the series of
the five fundamental elements it represents the Air Element.

This symbol is known as ‘Bhupura’ meaning ‘Square’. In the world of Yantras, the
Bhupura symbol is referred to as the ‘Guru GyanBhupura’ it represents the Earth Element
that resides in the physical self. Yantra start with the dot and end with the square. It implies
the way the cosmos evolves. It begins with the subtle energies at the centre, with granular at
ether and then culminating in earth.

This symbol is known as ‘Padma’ meaning ‘Divine Lotus’. In the world of

Yantras, the Padma symbol isreferred to as the ‘Guru GyanPadma’ All the Vedic
scriptures as well as the scriptures of other faiths consider lotus to be the divine emblem of
purity that resides in the chakras. A lotus in Yantra represents the unconditional force of the
Supreme Absolute Truth. The lotus serves as a divine seat for devas (gods). It also
represents detachment. It grows in the mud but never touches even a tinge of mud,
representing detachment to the external forces (material world) and maintaining the original
nature which is pure and divine.

YANTRA: AN OBJECT OF MEDITATION

Yantra is one of the most powerful objects one can use to channelize focus on. It is a Holy
instrument which holds divine and supreme energies of the deities. Yantra is a medium that
helps one attain union with the God through the process of meditation and channelizing

29
 your focus on the geometrical symbols present on the Yantra. Once you start focusing all
your attention on the centre of the Yantra it amplifies the pure, supreme energy of the divine
deity and through the power of resonance (mantra chanting) it connects you to the energy
present in the macrocosm and manifests your heart’s desires.

How do Yantra Work?

A Yantra as stated above is the symbolic representation of the mantra. Yantras work on the
resonance of the powerful mantras. Once you start reciting a mantra by concentrating on the
centre of the Yantra with complete devotion it connects you with the divine energies and
helps to manifest your thoughts.Yantrasenchances the concentration power and thus help in
increasing the intensity of the prayers which in turn makes the urge to fulfil our wants more
strong and influential.

The powers of a Yantra thrive on the reverberation of cosmic energies. Yantra is a mystical
object. Every Yantra has a ruling deity and the energies of this deity are stored in the Yantra
through the powerful mantra. So when one focuses on the Yantra with closed eyes and
chants the mantra with complete devotion and purity, the thoughts and wishes which the
devotee wants are amplified and the Yantra paves way by connecting the divine vibrations
to the worldly desires one prays for and then this thought is manifested.

Yantra work in following ways

 In order to achieve your dreams you can install a Yantra and meditate on the yantra to
achieve resonance with the divine energy ruling the yantra
 In order to gain success and progress in career you can install it on your office desk. This
creates a magnitude of force and helps to turn your desires into reality
 You can install a yantra in the puja altar or hang it on a wall near the entrance of your
house or office. This helps in inviting positivity and destroying negative energies. It also
helps to manifest what you pray for
 You can install the Yantra in your vehicle to be safe from accidents
 You can also wear the Yantras which are available in the form of jewellery such as a
pendant, ring, bracelet or an amulet.
 You can also keep the Yantra in your purse or wallet. This creates a shield of protection
around you and keeps all negativity at bay
 Make sure you are not placing the yantra in a leather purse or wallet
 Yantra are the ultimate answer for establishing a vibration of large amplitude or
resonance with the benefic energies of the cosmos. Thus the vibrations generated get us
in contact with highly elevated energies & entities which help us attain spiritual course of
conduct in our daily lives & enhance the spirituality within.

TYPES OF YANTRA

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 There are four basic variations:
 Yantra of deities- Yantra of Ganesh, Shiva, Hanuman, Durga, Laxmi and the like. The
most significant being the Shakta Yantra (these are usually forms of the Great Mother or
the Mahavidyas- 'Sources of supreme knowledge').
 Yantra with Astrological significance (these are used to harness the energies of the nine
planets)- Navagraha Yantra, Kalsurpa Yantra, Nakshatra Yantra and the like.
 Architectural Yantra (these are used for the ground plans of lands)- Vastu Yantra,
Bhumi Yantra and the like.
 Numerical Yantra (comprising select combinations of numbers which serve as
talismans)- Kuber yantra, Rog Nivaran yantra, Beesa Yantra and the like.
 Purposeful Yantra: Those meant for a certain purpose like Lagna yog (for early
marriage), Santan gopal (for begetting a child), Vashikaran (for attraction).

Yantra for success in personal and professional life:

Yantra, besides fulfilling their fundamental purpose, helps prosper in career along with
good health, wealth, happiness and success. These are etched in metals like Silver, Gold,
Copper and Bhojpatra which are cheaper than gemstones and can be as effective as gems.
They are the doorway to the cosmic universe. Maha Meru, or Sri Meru Chakra is the
supreme of all Yantra. The transcendent geometry of the Sri Chakra is the genomic code of
the Cosmic Space that redirects its positive vibrations to the place it is installed.

THE EFFECT OF YANTRA

One must always pay attention to the importance of placing correctly energized Yantra in

31
 the appropriate direction. They are best placed in the North East part of the dwelling as it is
confluence of positive energies coming from the geometric lines from North and the rising
sun in the East. However if North East part is not convenient, then it is best to place them
closer to you on your desk or on wall or near entrance door. Some Yantra offer results
instantly if the karmic potential is ripe. Some offer results gradually over a long period of
time. Yantra for wealth and affluence require patience. For instance, Kuber Yantra works
better after the first year. Yantra are also exceedingly helpful for health and averting
accidents and mishaps.

SOME OF THE POPULAR YANTRA AND THEIR USES

 Shree Yantra for name, fame, wordly pleasures, prosperity and salvation
 Mahalakshmi Yantra for money, food grains, for perfection, attainment of high goals
 Kuber Yantra for riches and preserving acquired money
 Ganesh Laxmi Business Yantra / Vyapaar Vridhi Yantra for progress in business and
improvements in slow or quiet business
 Ganesh Yantra to begin pious and fortune giving deeds, attaining prosperity and
accomplishment of goals
 Mahamrityunjaya Yantra for improving health, preventing disease and protection from
untimely death
 Surya Yantra for worshipping the Sun, attaining glory, inner radiance and worldly
pursuits
 Nav Graha Yantra for pacifying the nine planets, attaining peace and pleasure
 Hanuman Yantra to empower learning, increase wisdom and devotion to God
 Durga Yantra for worshipping Goddess Durga to remove pain and suffering
 Bagalamukhi Yantra to destroy enemies, success in law-suits and achievement in sports
competitions
 Mahakali Yantra for worshipping Shakti, Goddess Mahakali to attain desired goals
 Batuk Bhairav Yantra to save from untimely death
 Durga Bisa Yantra to save from the evil eye, banish hindrance from evil spirits and
achieve both progress and success in all realms
 Saraswati Yantra for improvements in learning, wisdom, grace and talents in the
education & arts
 Gayatri Yantra for purifying the mind and ensuring good progress in life
 Vashikaran Yantra to attract the person you desire and bring him or her under your
influence
 Santan Gopal Yantra to beget a child
 Mahasudarshan Yantra to get the grace of Lord Vishnu
 Ram Raksha Yantra for worshipping Lord Ram and succeeding in aspirations
 Kaal Sarp Yantra to negate the effect of Kaal Sarp Yoga and removing evil effects of
the nine planets
 Bhuvaneshwari Yantra for gaining mesmerizing personality that draws all people
towards him
 Dhumavati Yantra for all round success and spiritual upliftment
 Kamla Devi Yantra for elevation of the soul through both spiritual and worldly goals
 Mangal Yantra to negate the malefic effects of planet Mars and for luck in business &
health
 Matangi Yantra for the attainment of great powers, power of speech and happiness in
family life
 Rahu Yantra to negate the malefic effects of planet Rahu
 Shani Yantra to propitiate an afflicted Shani and achieve Rajayog

32
 Shiva Yantra to free the fear of death, grave dangers, fatal diseases and make
courageous and healthy
 Tara Yantra for wealth and prosperity in life
 Guru Yantra for strengthening a weak Jupiter and get blessings in prosperity, power,
rank, authority, abundance
 Shukra Yantra to negate the malefic effects of planet Venus and gain respect, love of
opposite sex and peace of mind
 Ketu Yantra to negate the malefic effects of planet Ketu and gain all round success
 Chandra Yantra to negate the malefic effects of planet Moon and gain respect,
friendship and create contacts with opposite sex in harmonious way
 Buddh Yantra to appease the planet Mercury or Buddh
 Manokamna Yantra changes one's luck for the better, brings about desirable outcomes
and makes manifest one's deepest desires
 Sarva Siddhi Yantra most powerful yantra set comprising of the qualities of nine
exclusive Yantra: Ganesh, Mahalaxmi, Saraswati, Durga Bisa, Shree Yantra, Durga,
Mahamrityunjay, Batuk Bhairv
 Vahan Durghatna Yantra for protection from accidents, injury, or other mishaps,
especially those related to vehicles
 Rog Nivaran Yantra to free the wearer from any fatal diseases and make him
courageous and healthy
 Kamakshi Yantra prosperity, knowledge, fame and good progeny expeditiously in
abundance
 Katyayani Yantra for success in love with auspiciousness and fruitful marriage
 Lakshminarayan Yantra invokes the blessings of Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi
for complete happiness and success
 Swastik Yantra to prevent home from evil eyes
 Vaastu Yantra to remove Griha Dosha, Dik Dosha and negative energies
Benefits of different types of energized Yantra
 Helps you to get rid of insufficiency,
 Helps to win over competitors,
 Nullifies resentments
 Wards off malefic of planets
 Yantras help in attractingpositive energies, prosperity, abundance and most of all, good
luck in all walks of life
 Offers a range of benefits and fills your house with radiant and beneficent energies
 Fulfils wishes through power of manifestation
 Helps to attract prosperity and helps to safeguard the existing wealth
 Helps to repel the negative energies like intentions of malice, psychic spells or plain
jealousy
 Maintains peace and harmony among family members and colleagues

SIGNIFICANCE OF YANTRAS
Yantras are ancient holy tools which forms a bridge between the worshipper and divinity. It
is an object which can be used to elevate oneself spiritually, to enhance the power of
concentration. A Yantra helps to manifest desires through enhanced meditation and mantra
chanting.

The geometric figures and symbols of which the yantra is made up of are visual
representations of the respective mantra.Yantras are often mistakenly thought to be symbols
purely of the manifold aspects of the Mother Goddess. This is an understandable error as

33
 most Yantras are indeed connected to the Goddess, the most famous being the Sri Yantra,
an abstract representation of the Mother (and Father too!) as Cosmos.

The Sri Yantra is also commonly misunderstood to represent Lakshmi, the Goddess of
Fortune but it is more true to say the Sri Yantra includes and transcends every notion of
divinity ever conceived of the pantheons of deities relating to the Sanatana Dharma.

In actual practice a Yantra is a symbolic representation of aspects of divinity, usually the

Mother Goddess. It is an interlocking matrix of geometric figures, circles, triangles and
floral patterns that form fractal patterns of elegance and beauty. Though drawn in two
dimensions, a Yantra is supposed to represent a three dimensional sacred object. Three-
dimensional Yantras are now becoming increasingly common. Although the Yantra is
primarily a meditation tool both for serious spiritual seekers as well as sculptors in the
classical tradition, its Shakti is also available to new seekers with sincere devotion and good
intention. Before creating Yantric artefacts in wood, stone or metal, they draw a Yantra that
represents attributes of the god or goddess they wish to sculpt, etch or create. Intense
meditation upon it causes the fully formed image to leap into the mind's eye with
remarkable intensity with imprinting ability. In some cases, traditional Yantra-makers do
not need to make a sketch before creating the image.

Yantras are also used for innumerable mundane purposes such as to enhance the quality of
one's life, attract prosperity, abundance, love, harmony, peace, enhance learning, promote
healing, relieve health problems, for career advancement, achieve desired goals in projects,
improve business and protection from negative forces.

HOW TO ENERGIZE YANTRA

We at Rudra Centre get Yantras energized with the help of qualified Brahmins or priests
who are well-versed in the Yantric sections of the Holy Vedas. The Vedas especially Yajur
Veda have instructions for various rituals. The priests follow the exact purification and
energizing procedures called the PranaPratishta given in the Shastras.

For the PranPratishta, the Priest:

 Sits on an asana or mat facing east and keeps the Yantra to be energized on a plate in
front at the altar.
 Places spoonful of water on his head and chants:
ApavitrahPavitroVaSarvaVastanGatopiVa Yah
SmaretPundariKakshamSaBahyaBhyantarahShuchih
 May all things unholy become holy, may all lower tendencies depart, just as soon as we
transcend may within and without be purified!
 Om Sri GurubhyoNamaha
I bow down to my Guru
Om Sri GaneshayaNamaha
I bow down to Shree Ganesha
Om Sri Kula DevatabhyoNamaha
I bow to the family deity
Om Sri IshtaDevatabhyoNamaha
I bow to my personal deity
Om Sri Mata PitribhyamNamaha

34
 I bow to my parents
Sips water after each mantra:
 Om Sri KeshavayaSwaha
Om Sri NarayanaSwaha
Om Sri MadhavayaSwaha
Pours one spoon of water on ground:
 Om Sri GovindayaNamaha
Om Sri GovindayaNamaha
Repeats and touch each after each next mantra, right eye, left eye, forehead: Om Apo
JyothiRasoAmtritam

 Brahma BhuBhuvahaSwarom
chants the pranpratishtha mantra while offering yellow rice to the Yantra:
 Om Um Kum Chum Dhum Tum pum yum sum soham
PranahaEhaGachaEhaTishtha Sum Yum Pum Tum Tum Chum Kum Um Om
Om Um Kum Chum Dhum Tum pum yum sum soham
PranaEhaSusthishaBhavatu Sum Yum Pum Tum Tum Chum Kum Um Om
Om Um Kum Chum Dhum Tum pum yum sum soham
PranaManasyachakshuJibhyamGhraniPani
Pachusthan
DasoIndriyaniSusthishaBhavantu
Sum Yum Pum Tum Tum Chum Kum Um Om
 The priest than offers flowers while reciting DevayeNamahAvahanamSamarpayami
 Offers flowers for asana while reciting DevayeNamahAasanamSamarpayami
 Offers water to wash to the feet of lord while speaking DevayePaydamSamarpayami
 Bathes the Deity while reciting DevayeSnanamSamarpyami
 Offers Panchamrit with mantra DevayePanchaamritSnanamSamarpyami
 Recites the mantras DevayeVastramSamarpyami, DevayeUpvastramSamarpyami,
DevayeYaghopavitamSamarpyami For clothes upvastar and YajyoPaveet,
 Applies Ghand/Scent while reciting DevayeGandhamSamarpyami
 Offers unbroken rice while reciting DevayeAkshtanSamarpyami
 Offers flowers and garland while reciting DevayePushyaniSamarpyami
 Lights up Dhoop and offers while reciting DevayeDhoopamSamarpyami
 Lights up a Deep and offers while reciting DevayeDeepamSamarpyami
 Offers fruits and coconut and lemon while reciting DevayeNavdamfalamchaSamarpyami
 Offers Pan, Supari, Clove while reciting DevayeTambulamSamarpyami
 Offers Pradikshina while reciting DevayePradkshinayaSamarpyami and walks around the
Yantra three times while chanting YaniKan cha apainjanmantarkirtani cha
TanisarvaniNashyantuPradakshinPadePade
 Offers flowers and Namaskar with folded hands and chant a rosary of the beeja mantra of
the Yantra. Beeja mantras of each yantra are specific to the Yantra and the Deity which
they represent.
In this way, all the yantras are energized in accordance with the Yantric rites before they are
shipped to the buyers.
PUJA VIDHI OF YANTRA
You can pray on a Yantra which is installed in the puja altar of your house or office daily
and experience the positivity and fulfilment of desires that you pray for. Listed below are
the detailed steps of how you can offer daily prayers to the Yantras
 Wake up early in the morning and purify your body by taking bath.
 Wear clean cloths and start with a clear and positive mind frame

35
 Now be seated in the Padmasana pose where you place your each foot on opposite thighs
on a mat known as asana
 Make sure that you are seated facing East
 Now light adiya (oil or ghee lamp)
 Burn incense sticks
 Take mango tree leaves and sprinkle water placed in the kalash on yourself as well as on
the Yantra
 Once this is done wipe the Yantra with a soft cloth and place it back in the altar
 Now apply sandal paste or Kumkum in the Centre of the Yantra
 Offer fresh flower and a fresh fruit to the yantra by placing it in front of the Yantra.
 Now channelize you attention in the centre of the yantra and stay quiet until your mind is
silenced and all the wavering thoughts are destroyed.
 Now chant the specific mantra of the Yantrafor at least nine times
 Now slowly close your eyes and visualize the Yantra and its centre point and fix your
attention with closed eyes on the central point of the Yantra while chanting the divine
respective mantra of the yantra.
 As you chant the mantra keep thinking about the wish you need the Lord to fulfilland
 Now with all sincerity, ask God to grant you the desire of your life that you wanted to be
fulfilled in your own language.

Ganesh Pandey, Danya: A huge Shree Yantra is being established from Ashta metal in
Kalyanika Devasthanam Ashram located in Kanara Dol under development block
Lamgada. This Sri Yantra weighing one and a half thousand kg has been made by eminent
sculptors in Kumkonam, Kerala. From 18 to 29 April, Shri Dhyan Peeth Establishment and
Pran Pratishtha ceremony will be organized by the great Pandits of South and North
India. In the program, famous story reader Murari Bapu will also organize Ram Charit
Manas Gyan Prava Yagya.

Shree Yantra of one and a half thousand kg of Ashta metal will be installed in
Kalyanika Ashram Dol

36
: Jagran

Baba Kalyan Das ji, the founder of Kalyanika Devasthanam Ashram told that preparations
are going on for the program on a war footing. He said that the construction of Shri Yantra
Mandir and Sadhana Kendra was started in the ashram from the year 2012, which has been
completed this month. Baba Ji told that the Pran Pratishtha of Shri Yantra and Shri Ganesh
program ceremony of the temple will be held from April 18 to April 29. He expressed the
hope that there would be a dignified presence of His Excellency the Vice President and the
Governor in this grand event. Kalyan Das ji told that the establishment of Shri Dhyan Peeth
and Pran Pratishtha program will be completed by the great Pandits of South and North
India. He informed that five hundred sadhaks would be able to meditate at a time in the
Dhyan Peeth. Many seekers from abroad are also participating in this event. Temple and
meditation center built in six years
The Shri Yantra Mandir and Meditation Center started from the year 2012 were completed
in six years. Baba Kalyan Das told that the height of this temple is 126 feet and the
circumference is 150 feet. He said that despite the continuous construction work being in
progress, it took more than 6 years for the construction of the grand temple. Seekers of
these countries will participate
Sadhaks from America, Japan, Germany, Korea and Dubai are participating in this Maha
Yagya, which will run from April 18 to 29. Preparations are going on in full swing to
welcome the guests and seekers coming from the country and abroad. In the Kalyanika
Veda Vedanta Sanskrit Vidyapeeth established in the ashram, Sanskrit education is being
given to the children till Inter. Along with Sanskrit, conduct, rituals, English language and
technology based education is also given to the children so that the children can lead in
every field.
- Baba Kalyan Das
The Maha Meru Shree Yantra Temple, Amarkantak, MadhyaPradesh. The temple is
encircled by forest on two sides, the ancient and sacred Batte #Krishna Kund, a pond on its
western side, and a water reservoir to its north.

37
SriYantra temple was constructed by Acharya Mandaleshwar of the Attal Akhada Sri
Swami Shukdevanadji in Amarkantak. The whole temple is in the shape of a colossal Sri-
Yantra and is a geometric representation of the Primal Force, Maha Shakti.

It is constructed in the middle of the Maikal, Satpuda and Vindhyachal range of mountains,
3500 ft. above sea level in Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh. Amarkantak enjoys the
distinction of being the source of three Rivers Juhila, Sonbhadra and Narmada.
The borderline dividing north & south India also passes thro' this spot. Entrance to the
sprawling temple precincts is thro' an impressive, sculpturally rich towering gate, the 4 sides
of which are crowned with the faces of goddesses Saraswati, Kali, Bhuvaneshwari &
Lakshmi
The lower segments of these sides are embellished with finely sculpted figurines of the 64
Yoginis associated with the Tantrik cult, 16 on each side. In addition, Ganesh & Muruga are
also featured on one of the sides.
The temple is constructed on an elevated square platform measuring 90,000 sq.ft & is
structured in the form of a mandal of uniform length, breadth & height, each measuring 52
ft. The temple has been built on the tenets of temple architecture as laid down by sage
Agasthya.

Devi reigns supreme inside Sri Chakra,Nandini Ramani, 2019

Muthuswami Dikshitar captures the glory of Devi in his Navavarana Kritis

Parasakti is worshipped in her three divine facets as Durga (the vanquisher of
obstacles), Lakshmi (giver of prosperity), and Saraswati (giver of knowledge)
throughout Bharatavarsha during Navaratri. From time immemorial, Vedic chants,
hymns and songs of saints and seers have been an integral part of the myriad modes
of Devi worship; more so, during the auspicious Navaratri celebration to propitiate

38
Sakti, hailed as Akhilandakoti Brahmanda Nayika.
Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar occupies a unique place in the realm of Devi worship and
Sri Vidya Cult. His scholarly and highly spiritual compositions on Goddess
Kamalamba enshrined in the Tiruvarur temple as Gnana Sakti, the giver of high
intellect, are a unique set describing Her as the primordial Power seated in Yogic
posture presiding over the form and content of the ever-auspicious Sri Chakra.

Buddhist mythology

Carved door with Buddha life scenes, Nepal

The Buddhist traditions have created and maintained a vast body of mythological literature.
The central myth of Buddhism is the life of the Buddha. This is told in relatively realistic
terms in the earliest texts, and was soon elaborated into a complex literary mythology. The
chief motif of this story, and the most distinctive feature of Buddhist myth, is the

39
Buddha's renunciation: leaving his home and family for a spiritual quest. Alongside this
central myth, the traditions contain large numbers of smaller stories, which are usually
supposed to convey an ethical or Buddhist teaching. These include the popular Jātakas, folk
tales or legends believed to be past lives of Gautama Buddha. Since these are regarded as
episodes in the life of the Buddha, they are treated here as “myth”, rather than
distinguishing between myth, legend, and folk-tale.

Buddhist mythology is maintained in texts, but these have always existed alongside oral
traditions of storytelling, as well as creative retellings of myths as drama or artworks. This
creative mythology continues to this day, and includes film, television,
and musical adaptions of Buddhist myths.

Myth has always been an important part of the way Buddhists see themselves and form
communities. Attitudes to myths vary, with some people seeing the stories as entirely
factual, while others see them as symbolic. In this article, as in scholarly study of
mythology generally, the use of the term “myth” does not imply a value or truth judgement.
Rather, it refers to the study of sacred stories and their meaning within a
community.Scholars have long recognized that Buddhism contains one of the world's great
mythologies.

The life of the Buddha in early texts

A wallpainting in a Laotian temple, depicting the

Bodhisattva Gautama (Buddha-to-be) undertaking extreme ascetic practices before his
enlightenment. A god is overseeing his striving, and providing some spiritual protection.
Mythology in Buddhism is used at various intellectual levels in order to give symbolic and
sometimes quasi-historical expression to religious teachings. As noted by scholars such
as Thomas Rhys Davids, the earliest texts of Buddhism (such as the Nikāyas and Āgamas)
do not present a single coherent and systematic biography of the Buddha. However, there
are various references to numerous life events in these texts, and in a few cases gives more
extensive accounts of important events in the Buddha's life. All later versions of the
Buddha's life derive primarily from these sources. These include:

 Gautama's birth.
 Some details of his life growing up.
 References to the renunciation. The famous story of the “four signs” is told, but
regarding the past Buddha Vipassī, not Gautama.[11]
 Detailed accounts of Gautama's practices before awakening. These include his
encounter with earlier teachers,[12] the period of austerities,[13] and his own efforts to
develop meditation.[14][15][16]
 Various accounts of the night of the Awakening.
 The events following awakening are told in a famous narrative that is found either in
Sutta or Vinaya.

40
 Events involving the Buddha's family, including his return home and the ordination of
his son,[18] the rebellion of Devadatta, ordination of the Buddha's step-mother as the
first bhikkhuni, found mostly in the Vinayas.
 The Buddha's last journey, passing away, and subsequent events are told in
the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta.
.

The extended life of the Buddha in Jātakas

Vessantara gives alms, from one of the most famous

Jatakas, the Vessantara Jataka
One of the “three knowledges” (tevijjā) of the Buddha was recollecting past lives. However,
early texts contain very few actual narratives of past lives. [23] Such stories as are found in
the early texts almost always show signs of belonging to the latest strata of those texts.
[24]
However, in a short time the Buddhist community developed a vast repertoire of stories
associated with the Buddha's past lives, known as the Jātakas. There are 550 such stories in
the Pali canon, and hundreds more in Chinese, Tibetan, and Sanskrit sources. Several
Jātakas are depicted in visual form on the monuments at Sanchi, dating around the 1st
century BCE. The corpus of Jātaka stories continued to grow over the centuries. Some of
the most popular continue to be the Mahanipata Jataka which depict the final ten lives of the
Buddha before his last birth.

The Jātakas appear to be mostly derived from vernacular Indian folk tales, fables and
legends in mixed prose and verse.[25][26] Like the lives of the Buddha, they are not sectarian,
as many Jātakas are shared among traditions. Some of the stories are related
to Brahmanical legends, such as those found in the Rāmayaṇa and Mahābharata, while
others show similarities to Aesop's fables and other world literature. While most of the
Jātakas contain a “moral”, in most cases these pertain to simple and universal ideas, such as
non-violence or honesty, and only a few of the stories feature distinctively Buddhist ideas.
A typical Jātaka tale features a conflict or challenge, which the hero overcomes through his
courage, intelligence, or other virtues. The hero of the story is identified with the Buddha,
while other characters in the story are often identified with familiar associates of the
Buddha, such as his close disciples, family, or Devadatta as the antagonist.

Since the Jātakas are in essence the preliminary chapters of the Buddha's spiritual
development, they are sometimes included together with the Buddha's life. In the Pali
sources, for example, the life of the Buddha is featured as the opening framing narrative of
the Jātaka collection.

There is a similar class of literature known as Apadāna. Originally the term seems to have
simply meant a tale of the past, as the Mahāpadāna Sutta of the Dīgha Nikāya tells the story
of a Buddha in a past age. However it came to refer to a class of stories about the past lives
of the Buddha's monk and nun disciples. These often depict how enlightened disciples of

41
the Buddha achieved that status by making offerings to a Buddha in a past life.

In Vinaya texts

Mahapajapati, first Buddhist nun and Buddha's

stepmother ordains
The doctrinal texts (suttas) of the early period contain little narrative and less myth.
However, in the texts on monastic discipline (Vinaya), each rule or procedure must be
preceded by an origin story. These are frequently simple narratives that merely give a
context for the rule. However, in several cases the narrative is developed and includes
significant mythic motifs. Most of these occur in relation to important events in the
Buddha's life, especially those involving his family. But they also occur independently.

Erich Frauwallner argued that the portion of Vinaya known as the Khandhakas was formed
around one of the earliest versions of the Buddha's life story. Vinaya texts such as
the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya and the Mahāvastu added even more mythic material while
some texts also arose out of this material becoming detached from the Vinaya and
beginning to circulate as independent biographies of the Buddha.[28]

Some of the myths told in the Vinayas include:

 The Buddha's awakening. The period after the Buddha's awakening such as the 'first
sermon' (this corresponds to the “return” portion of Campbell's hero cycle)
 The ordination of the Buddha's stepmother Mahāpajāpatī. This episode is particularly
rich in mythic imagery and meaning.
 The rebellion of Devadatta. (betrayal by a close relative is familiar in the myths of, for
example, Jesus, Balder, and Osiris.)
 The medical training of the doctor Jīvaka.
 The story of Prince Dīghāvu.
 Multiple original stories for Vinaya rules include mythic motifs, for example
the stupa rule.
In post-Ashokan texts

42
The birth of Gautama Buddha, in a forest at Lumbini. The legend goes that directly after his birth, he
made 7 steps and proclaimed that he would end suffering and attain supreme enlightenment in this life.
Prince Siddhartha Gautama cuts his hair and becomes a renunciant. Borobudur
While the early texts were mostly completed in the pre-Ashokan period, the post-Ashokan
period saw the widespread adoption of Buddhism as a popular religion. At this time,
Buddhism was spreading across the Indian subcontinent and beyond, and several distinct
schools were emerging in different regions. It seems likely that each school would have
used the life of the Buddha as a primary teaching vehicle. Several distinctive versions of
this story survive. While these vary greatly in their literary forms, there is little doctrinal
difference between them. Such texts include the following:

 Mahāvastu (“Great Story”) of the Mahāsaṁghika-Lokuttaravāda. This text is written

in Hybrid Sanskrit, and is a loose compilation of diverse texts from multiple sources,
sometimes repeating the same story, and with little attempt to create literary unity.
 Buddhacarita (“Life of the Buddha”) by Aśvaghoṣa. This is a sophisticated and
polished Sanskrit epic poem by one of India's foremost poets.
 Lalitavistara Sūtra (“The Play in Detail”) of the Sarvāstivādins.[33] Styled as a Sanskrit
sutra, the Lalitavistara was very popular in northern forms of Buddhism. It is the basis
for many events carved in Borobudur.
 The Theravāda "Discussion of the Links" (Nidana-katha) of the "Discussion of the
Meaning of the Birth Stories" (Jataka-attha-katha). This is situated as the introduction
and setting for the Pali Jātaka stories found in the commentaries compiled in
the Mahāvihāra in Sri Lanka. This forms the basis for standard account of the lives of
the Buddha in Theravāda Buddhism.[34]
 Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya. While all the Vinayas contain some narrative, this text—
extant in Sanskrit, Tibetan, and Chinese—includes a full life of the Buddha, replete
with abundant legendary narrative.
 Abhiniṣkramana Sūtra.

Queen Māyā's white elephant dream, and the conception of the Buddha. ////Gandhara, 2nd–
3rd century CE. Battle with Mara

43
Despite the fact that these texts emerged in different schools over a long period, in different
literary forms, they each share a range of motifs in the Buddha's life that is not found in the
early texts. Such motifs include:

 The Buddha's mother, Māyā, dreaming of a white elephant.

 Lotuses springing up under the feet of the bodhisattva as he walked immediately after
birth.
 Various encounters with Devadatta and others as a child.
 Seeing the four signs.
 The bodhisattva leaving his wife and child, often on the night of the birth.
 The bodhisattva's horse, Kaṇṭhaka, who carried him away, but later died of grief.
 Meeting a hunter and exchanging robes.
 Floating the bowl upstream.
 The offering of milk rice by Sujātā.
 The attack by Māra's armies.
 The earth goddess witnessing the bodhisattva's past practice.
Many of these motifs are represented in early artwork, and one of the motivating factors in
such developments was to present the teachings in a way that could form a dramatic
personal story, which could be visually represented. For example, the Padhāna Sutta, an
early text, depicts the assault of Māra in purely psychological terms, while the developed
versions imagine a vast army of demons attacking the Buddha, an image which is frequently
depicted in Buddhist artwork.

These later works also show a much greater emphasis on the miraculous and extraordinary
character of the Buddha, as they depict him more like a godlike being in contrast to the
earlier texts. These developments in the mythology have their counterparts in the more
philosophical texts, where the Buddha is conceived as omniscient and with trascendental
powers (lokuttara).

Past and future Buddhas

Buddhist mythology contains legends of the Buddhas of past ages, such as Vipassi. An
important source for these is the Pali Theravāda Buddhavamsa (Buddha Chronicle) which
chronicles the stories of 24 past Buddhas. Buddhist works also include a wide range of
prophetic myths, which speak of future events. As with the Jātakas, there are a few such
stories in the early texts. The most famous is the Cakkavatti Sīhanāda Sutta of the Dīgha
Nikāya. This is the only early text to mention Metteyya, the future Buddha. It is an
apocalyptic text, which predicts that humanity's moral conduct will decline so far that
civilization will utterly break down. After a long time society will reform, based on the
principle of non-violence, and ultimately a golden age will arrive, with the future Buddha
Metteyya as the teacher of that age.

Later texts such as the Maitreyavyakarana introduce Mahayana elements to the prophetic
story of Maitreya. A complex mythology developed around the messianic figure of the
future Buddha Maitreya, which has inspired multiple Buddhist cults of both the past and the
present. He became an influential figure in the millennarian and messianic movements
throughout East Asia. According to Paul Williams, there were "nine such movements in
China in the fifth and early sixth centuries alone."

44
Kings, saints and gods

Ashoka's visit to the Ramagrama stupa, Southern gateway

of Sanchi Stupa 1.
Buddhist traditions contain large numbers of stories and spiritual narratives in addition to
the above. These are often simple moral fables, similar to Jātakas. In some cases, mythic
complexes can be discerned that have no counterparts in the orthodox texts, but are found
widely in popular culture. Various figures other than the Buddha appear in these myths,
including Buddhist kings, important monastics and saints, as well as heavenly beings or
gods (devas).

Indian kings feature in many Buddhist stories and myths. The earliest texts speak of various
kings paying respects to the Buddha such as Pasenadi of Kosala and Bimbisara of Magadha.
The Buddhist myths which developed around the
famed Mauryan emperor Ashoka (recorded in texts such as the Ashokavadana) as well as
other Buddhist monarchs such as the indo Greek Milinda (Menander I) and Sri Lankan
Buddhist kings (in texts like the Dipavamsa) are also important sources of Buddhist
mythology. These stories serve as morality tales and as models for Buddhist kingship which
were emulated and used by later Buddhist monarchies throughout the Buddhist world.
These royal myths touch on more secular issues such as the relationship between the
monastic community and the state as well as the king's role in the world (and by extension
the role of laypersons).

Buddhist myths also tell stories about important disciples of the Buddha and later Buddhist
saints (known as arahants). Especially important are his Ten Principal Disciples such
as Śāripūtra and Maudgalyāyana as well as female disciples of the Buddha, such
as Mahapajapati Gotami (the first nun) and his wife Yaśodharā. Another important figure
is Aṅgulimāla, who was a mass murderer before becoming a monk under the Buddha. His
tale serves as a story of redemption.

Later Buddhist saints such as Mahinda and Sanghamitta, both children of Ashoka are also
part of Buddhist myths. Another example are stories related to the cult of the
monk Upagupta who, according to legend, lived in the time of Ashoka. He does not appear
in central Pali texts, but is a well known figure in the northern regions of Theravāda,
including northern Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos. In these regions a variety of tales with
related themes and motifs occur, and form the basis of ritual activity, usually carried out by
the lay people. Such activities occur in a liminal space on the edge of the officially
sanctioned Theravādin praxis.

Buddhist myths also feature heavenly beings, called devas. Buddhist myth adopted several

45
Indian figures such as Brahma, Indra (also known as Sakka) and Prithvi.

Sectarian myths

Nicholas Roerich's "Nagarjuna Conqueror

of the Serpent" depicting the Mahayana origin myth of the prajñaparamita sutras.
The schools of Buddhism told stories of the origin of their own particular school. These
narratives function like creation myths, explaining how the school came to be, and why it
has a special authority to convey the Buddha's teaching. Unlike the pan-sectarian myths of
the Buddha's life or the Jātakas, these exist specifically to promote one's own school in
relation to contemporary rivals. Such sectarian myths also typically include an account of
how the Dharma triumphed over primitive and violent religious cults, especially human or
animal sacrifice in worship of yakkhas.

The Theravāda origin story is found in multiple places, such as the Dīpavaṁsa, where the
Buddha himself is said to have predicted the spread of Theravāda to Sri Lanka. Moreover,
in both the Dīpavaṁsa (Island Chronicle) and the Mahāvaṃsa (Great Chronicle), the
Buddha is said to have actually visited the island three times. [41] The Sarvāstivādins located
their origins in the time of Ashoka, claiming to be the true Dharma that spread to Kashmir
when Buddhism in the Middle Country had become corrupt.

Other stories developed to give authority to certain texts. The Mahāyānists needed to
address the fact that their texts were unknown in the initial period of Buddhism, and
developed stories such as that they had been hidden in the realm of the nagas (snake-like
supernatural beings) until people wise enough to understand them were born. Some versions
of the myth state that the Indian philosopher Nagarjuna magically flew to the city of the
nagas and retrieved the hidden sutras. Other myths deal with Buddhas in other worlds
which can be reached through dreams or meditative visions such
as Maitreya or Amitabha and who reveal new texts and teachings such as the five treatises
of Maitreya. Later Mahayana Buddhists also wrote their own biographies of the Buddha
which included Mahayana elements, such as the biography in the Tibetan Bu-ston's (1290–
1364) Chos ’byung (“History of Buddhism”).

Similarly, the promoters of the Theravādin Abhidhamma claimed that Abhidhamma had
been taught by the Buddha to his mother in Tusita heaven.[43] Other myths follow inanimate
objects such as Buddhist relics. For example, the Pali text called the Bodhivamsa describes
the bringing of a cutting from the Bodhi tree to Sri Lanka, while the Thūpavaṃsa tells the
story of the Mahathupa ('Great Stupa') at Anuradhapura.

Likewise, with the development of Tantric Buddhism and their new texts called Tantras,
they also developed legends which sought to legitimate these texts as Buddhavacana (word

46
of the Buddha) despite the fact that historically they could not have been taught during the
time of Gautama Buddha. One of the most prominent of these are the various legends
surrounding a figure known as king Indrabhuti. In one version of the myth translated by
Ronald M. Davidson, it states that during the Buddha's time, nobody was ready for tantra on
earth, so it was taught in Tusita heaven. Afterwards, Vajrapani brought the tantric teachings
to the country of Zahor to King Indrabhuti, who was instructed in their meaning by a
teacher called Kukuraja.

Such mythologies developed, not just as “official” sectarian doctrines, but as local tales. For
example, in most Buddhist countries there is a story of how the historical Buddha visited
their country and foretold that the Dharma would be established there.

Mahayana Mythology

Amoghpasha Lokesvara flanked by Arya Tara and Bhrikuti Tara enshrined at the side wing
of Vasuccha Shil Mahavihar, Guita Bahi, Patan : This set of images is popular in traditional
monasteries of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal.Sudhana learning from one of the fifty-two
teachers along his journey toward enlightenment. Sanskrit manuscript, 11-12th
century.Amitabha, the Buddha of Eternal Life, in Sukhavati, the Western Pure Land. He is
surrounded by followers, demigods, bodhisattvas and offerings. At the bottom are
courtyards, giant lotus flowers, and pools from which the purified are being reborn.
A Buddha such as Amitābha for example (one of the most popular Buddhas in East Asia),
was associated with his vow that anyone who recited his name would be reborn in his pure
land as well as with the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. These other Buddhas were also seen
as the source of some of the Mahayana sutras like the Pure land sutras and
the Aksobhyavyuha sutras. In addition to the Mahāyāna origin story, Mahāyanist texts
include a wide variety of narratives and mythologies, with numerous divine figures and
stories that do not appear in the earlier texts. These vary from dramatic or humorous tales,
to abstract philosophical parables. Mahayana sutras such as the Lotus sutra and
the Avatamsaka Sutra contain popular stories and parables which have been widely
influential in Mahayana Buddhism.

A central figure in Mahāyāna myths is the Bodhisattva, a spiritually advanced being who is

47
on the path to Buddhahood. Some of these beings, such
as Tara, Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri and Vajrapani, while not yet Buddhas, have developed
extraordinary godlike powers by reaching the highest bodhisattva level. According to Paul
Williams, Avalokiteshvara "is perhaps the most popular of all Mahayana Bodhisattvas" and
is seen as the compassionate savior of all beings, working constantly using infinite forms
and means to help others. Important sources for this figure are the Lotus sutra and
the Karandavyuha sutra.

Other bodhisattvas are depicted as being still in the process of developing their skill in
means (upaya) such as Sudhana of the Gaṇḍavyūha Sutra, and thus their stories serve as
spiritual bildungsroman.

Buddhahood is also central to Mahayana mythology. A Buddha in Mahayana texts is also

much more exalted and extraordinary than in earlier texts. A godlike being, a Buddha in the
Mahayana imaginary has lived and will continue to live for countless eons preaching his
doctrine in innumerable ways and means to innumerable numbers of beings. [49] Regarding
the Buddha Gautama, his limited "human" life on earth was merely an illusion,
a docetic mirage which merely appears to perform human actions such as eating and so on.
Another important feature of Mahāyāna Buddhist myths is that they include Buddhas other
than Gautama Buddha, such Amitābha, Bhaisajyaguru, Vairocana and Akshobhya, each
with their own texts. These Buddhas are said to live in other realms,
called Buddhafields (buddhakṣetra, also known as Pure Lands) and to still be reachable in
meditation, visions or through their intermediaries. These other worlds are said to extend
infinitely in all directions, each containing a Buddha which teaches in their Buddhafield.
The hagiographies of Indian Mahayana figures such as Asanga and Nagarjuna, and the
stories associated with them are also important in the mythology of Mahayana Buddhism.
Biographies of the Indian philosopher Nagarjuna for example, depict him as a
great brahmin sorcerer with powerful magics who made himself and his friends invisible
once to enter a palace and violate the women. After his escape, his friends were all killed
and this led him to the spiritual life and to the study of all the Buddha Dharma. This
eventually led him to the discovery of the prajñaparamita sutras with the aid of the Naga
king.

These stories and figures also further evolved in East Asian Buddhism, for example, in time
the male figure of Avalokiteshvara transformed into the female motherly figure
of Guanyin which has her own East Asian mythic corpus. East Asian Buddhism (all of
which is Mahāyāna) also developed further regional and school specific mythologies as
Buddhism continued to evolve and adapt. Stories and legends about founding figures and
patriarchs of East Asian Buddhist schools are one such development. One example are the
numerous stories which developed around the Zen patriarch Bodhidharma which serve to
explain how Zen Buddhism is supposed to have arrived in China. Another widely
recognized figure which developed in China is the fat and jolly figure named Budai, which
developed in Zen texts such as the Transmission of the Lamp.

Literature
The primary source for Buddhist myth is the vast Buddhist literature. The corpus is
extensive; over 500 Jātakas exist in Pali alone and there are various complete Buddhist
canons in different languages.

The Jātakas remain closely linked to the oral tradition of the early Buddhist texts. The core

48
of the story is a set of verses, which in the Pali tradition are the only part considered
canonical. The story, and the framing narrative that tells the events of the Buddha's day, are
commentary. However, as shown by Thomas Rhys Davids, verse and prose must have been
passed down together in many cases. This is typical of Pali oral literature, where a fixed
canonically portion was accompanied by a much larger and more fluid commentary, which
itself would gradually become canon. When taught, the verses would typically be recited
verbatim, while the story would be elaborated and adapted by each storyteller.

By way of contrast, a developed literary work such as the Sanskrit epic poems of the great
Indian poet Aśvaghoṣa such as the Buddhacarita and the Saundarananda were written down
and carefully planned examples of the Indian Mahākāvya genre. Drawing on the already
elaborate literary heritage of Indian Buddhism, Aśvaghoṣa employed a huge vocabulary and
complex poetic methods to create sophisticated texts for the enjoyment of an educated
class. Aśvaghoṣa's compositions, written in polished Sanskrit, are carefully structured and
arranged. In these texts, there are also numerous allusions to Brahmanical legends and epic
narratives.

Art

Gateway, Sanchi stupa

There is no art, or any other physical remains, from the earliest period of Buddhism. The
first Buddhist art appears in the Ashokan period. But Ashoka's pillars, while artistically
superb, do not tell myths.

Perhaps 100 years after Ashoka, we have our first known Buddhist stupa complexes, which
contain substantial and elaborate art. As well as drawing on motifs from the early texts,
these frequently depict episodes from Jātakas and from the evolved form of the Buddha's
life. The art that has survived is sculpture in stone, although this must be the remnants of a
much richer heritage in more perishable materials.

In addition to purely decorative motifs, we frequently find art arranged in a sequence, or a

roundel, depicting various events selected from a particular story. These would presumably
have been used as a story-telling framework, a precursor to our modern graphic novels. A
teacher, presumably a monk or nun, would tell the story illustrated by the pictures, or else
people who knew the story would remind themselves of it. This method was developed
fully in Borobudur, where the stories wind around the huge structure. In many modern
Buddhist temples, especially those that are popular tourist sites, murals play the same role.

THEMES
Renunciation

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The Bodhisatta rides on his horse Kanthaka crossing the River Anoma on the night of his
renunciation. His charioteer Channa holds the tail. Chedi Traiphop Traimongkhon
Temple, Hatyai Thailand.
The key event in the life of the Buddha is his leaving home. This event dramatizes the
conflict between the “worldly” values of sex, family, career, and prosperity and the
“spiritual” values of renunciation and dispassion (virāga). This tension is a defining
characteristic of Buddhist myth. Numerous Buddhist stories each tell the event in different
ways, sometimes evoking the bodhisattva's pain in leaving his wife and child, as well as his
father's efforts to entice him to stay and the sadness experienced by his
wife Yashodhara and his charioteer Channa.

The renunciation is also dealt with repeatedly in the Jātakas, with further variations. In
some cases, the bodhisattva leaves home with his wife, or with both wife and children, or
even with the whole city. In one case, the wife leaves the bodhisattva to raise the children.

Awakening and final Nirvana

Following on from renunciation is the event of the Buddha's awakening (bodhi) or
liberation (vimutti, nirvana). In Buddhism this refers to an insight into the truth that leads to
the end of suffering. In the doctrinal texts this is presented in psychological and existential
terms, which the myths translate into narrative and imagery.

Thus the armies of the demon of Death, Māra, the forces of darkness and desire, are no
longer simply psychological impulses, but literal armies of demonic forces, depicted in
lavish detail. And they are not overcome simply by insight, but by evoking the Earth
Goddess (dhārinī). She, as an elder deity, has borne witness to the bodhisattva's heroic
deeds in the countless past lives as depicted in the Jātakas, and testifies to this fact,
dispelling the forces of darkness.

Each detail of the awakening experience become imbued with mythic significance. The
place where the Buddha sat, described in the early texts simply as a pleasant place suitable
for meditation, becomes the “navel of the world”. It is the only place on earth strong enough
to bear the weight of the awakening, and is used by all Buddhas, past, present, and future.

The event of his death and final release (paranirvana) from the realm of rebirth (samsara)
are also important themes which are taken up in numerous Buddhist myths. For Buddhists,
it was important to explain the death of the Buddha as a monumental event. Some
Buddhists such as the Lokuttaravada developed a docetic myth, which said that the Buddha
did not really die, only appearing to do so, since his nature was supramundane.

Geography and Cosmology

50
 Silk tapestry mandala with cosmological
diagram, Yuan dynasty (1271–1368). Mount Meru at the center, with the sun and moon at the base
(symbolized by a bird and rabbit) and the four continents in the cardinal directions.
Buddhist cosmology has an expansive view of time and space, with multiple world
systems (lokāḥ) divided into different planes of existence (dhātus) which go back countless
eons (kalpas). The Buddhist (and Indic) view of time is cyclical instead of linear or
progressive. World systems or universes go through cycles, from birth to destruction, and
see similar patterns arise again and again. These patterns include the birth and awakening of
a Buddha as well as the degeneration and eventual loss of the Dharma. Mythic return is thus
a crucial theme in Buddhist cosmology. An important feature of this is that in the Buddhist
universe, there is no single beginning or myth of a first creation. The Buddha is said to have
stated that the world is "without discoverable beginning, a first point is not discerned of
beings roaming and wandering on."[63] Thus while individual world systems (lokāḥ) go
through cycles of birth and destruction (which are explained as being caused by natural
processes related to the four elements),[64] the entire system of samsara itself or the
"multiverse" consisting of all universes has no single point of origination in time or a single
cause/prime mover. Thus Buddhist cosmology and myth rejects theistic creationism.[65]

Mahayana Buddhism added the concept of an infinity of Buddhafields created by

innumerable Buddhas, all of which are interconnected with one another. [66] The medieval
texts known as the Buddhist tantras introduced more elaborate elements into the Buddhist
cosmological system, including astrological elements and new myths such as that of the
kingdom of Shambala from the Kalacakra tantra.

Despite this expansive view on time, the historical framework of Buddhist myth is in fact
quite narrow. With few exceptions, the Jātakas, and even the stories of the future, imagine a
world that is much like the India of the 5th century BCE, or more precisely, in the case of
the Jātakas, a little earlier. Thus the many hundreds of births of the bodhisattva are set
within a historical window of only a few centuries and are strongly rooted in the geography
of India. This includes the vast presence of the Himalayas, the powerful rivers, fertile fields,
and wild forests. The wilds, including the mountains, are regularly depicted as resorts of
sages and seekers. The cities are where wealth and fame are found, and wisdom lives in the
wilderness. The early texts are strongly focused on the “middle country”—the central part

51
of the Ganges valley—where the Buddha spent his whole life. Reference to areas outside
this are few. In the later texts, such as Jātakas, there is a much expanded geography, with a
strong emphasis on trade across deserts and oceans. The Baveru Jātaka (“Babylon Jātaka”)
tells of how to take advantage of the gullible Babylonians in trade. Buddhist mythic
geography also includes extraordinary mythic elements, such as the central world mountain
named Mount Meru and stories of the continent of Jambudvipa which refers to the world of
humans. Later regional texts also focus on the geography of their origin, such as China,
Tibet or Sri Lanka, as well as maintaining a mythic geography of India.

Origin of life
One tale told by the Buddha in the Aggan̄ n̄ a Sutta describes the process of recreation on this
grand scale. An old world-system has just been destroyed, and its inhabitants are reborn in a
new system. To begin with they are luminious being, floating happily above the earth,
luminescent and without form, name or sex.

At that period, The world in these early stages is without light or land, only mass waters.
Neither moon nor sun appeared, no constellations or stars appeared, night and day were not
yet distinguished, nor months and fortnights, nor years and seasons. And sooner or later,
after a very long period of time, Earth appears and the luminious being or spirits come to
taste and enjoy it. It looked just like the skin that forms itself over hot milk as it cools. It
was endowed with color, smell, and taste. It was the color of fine ghee or butter and it was
very sweet, like pure wild honey. Their greed causes their ethereal bodies to become solid
and coarse and differentiate into male and female, good-looking and ugly. As they lose their
luminescence the sun and moon come into being.

Gradually the beings fall into further wicked habits, causing themselves - and the earth itself
- to become less pleasant.

Psychology and virtue

Buddhist myths use the standard story types and heroic journeys, always with a strong
psychological emphasis. While the behaviour of the bodhisattva in the Jātakas is not always
beyond reproach, there is a strong emphasis on overcoming hate and greed, and using
intelligence and kindness to solve problems. The bodhisattva is more commonly
represented as clever and resourceful than as a fierce warrior or powerful king.
The stories of the Jātakas as well as the post-Ashokan biographies also take
important Buddhist virtues as their themes, such as the virtues known as the perfections
(paramitas). The influential Pali Mahanipata Jataka for example is made up of ten stories
each illustrating one of the ten paramitas.

The Buddhist tantras meanwhile associated their numerous deities and cosmological
elements with inner psychological states as well as physiological forces.

Kingship and politics

One of the earliest mythic motifs in the Buddha's life is the notion that he is a “Great Man”
(mahāpurisa), who must choose his destiny. If he remains in the home, he will become a
righteous universal emperor or "wheel turning monarch" (Pali: Cakkavatti; Sanskrit:
Cakravartin), while is he chooses the way of renunciation he will become a Buddha. Of
course, the historical bodhisattva chooses renunciation, but stories are told of those in the
past who chose kingship. These are depicted to show an ideal of Buddhist leadership, one

52
who rules without violence (ahimsa) while exemplifying and promoting Buddhist values.
[67]
Buddhist kings are also seen as protectors and supporters of the Buddhist community.
The deeds of a great Buddhist king include the protection of animals and the building of
public works such as parks, wells, and roads.[68]

The stories Mauryan emperor Ashoka also added to the mythological elements of the myth
of "Dharma King" (dhammaraja) and his great deeds. In much of Buddhist myth, Ashoka is
the royal "exemplar par excellence" who exemplifies the ten royal virtues: generosity, moral
virtue, self-sacrifice, kindness, self-control, non-anger, nonviolence, patience, and
adherence to the norm of righteousness.[69] This figure was much emulated by later Buddhist
kings, who built stupas and temples and patronized the monastic community in imitation of
Ashoka. This mimesis of the Ashoka myth by Asian Buddhist rulers is one way in which
Buddhist myth influenced the Asian political ideology of states such
as Angkor, Sukhothai and Pagan.[70]

The Jātakas depict many examples of kings and of the bodhisattva Gautama himself who
was a king in many past lives, the most famous throughout Southeast Asia being
the Vessantara Jataka. The Vessantara Jataka is basically a royal epic, whose hero is not a
conqueror or warrior, but a hero of the Buddhist virtue of generosity (dāna) who takes a
vow never to refuse to give away anything which might be asked of him. [71] In Thailand this
Jataka is told or performed at large ceremonies such as the “Bun Phawet” in Roi Et, where
Upagupta is honoured as well as the Buddha.[72]

Thai Vessantara Jataka illustration, Chapter 8 (The Royal Children)

Kingship in the Jātakas displays many of the classic features familiar in James Frazer’s
analysis of sacred kingship. The king has not just worldly power, but had a connection to
the gods. His behaviour affects the weather: a righteous king ensures good crops. The king
is sometimes sacrificed, or stories of escaping and reforming sacrifice are told. Mahayana
Buddhist accounts also add notions of the bodhisattva ideal to myths of Buddhist kingship.

The Aggañña Sutta depicts an alternative, and arguable earlier, ideal of a Buddhist king.
There, in a manner not dissimilar to the practices prevailing among the Buddha's
own Sakyan people, the king is not destined but elected by the people. This model
of elective monarchy, however, was largely ignored, and subsequent Buddhist myths almost
always featured hereditary kings.

Buddhist myths continue to have an impact on the political world of Asian Buddhist
nations. King Bhumipol of Thailand is famous for telling Jātaka stories, which often contain
some comment or twist that illustrate current events. In his translation of the Mahājanaka
Jātaka, for example, the ending was changed so that the bodhisattva no longer renounced
the throne, but remained and educated his people in preserving the environment. In Sri
Lanka, the Mahāvaṁsa, which tells the history of Buddhism on the island, was used to

53
provide a mythic authority for the civil war against the Tamil Tigers. This text tells the tale
of the revered King Duṭṭhagaminī who expelled the Tamil invaders and felt remorse for
killing, a violation of the most fundamental Buddhist precept. He was reassured by monk,
however, that only killing those who had taken refuge in Buddhism could be considered a
moral fault.

Manhood and physical prowess

The Sarabhanga Jātaka depicts the bodhisattva in a past

life giving an exhibition of his extraordinary skill in archery.
The story of the Buddha in Indian texts presents themes of male physical perfection, beauty
and virtue. The Buddha is often depicted in Indian art and literature as a virile "Ultimate
Man" (purusottama) and his manly qualities, his extraordinarily beautiful body, his
superhuman virility and physical strength, his skill in martial arts, and the effect he has on
women who see him is exaulted. He is given numerous epithets such as

1. “god among men,”

2. “possessing manly strength,”
3. “victor in battle,”
4. “unsurpassed tamer of men,”
5. “bull of a man” and
6. “fearless lion. He is seen as having lived hundreds of past lives as
7. cakravartins and as manly gods such as
8. Indra and in his final life as
9. Gautama,
10. as well as a warrior in the martial arts of a ksatriya.

Texts such as the Lalitavistara (extensive sport) dwell on the martial contests that the young
bodhisattva had to complete in order to gain his wife, concluding in an archery contest in
which he "picks up a bow that no one else could draw and that few could even lift. He
grasps it while sitting down, lifts it easily, and shoots an arrow through every target, which
utterly eclipses the performances of all the others."

The depictions of his ascetic training as well as his victory over the temptations of Mara and
his final awakening are also often described as a result of his manly effort in a heroic battle.
The ascetic life is also connected to virility.

In ancient India, the celibacy and the retaining of semen was said to bring about strength,
health and physical energy. The practice of celibacy and austerity was said to accumulate a
spiritual energy called tapas. Thus even as a celibate ascetic, the Buddha can fulfill the
mythical archetype of the supreme man and heroic warrior.

All these good qualities are associated with the idea that the Buddha has excellent karma

54
and virtue or (mahapurusa-laksana), which are found only in Buddhas .The Buddha's
perfection is also associated with supranormal feats (abhiñña) such as levitation, walking on
water and telepathy. His powers are superior to that of the gods, and Indian deities like
Brahma are depicted as being his disciples and accepting his superiority.

Extraordinary beings
The Buddhist tradition shares with the wider Indian culture a range of extraordinary beings
and places. Myth often deals with the supernatural. However, while Buddhist myth
frequently deals with events normally regarded as supernatural, such as stories of devas,
miracles, and so on, these are all seen as aspects of dharma, and thus as part of nature. In
Buddhist context, then, it is best to describe these phenomena as “extraordinary”, in the
sense of lying outside ordinary experience, rather than “supernatural”, being “above
nature”.

Symbols
In Buddhist literature as well as in Buddhist art, myth is also communicated using
various Buddhist symbols which have become widespread across the Buddhist world.
Among the earliest and most common symbols are the stupa (symbolizing the Buddha),
the Dharma wheel (a symbol of the Dharma), the Bodhi Tree (and its leaves) and the lotus
flower (both symbolizing awakening).

Myth and ritual

Ordination is a ritual depicted as a simple, almost bureaucratic, procedure but some
Buddhist cultures have rituals in which they dress the candidate up like a prince and parade
him through the streets in a reenactment of the renunciation of the Buddha. Another
Buddhist ritual which includes reenactments of the Buddha life myth is the ritual of the
consecration of a Buddha image. Among other things, the statue's head is covered,
symbolizing the Buddhas withdrawal from householder life and various symbolic offerings
are placed before the statue. including a sweet milk rice mixture symbolizing the offering of
Sujata.

In Tantric Buddhism, rituals such as tantric initiations and the creation of mandalas can
be seen as recreations of Tantric Buddhist mythic reality in a sacred time.

Emic interpretations
There is no developed tradition of myth interpretation within Buddhist traditions. Reform
movements in Buddhism that emerged around the end of the 19th century are known
as Buddhist modernism. They are characterized by a rational approach to Buddhist ethics,
philosophy, and meditation.

Modern Etic interpretations of Buddhas LIFE as a Journey

Some such as Joseph Campbell in his book- Hero’s Journey analyzed the Buddha's life
myth as part of the universal hero's journey which he also compares to the life of Jesus, both
being forms of what he saw as "an archetypal World Savior". Campbell mapped the life of
the Buddha into what he saw as the standard formula for heroic myths: separation—
initiation—return. Separation maps into the Buddha's renunciation, initiation into his quest
for and attainment of awakening and return is his return to the world to preach the Dharma
to all (and thus for Campbell, he is a "universal hero" who brings a message to the entire

55
world).

Contemporary depictions in media

Numerous films have been made depicting the life of the Buddha. Bertolucci's Little
Buddha included elements of the Buddha's story as part of a more contemporary tale.
Recently the film Siddhattha was made in Sri Lanka, which focused on the emotional
tensions around the decision of the bodhisattva to go forth.

The Saiyūki lit. "Journey to the West"), also known by its English title 'Monkey', was a
Japanese TV series that told the story of the pilgrimage of Xuan Zang to the India to
retrieve the Buddhist sutras. More recently, a popular series on the life of the Buddha has
aired on Indian television.

The life of the Buddha has been adapted as a manga by Osamu Tezuka and this in turn has
been adapted into animated film.

Buddhist themes in contemporary media

Since Buddhism and meditation became a part of popular culture in US in the 1970s, it has
become common to see Buddhist themes expressed in contemporary mythmaking.The film
series Star Wars, which was deliberately constructed as a modern myth on the Campbell
model, features many Buddhist motifs. These include the Jedis who a mix of monk and
warrior elite who meditate, and are asked to “be mindful of their feelings”.The 1999
film The Matrix features themes of illusion, reality, and freedom that are fundamental to
Buddhism.

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