Image title: Caitya (or Stupa) (text and sculpture)

This Bronze sculpture shows an image of a Caitya.—Specifications: 20cm x 11cm x 11cm.

Transcription: चैत्य, caitya.

Main description:

Caityas (or Stupas) have a long history. Even before the birth of Shakyamuni, they were built a short distance from a city or town as a place for rituals or a grave of a patriarch. The shape of a caitya is usually like a bowl placed upside down on the ground with a tree planted on top of the mound. When the body of Śākyamuni had been cremated, eight tribes made stupas to enshrine his relics and performed rituals.

A caitya and a stupa were different objects in ancient times. “Caitya” also meant a tree planted on a sacred place, such as a grave, or a decoration of a stūpa. Furthermore, a place for worship was sometimes called a caitya. However, these two objects later came to be identified.

A stupa symbolises Shakyamuni who has entered Nirvana (tranquility where all defilements cease to be). In early Buddhism the main object of worship was a stupa, and in later times statues of Buddha became the main objects for worship. In time, statues of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas began to be depicted on the sides of stūepas. For example, the Caitya (or Stupa) of Swayambhunath [Svayambhunatha], Kathmandu, has niches in which statues of Buddhas and their consorts are installed. One may consider the Caitya of Swayambhunath as a three-dimensional mandala.

Gallery information:

The Northern Himalayan region in Nepal offers a wide variety of Buddhist objects such as paintings, scriptures, sculptures, ritualistic objects, etc. Buddhism once entered Tibet from Nepal and has blended in its own way there, resulting in Tibetan Buddhism which is divided into many schools. The items found here are exhibited in the National Museum of Nepal (Rashtriya Museum).