Located in Andhra Pradesh in India, the Amravati Stupa is an exemplary relic that displays the best work of the Buddhist school of architecture. It is 65 kilometers away from the city of Vijayawada and attracts hundreds of pilgrims, followers, and tourists from India and across the world every year. While the radiant monument doesn’t need any sidelines to enhance the look, the placement of it on the banks of the River Krishna adds a lot to its charm and glory.
The Jetavanaramaya is a Buddhist stupa and at 122 meters (400 feet) is ranked as the world’s tallest stupa and the third tallest structure back when it was originally built almost 1700 years ago. It is believed to have been built at the site where the last rights of Hinda Maha Thero were performed. Hinda, a revered figure in Sri Lankan history, is the monk who first brought Buddhism to the island.
Guru Rinpoche (the Precious Guru), also known as Guru Padmasambhava (Lotus born), is a seminal figure in Buddhism, instrumental in the establishment of Vajrayana Buddhism in Tibet in the 8th Century CE. Praying to Guru Rinpoche is believed to help in the development of inner power, and the removal of bad karma and suffering.
Vajrasattva, is the main deity employed for purification by practitioners of all levels of tantra. Vajrasattva also goes by Dorje Sempa རྡོ་རྗེ་སེམས་དཔའ་, meaning “diamond being”. Vajrasattva meditation is the primary cleansing practice recommended by Vajrayana Buddhism. It is also used to purify any broken vows made by a disciple to their tantric master. Going beyond personal practice, the Vajrasattva mantra is believed to purify karma, bring peace, and instigate enlightened activity on a wider scale.
Green Tara is regarded as the mother of all Bodhisattvas, a lover of all sentient beings. She is associated with enlightened activity, helping people pass beyond earthly existence. Green Tara grants refuge from all things which may obstruct, or cause trouble. She also embodies many qualities of the ‘feminine’, known as the mother of mercy and compassion, giving relief from bad karma.
His Holiness The Dalai Lama talks about Buddhism not as a religion, but as a spiritual guidance trough life. His Holiness the Dalai Lama took the opportunity to speak to Swiss National Television SRF about Muslim – Buddhist dialogue, the situation in Burma (Myanmar) and the European refugee crisis.
A stupa is generally known as the most important architectural symbol in Buddhism, but few are aware of the fact that the structure pre-dates Buddhism itself. It has existed through pre-Buddhist times in India in some shape or form. The remains of the dead, mostly of someone important, were stored in a mound to pay homage and reverence to.
Also known as Peace Pagda or Peace Pagoda, the Shanti Stupa of Dhauli Giri is a one-of-a-kind stupa near Bhubaneswar in India.
Those who have traveled to countries in Southeast Asia must have come across the beautiful stupas at least once. The stupas are majestically gorgeous places that are used for sacred purposes and meditation. It is often designed to resemble the shape of a bell and is embellished with gold and gold paint, shiny adornments, and precious stones, etc. For Buddhists, stupas are the shrines of great significance and prestige.
Thirty six meters high and one of the largest stupas in Asia, the Bouddhanath Stupa was built around the 5th century. For centuries, the stupa has held an important place as a spiritual site for Tibetan and Nepali Buddhists.
