Boudhanath Stupa - History & Description about this Stupa

Boudhanath was built shortly after the death of Lord Buddha, and is the largest single Stupa (Chhorten) in the world.Today it remains an important place of pilgrimage and meditation for Tibetan Buddhists and local Nepalis. The stupa is on the ancient trade route from Tibet which enters the Kathmandu valley.

HISTORY OF BOUDHANATH STUPA:

The legend of its construction begins with a mother, Jadzima. She was born into an ordinary family after the reduction of her religious merit from heaven She wanted to build a stupa very much, so she asked the king of Nepal for permission to get the land that measure the skin of a sheep to build the stupa. Normally, the king wouldn’t give such permission, but somehow, maybe due to her karma, the king said, “Okay, it can be done.” This was just slipped out of his mouth because of which the Boudha Stupa is also known as Jha lung Kha Shor; Jha Lung, name of the mother who build the stupa and Kha Shor which literally means slip of mouth.

Mother Jadzima later made a long thread of the skin of sheep and measure around the land on which later the Boudha Stupa was built. The mother passed into nirvana after she completed up to the vase, the dome-like structure. After three more years of ceaseless efforts, the sons complete the Boudha Stupa, totaling nearly seven years of work. 

It is believed that thousands of Buddhas and Heavenly Deities incarnated as Lamas in Boudha Stupa and did consecration of the stupa. During the consecration of the stupa, the rays of Bodhisattvas entered in the song from heaven and the holy sound was heard in the sky. Therefore this stupa is viewed with great reverence and also known as “All-Encompassing" or "Sangye Tong Dupai Chorten."

After they finished it, all four brothers stood in front of the stupa and prayed very devoutly. The oldest brother made a prayer, “May I become a Dharma king in Tibet, the Snow Land” and said to be reborn as King Trisong Detsen. The second brother heard his prayer and said, “May I become a minister to help him spread the Dharma" and as an answer to his prayer, he was reborn as the the minister Bhami Thri Zher. Then, the third brother prayed, “May I be an abbot to pass on the lineage of ordinations in Tibet” and said to be reborn as Bodhisattva Śāntarakśita, an enlightened teacher in Tibet. And the forth brother prayed, “May I become a powerful yogi when there are obstacles in spreading Dharma in Tibet" and so was incarnated as the enlightened Guru Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche), an enlightened and tantric yogi who suppressed the demons who were barriers to the religion and conserved and protected the religion from Demonic attacks. There were many animals standing around who helped in transported the bricks and the four brothers forgot to pray for them so in disappointment it is said that those animals made negative prayers infront of the Boudha Stupa and also said to be fulfilled.

Therefore, it’s also called wish fulfilling. Anybody who makes prayers to the stupa is fulfilled because it is so powerful that the wishes of and especially when you see the stupa for the very first time, whatever you pray for, it will succeed. Even from the airplane, the first time you see it, you must do your best prayer.

SYMBOLIC DESCRIPTION OF BOUDHANATH STUPA:

From above, Boudhanath Stupa looks like a giant mandala, or diagram of the Buddhist cosmos. And as in all Tibetan mandalas, four of the Dhyani Buddhas mark the cardinal points, with the fifth, Vairocana, enshrined in the center (in the white hemisphere of the stupa). The five Buddhas also personify the five elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether), which are represented in the stupa's architecture.

There are other symbolic numbers here as well: the nine levels of Boudhanath Stupa represent the mythical Mt. Meru, center of the cosmos; and the 13 rings from the base to the pinnacle symbolize the path to enlightenment, or "Bodhi" — hence the stupa's name.

At the bottom, an irregular 16-sided wall surrounds the stupa, with frescoes in the niches. In addition to the Five Dhyani Buddhas, Boudhanath Stupa is closely associated with the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Padmapani), whose 108 forms are depicted in sculptures around the base. The mantra of Avalokiteshvara - Om Mani Padme Hum - is carved on the prayer wheels beside the images of Avalokiteshvara around the base of the stupa.

The base of the stupa consists of three large platforms, decreasing in size. These platforms symbolize Earth, and here you can look out at the mountains while listening to the chants of the devout doing kora, walking around the stupa praying.

Next come two circular plinths supporting the hemisphere of the stupa, symbolizing water. As at Swayabunath, Boudhanath is topped with a square tower bearing the omnipresent Buddha eyes on all four sides.

Instead of a nose is a question-mark-type symbol that is actually the Nepali character for the number 1, symbolizing unity and the one way to reach enlightenment—through the Buddha's teachings. Above this is the third eye, symbolizing the wisdom of the Buddha.

A pyramid with 13 steps, representing the ladder to enlightenment, tops the square tower. The triangular shape is the abstract form for the element of fire. At the top of the tower is a gilded canopy, the embodiment of air, with above it a gilded spire, symbolic of ether and the Buddha Vairocana. Prayer flags tied to the stupa flutter in the wind, carrying mantras and prayers heavenward.

The main entrance to the upper platform of Boudhanath Stupa is on the north side. Here Amoghasiddhi, progenitor of the future Buddha, presides. Below Amoghasiddhi is the Buddha Maitreya, the future Buddha.

Prayer to Boudha Stupa by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö