Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Stupas are Buddhist structures constructed to house relics of the Buddha and of other influential people of the religion, and to commemorate several moments in the life of the Buddha. Their main purpose is to serve as places where the practitioner goes to be spiritually enlightened while in the presence of the relics and the stupa itself. To help achieve this out, Stupas have elaborate symbolic imagery and architecture that communicates to the viewer information about Buddhism and how they can improve their lives so they can reach Nirvana (in other words a state of spiritual perfection). For me, this intricate symbology is what attracted me to decide do this project. I find interesting that the purpose of these structures is to teach, inspire and enlighten the practitioner through the symbols they use, and that as Buddhism spread the meanings behind these symbols were preserved.
Next part: The video...
2 comments:
Sounds like an interesting thesis.
I really like the idea here and I'm guessing this will help you focus more on your project. I know a bit about Buddhism but little or nothing about stupas. I know you described it in this post but I hope in future posts you go into more detail about exactly what goes on inside these shrines. Looking forward to reading more and checking out more art.
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