stupa

A stupa is a mound- or hemisphere-shaped Buddhist reliquary monument that enshrines sacred relics, commemorates significant events, or marks sacred spaces. The word derives from Sanskrit stupa, meaning “heap” or “to pile up,” and in Pali sources it is often called cetiya. Early stupas began as simple earth or brick mounds over relics and evolving ceremonial sites, with significant stone construction appearing in the Indian subcontinent from the 3rd century BCE onward.

Architecturally, a stupa typically consists of a hemispherical dome (anda) atop a base, a square railing (harmika) at the top, and a vertical pole (yasti) crowned by an umbrella or parasol (chatra). The structure is surrounded by a circumambulatory path (pradakshina) for ritual walking, and many stupas are entered through decorated gateways (toranas) that depict Buddhist narratives. In different regions the design is adapted: Indian, Sri Lankan, Nepalese, Tibetan, Chinese, and Japanese variations reflect local styles while preserving the fundamental symbolic axis from base to apex.

Regional variations include the Sri Lankan dagoba, the Tibetan chorten, the Chinese and Japanese stupa forms integrated into pagodas, and Nepal’s grand Boudhanath stupa. The stupa functions as a reliquary, a pilgrimage site, and a pedagogy of Buddhist cosmology, with the dome symbolizing the earth and the spire indicating enlightenment and the path beyond.

Historically, stupas spread from India along trade routes to Central and East Asia, influencing countless monuments and rituals. Notable examples include the Great Stupa at Sanchi, the Dhamek Stupa in Sarnath, the Boudhanath Stupa in Nepal, Shwedagon Pagoda in Myanmar, and the central stupa of Borobudur in Indonesia. Today, new stupas continue to be built within Buddhist communities worldwide.