India is the place where Buddhism has its most enduring roots. The locations in India associated with the four significant episodes in Buddha’s life—his birth, enlightenment, first sermon, and death—were Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, and Kasia, respectively. As a result, Buddhists revere these locations as holy. Many customs, beliefs, and practices make up Buddhism, religion, and philosophy founded primarily on the teachings of King Siddhartha, who eventually became known as Lord Gautama Buddha after achieving Nirvana. After Lord Buddha passed away, buildings were constructed using conventional materials like mud, burnt bricks, and stone to house the Master’s relics in the center of a domed structure.
With the growth of increasingly elaborate houses of worship featuring constructed forms like domes with cardinal entrance points, Buddhist architecture gained respect. Regarding construction materials, the building is similar to Hinduism and Hindu architecture. Thanks to a stupa’s exquisite decorating and recognizable dome, it acquired a new character. Stupas are therefore distinguished from a conventional temple form.
Indian Buddhist Architecture
Buddhism and Hinduism experienced parallel architectural development as symbols representing different facets of the Buddha’s life emerged. The Indian emperor Ashoka, who chose architectural monuments to promote Buddhism throughout his vast Magadha Empire, is credited with establishing Buddhism as its official state religion.
Worship spaces developed more elaborate architecture, with domes featuring the cardinal directions. The buildings that were built closely resembled Hindu architecture. At that period, the Hindu temple had a straightforward square design with a sacrifice area in front and a walking path encompassed by a ceiling supported by columns. Thanks to the stupa’s exquisite decorating and recognizable dome, it acquired a new character. Stupas might therefore be distinguished from an Indian conventional temple form. Buddhism expanded to many other nations from India, where stupas were built or erected in various shapes.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Art, Sculpture, Architecture, And Painting:
Buddhism made some fascinating contributions to Indian culture in the shape of sculptures and buildings, among other art forms such as painting and sculpture. Buddhism’s growth contributed to the rise in Buddhist sculpture and art, one of the other factors that distinguished Buddhism’s importance. Buddhism changed art during Asoka’s reign, which heavily emphasized the use of stone in both art and building. Stupas, chaityas, and pillars were built in various designs and scales.
Among the most exquisite examples of art and architecture are the stupas in Buddhist holy places such as Sanchi, Sarnath, Rummindei, Bharhut, and Jaugad. They also contain some of the most significant Buddhist artworks and texts that have influenced humanity. Art schools like the well-known Gandhara and Mathura created numerous Buddha and Bodhisattva statues. For hundreds of years and still to this day, Buddhists, Hindus, and Jainas have dedicated cave temples as places of worship.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Three Essential Types Of Structures
The most well-known types of Buddhist architecture were stupas, which are dome-shaped buildings constructed to hold the relics of the Buddha. An outstanding illustration of Buddhist architecture is in Sanchi’s Great Stupa, built during the Mauryan era. Concentric roads, railings, and gateways encircle the stupa’s center chamber, which contains the Buddha’s remains. The toranas, or doorways, are embellished with depicting scenes from the Buddha’s life and earlier incarnations.
Chaitya halls, also known as prayer halls, were another notable style of Buddhist construction. These spaces were designed to hold enormous congregations for group worship. The word Chaitya is thought to have descended from the word Chita, which means ashes and represents the ashes deserving of adoration. A wooden structure with a thatched roof and a tiny stupa at one end may have been the initial form of the Chaitya Hall of Devotion or shrine of adoration. However, more was needed to shelter a sizable gathering during the monsoon season. Therefore, the necessity to construct substantial, long-lasting shelters for shelter must have been felt.
The natural caves must have been initially exploited in a partially completed state. Rock-cut architecture is said to have started a new trend in Indian architecture later on due to demand based on unique requirements.
Brick or rock excavation was used to build viharas or monasteries. A doorway leading to an assembly hall, dining hall, meditation chamber, or prayer hall was used to enter the main entrance. These monastery structures were independent structures made up of chambers and Chaitya halls attached to stupas, which served as the main objects of worship. The monks lived in the chambers as their primary living accommodations.
They had beds made of platforms carved out of rock. Vihara columns had decorative carvings on them. All Viharas have unique designs. Stone was chosen because it can be permanently molded into structures. Initially, these Viharas were only monks’ homes built from thatch and bamboo, usually near trade routes.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Buddhism’s Influence On Ancient Indian Art
Ancient Indian art was greatly influenced by Buddhism, particularly under the Maurya (322 BCE-185 BCE) and Gupta (320 CE-550 CE) empires. As Buddhism gained popularity, an unusual artistic movement highly influenced by Buddhist doctrine and iconography emerged.
Rock-cut structures, paintings, sculptures, and other types of Buddhist art were all produced in ancient India.
Buddhist art frequently featured scenes from the Buddha’s life, stories from the Jataka collection, and other myths and legends. Stupas and viharas, among other Buddhist monuments and buildings, were frequently decorated with these motifs.
The Ajanta caverns, a collection of rock-cut caverns in Maharashtra that date back to the Gupta era, are one of the most well-known examples of Buddhist art from ancient India. The caves are decorated with elaborate murals and sculptures that show scenes from the Buddha’s life and the lives of other significant figures from Buddhist mythology. The brilliant colors and minute details used in the paintings of Ajanta make them stand out as some of the best examples of ancient Indian art.
Ancient Indian sculpture also included a significant amount of Buddhist sculpture. The Buddha was frequently portrayed in various positions, such as the dhyanasana or contemplative posture, and was often accompanied by Bodhisattvas, holy beings who had gained enlightenment but decided to stay in the world to aid others in doing the same. Buddhist stupas and other Buddhist constructions were frequently decorated with sculptures typically constructed of stone, metal, or terracotta.
Stupas, chaityas, and viharas dominated the architectural styles in ancient Indian art and architecture due to Buddhism. The Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and other figures from Buddhist mythology became widely represented in Buddhist art, especially sculptures, and reliefs.
