Bouddhanath Stupa

BOUDANATH

Boudhanath, the biggest stupa of Nepal, is located 5 km east of central Kathmandu. The stupa stands on a three- tiered platform raised over the crossed rectangles in order to bring out the yantra form.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                The claims made in various religious and literary texts regarding the erection of the stupa are varied and conflicting. However, the stupa is belived to have been built in the 5^th century A.D. during the reign of the Licchavi kings.

As in other stupa architecture, this stupa also has Vairochana at the center followed by Aksobhya, Ratna Sambhava, Amitabha and Amogha Siddhi in east, south, west and north directions repectively. Similarly, there are one hundred and eight small niches around the stupa accommodating the icons of Buddhas, Bodhisatavas ansd othe female deities along with conjoint figures in erotic poses. Likewise, at the bottom leve, it is surrounded with the praying wheels embossed with the famous mantra Om Mani Padme Hum fixed in more than hundred and forty niches.

According to a very popular legend in ancient time there was poor girl in a Magat village of Nepal. She was called Jyajima and was very pious and charitable by nature. She had a deep desire to spreas the faith of the Master and approached the King for a piece of land where she could build a stupa, Hence she built the stupa with the help of her four sons as it stands today.

According to another very popular legended, in the ancient days Kathmandu valley was under severe drought and this causes the King Dharma Dev much concern and anxiety. Finally, the King was advised by an astrologer that only the sacrifice of an ideal man with 32 virtues in front of the dry royal water could bring rainfall in the country. There were hardly anybody with such a great virtue except the King himself. So the following night he commanded his son to go to the dry water spouts near the royal palace at mid night and behead the person clad in white robe without looking at him. The prince (Mandev-the Licchavi King) obeyed his father and to his great horror found that it was none other than his own father that he beheaded.

In order to atone for the neinous sin, he prayed to goddesses Vajrayogini who ordered him to erect a stupa and practice rigorous penance. He practiced great penance in Gumvihar where Vajrayogini rests and it was due to his great devotion there sprang out the present stupa of Bouddhanath.

Oldfield an Orientalist has written that a Lama from Tibet had died on his pilgrimage to Nepal and the stupa was erected with his relies and named it as Khasa Chaitya after his name.

During Buddha Jayanti (birthday of Lord Buddha, April-May) on the full moon day a religious procession takes place with the icons of Buddha on a chariot. During Lhosar festival (Jan-Feb) the pilgrimage worship the Buddhist deities, light the incence and butter lamp day and night. On the full moon day of Janai Purnima (sacred thread festival, Aug-Sept) the stupa is decorated with oting the fact that it took 12 years to build the prayer flags and lights. Every twelve years a special ceremony is also observed denoting the fact that that it took 12 years to build the stupa. Some Buddhist texts also mention that it took 2555days (7 years) to complete the construction of the stupa. Dance, musical instruments, chant and hymns are performed to mark the event with great festivity.

The stupas along with the monasteries are centers of learning, cultural activities, prayers and mediation.