Important Buildings Associated With Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion practiced by nearly half a million worshipers around the world. It practices self-improvement through meditation, relaxation and many other techniques. It predates Christianity, and many dedicated temples and buildings are important to the religion and its adherents.
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Haeinsa Temple
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The Haeinsa Temple is located in South Korea. The word "Haeinsa" means "Temple of Reflection of a Smooth Sea" in Korean. This building was built in 802 and is very important to Buddhism and Buddhists in general. The original building burned down in a fire in 1817. Everything was lost in the fire except for the Buddhist scriptures. Also known as the Tripitaka Koreana, it was made out of woodblocks, making its survival from the fire incredible. The Tripitaka Koreana is written on 81,258 woodblocks and is considered a religious treasure.
Wat Arun
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The Wat Arun is a Buddhist building located on the Chao Phraya River in Thon Buri in Thailand. Its name means "Temple of the Dawn." It was started in 1809 by King Rama II and finished by his son King Rama III. It is one of the oldest landmarks in Bangkok. It represents the importance of architecture in Buddhist buildings. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, which is considered the center of the universe in the Buddhist religion. Wat Arun is used in the festival Royal Tod Kathin, one of the largest celebrations in Thailand. It is a celebration of Buddhist and Thai history.
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Shwedagon Pagoda
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Swedagon is located in Yangon in Burma. Its name can be translated to "Golden Pagoda" or "Golden Temple." It is considered the holiest shrine in all of Burma. It is estimated to have been built in the 6th and 10th century, but the history of its creation has been lost to history. It has a large golden stupa or shrine which stretches into the sky to about 326 feet. The temple is filled with many golden stupas. It is considered religiously important as it houses relics from the four Buddhas.
Borobudur
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Borobudur is located in Java in Indonesia. It is located near the city of Yogyakarta. It is the largest of all known Buddhist temples, built out of lava rock. It was probably completed in the early 8th century. It has hundreds of different statues and relief panels of Buddha and includes many descriptive paintings. These pictures tell different stories and anecdotes about Buddha and his teachings. It was abandoned in the 14th century and became overrun by the jungle. It was rediscovered in the18th century by the British.
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- Photo Credit buddha image by Lytse from Fotolia.com
