The Svayambhu Stupa of Nepal
This gilded sculpture is a symbolic replica of the Svayambhu (Self-Born) Stupa, a monumental Buddhist reliquary in Kathmandu, Nepal. The most important monument of Nepalese Buddhism, it is called “self-born” because it is thought to have appeared from a lotus blossom; since lotus flowers bloom on dark ponds without visible means of support, they are the symbol par excellence of self-existence in south Asian imagery.
The Story of the Stupa
According to the Nepalese story, an ancient buddha once planted a lotus seed in a lake in the Kathmandu Valley. The seed grew into a self-born lotus flower; its petals appear just beneath the central dome on this sculpture. Then, a five-colored beam of light spontaneously emanated from the lotus. Each color corresponded to one of five directional buddhas: blue Akshobhya (The Unshakeable) in the east, yellow Ratnasambhava (Jewel-Born) in the south, red Amitabha (Infinite Light) in the west, green Amoghasiddhi (Unfailing Attainment) in the north, and white Vairochana (The Effulgent) in the center.
Symbolism of the Stupa
Each of four buddhas appears on a visible face of the cube atop the dome. Although their characteristic colors are not used here, each buddha can be identified by a specific symbol and hand gesture: a symbolic thunderbolt appears above Akshobhya, who touches the earth; a jewel above Ratnasambhava, who makes the gift-giving gesture; a lotus above Amitabha, who folds his hands one atop the other in meditation; and two crossed ritual objects (vajras) above Amoghasiddhi, who holds up his right hand in the “no-fear” gesture. The fifth buddha, Vairochana, looks out with half-closed eyes from the four sides of the cube atop the dome.
Consecration of the Stupa
Buddhist stupas were created to contain the relics of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, his disciples, or even his teachings. This stupa, however, did not come to the Asian Art Museum with its consecration deposit intact. For this reason, when the museum moved to the Civic Center, Bhutanese lamas reconsecrated the sculpture. They included in the new consecration deposit traditional herbs, sacred texts, and a wooden central axis. After the ceremony, they resealed the stupa; the original seal, which includes the crossed vajras of Amoghasiddhi, is now displayed underneath the stupa. When consecrated and sealed, the stupa retains the power of the objects it holds inside. Since the spiritual potencies it contains cannot leak out of a stupa, the benefits of objects sealed within are theoretically available to worshipers forever.
Details
- Title : Svayambhu Stupa
- Year : 1700-1800
- Classification : Metal Arts
- Medium : Copper with gilding
- Dimension : H. 20 3/4 in x W. 10 in x D. 10 in, H. 52.7 cm x W. 25.4 cm x D. 25.4 cm
- Accession No : B60B212
- Country/ Geo-location : Nepal
- Collection : Asian Art Museum
- Credit Line : The Avery Brundage Collection
- Status : Not on display
- Department : Himalayan Art
- Location : Gallery 12
- Exhibition History : "The Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditational Art", LACMA, 10/5/2003-1/9/2004, Columbus Museum of Art, 2/8/2004-5/9/2004 "Enter the Mandala: Cosmic Centers and Mental Maps of Himalayan Buddhism", Asian Art Museum, 3/14/2014-10/26/2014 "Hidden Gold: Mining its Meaning in Asian Art", Asian Art Museum, 3/4/2016-5/8/2016
- Expanded Label: : This sculpture is a replica of the Svayambhu Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal, which is regarded by the Buddhists of Nepal as the center of the cosmos. As such, it constitutes the very location where creation initially took place. Accordingly, the stupa is replete with symbols of genesis. Its central feature is its dome, called an anda or egg in reference to its perceived generative capacity. Just beneath it are two rows of lotus petals. Since lotus flowers seemingly emerge by themselves from the bodies of water in which they grow, the lotus is a symbol of creation in many Asian cultures. Below the lotus is a square, stair-stepped feature pinched at its waist like an hourglass. This feature is the symbolic form of the central mountain of the cosmos, called Mount Meru. Viewed from above, another set of imagery associated with the center of creation can be discerned: it is the pattern of nested squares and circles called a mandala. The visual lesson is clear and simple: the place of origin lies at the center of the cosmos. In Buddhist thought, the same generative power embodied by the Svayambhu Stupa can be accessed by replicating the original. But there is a practical problem: in the physical world replicas of the creative center of the cosmos will decay over time. Such replicas must therefore be reconsecrated at intervals in order for the symbolism they employ to remain active. For the Svayambhu Stupa in Kathmandu, such reconsecration involves a critical but dangerous step: it must be regilded with a technique using fire and mercury. In such fire gilding, which you can see in the accompanying video, mercury is heated to 675 degrees Fahrenheit, and then finely ground gold is added to it. When the very poisonous mercury begins to smoke, the gold can be pushed through a sieve to create a butter-like amalgam. The amalgam is then applied to the surface of the object to be gilded. This Svayambhu replica was gilded using this technique. (Label from Exhibition Hidden Gold: Mining Its Meaning in Asian Art)