Cetiya
Encyclopedia
The cetiya, "reminders" or "memorials" (Sanskrit: caitya), are objects and places used by Theravada
Buddhists
to remember Gautama Buddha
. These are traditionally divided into three categories: śarīraka, pieces of the body, paribhogaka, things he used, and udeśaka, reminders. A fourth category, dhammaka, was added later to remind monks that the true memory of Gautama Buddha can be found in his teachings. While these can be broadly called Buddhist symbolism
, the emphasis tends to be on a historical connection to the Buddha and not a metaphysical one.
in Sri Lanka is the most notable site where a relic is visibly preserved, but hundreds of such sites were created, in the architectural form now called a stupa
. In Thai, these stupas are called chedī, retaining the second half of the phrase dhātu cetiya; in Lao they are called that after the first half. Beyond the stupa itself, sarīraka are used across the Buddhist world, in such quantity that not all could be legitimate; in this sense the śarīraka functions mainly as a symbol, with the importance of authenticity varying between cultures.
More relics of bone were discovered during archaeological excavations of a stupa built in Peshawar
, Pakistan by the Kushan Emperor Kanishka
in the second century A.D. In 1909, three pieces of bone (approx 1½ in. or 3.8 cm long) were found in a crystal reliquary in a bronze casket bearing an effigy of Kanishka and an inscription recording his gift. They were removed to Mandalay
, Burma by the Earl of Minto, Viceroy and Governor General of India, in 1910, for safekeeping. They were originally kept in a stupa in Mandalay but this has become dilapidated and is used for housing. The relics are meanwhile being kept safely in a nearby monastery until funds can be found to build a new stupa to house the relics next to Mandalay Hill. The crystal reliquary holding the bones is now enclosed in a gold and ruby casket provided by Burmese devotees. The miniature gold stupa in which they were transported to Mandalay may be seen in the photo to the right of the modern ruby and gold reliquary.
The body parts of especially powerful monks are also called śarīra
, but these usually take on the form of bright jewels formed during the cremation of the body.
. However, the category also includes all places the Buddha visited, so Bodh Gaya itself functions as a paribhogaka. The most common paribhogaka is the bodhi tree
, which was transplanted across Southeast Asia; cuttings of the original bodhi tree apparently still survive today in Sri Lanka.
Another extremely common paribhoga-cetiya is the Buddha footprint
, an imprint made across the Buddhist world to symbolize the ground that Buddha walked on and the powerful size of his "dharma body
". Sometimes these footprints are also classed as udeśaka, a representation of the Buddha's foot, or śarīraka, implying that the footprint was the foot itself.
The final category, udeśaka or uddesika cetiya, literally translates as "indicative reminders" or "votive objects", for example images of the Buddha. Udeśaka do not have any physical connection to the Buddha but still serve as relics because they were created in his memory. Originally udeśaka were secondary to paribhogaka and śarīraka, but with the influence of Greco-Buddhism
statues of the Buddha were produced in great numbers, followed later by paintings and other images. The dharmacakra
, wheel of dharma, falls under this category as a reminder of Buddhist insight.
The conventional view has long been this meant that early Buddhist art
was aniconic. However, this view has recently been the subject of debate among specialists
. There does not seem to have been any prohibition of creating images of the Buddha. Rather, creating images of the paribhogaka was regarded as a more fulfilling and meaningful symbol by the early Buddhists, evoking the discovery of Buddhist understanding (prajñā/pañña). Whether these scenes contained substitutes for the image of Buddha himself is currently under debate.
Theravada
Theravada ; literally, "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching", is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. It was founded in India...
Buddhists
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
to remember Gautama Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
. These are traditionally divided into three categories: śarīraka, pieces of the body, paribhogaka, things he used, and udeśaka, reminders. A fourth category, dhammaka, was added later to remind monks that the true memory of Gautama Buddha can be found in his teachings. While these can be broadly called Buddhist symbolism
Buddhist symbolism
Buddhist symbolism is the use of Buddhist art to represent certain aspects of dhamma, which began in the 4th century BCE. Anthropomorphic symbolism appeared from around the 1st century CE with the arts of Mathura and the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara, and were combined with the previous symbols...
, the emphasis tends to be on a historical connection to the Buddha and not a metaphysical one.
Śarīraka
The śarīraka or dhātu cetiya, reminders of Buddha's body, are the category commonly considered "relics" today by Western observers, and were responsible for major forms of Buddhist art and symbolism, although they only constitute one of the three categories of reminders. Most frequently preserved parts of Buddha's body are tooth and bone, because these parts would remain after the rest of the body decayed. The relic of the tooth of the BuddhaRelic of the tooth of the Buddha
The Sacred Relic of the tooth of Buddha is venerated in Sri Lanka as a relic of the founder of Buddhism.-The relic in India:...
in Sri Lanka is the most notable site where a relic is visibly preserved, but hundreds of such sites were created, in the architectural form now called a stupa
Stupa
A stupa is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the remains of Buddha, used by Buddhists as a place of worship....
. In Thai, these stupas are called chedī, retaining the second half of the phrase dhātu cetiya; in Lao they are called that after the first half. Beyond the stupa itself, sarīraka are used across the Buddhist world, in such quantity that not all could be legitimate; in this sense the śarīraka functions mainly as a symbol, with the importance of authenticity varying between cultures.
More relics of bone were discovered during archaeological excavations of a stupa built in Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
, Pakistan by the Kushan Emperor Kanishka
Kanishka
Kanishka ) was an emperor of the Kushan Empire, ruling an empire extending from Bactria to large parts of northern India in the 2nd century of the common era, and famous for his military, political, and spiritual achievements...
in the second century A.D. In 1909, three pieces of bone (approx 1½ in. or 3.8 cm long) were found in a crystal reliquary in a bronze casket bearing an effigy of Kanishka and an inscription recording his gift. They were removed to Mandalay
Mandalay
Mandalay is the second-largest city and the last royal capital of Burma. Located north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, the city has a population of one million, and is the capital of Mandalay Region ....
, Burma by the Earl of Minto, Viceroy and Governor General of India, in 1910, for safekeeping. They were originally kept in a stupa in Mandalay but this has become dilapidated and is used for housing. The relics are meanwhile being kept safely in a nearby monastery until funds can be found to build a new stupa to house the relics next to Mandalay Hill. The crystal reliquary holding the bones is now enclosed in a gold and ruby casket provided by Burmese devotees. The miniature gold stupa in which they were transported to Mandalay may be seen in the photo to the right of the modern ruby and gold reliquary.
The body parts of especially powerful monks are also called śarīra
Sarira
Śarīra are generic terms for "Buddhist relics", although in common usage these terms usually refer to a kind of pearl or crystal-like bead-shaped objects that are purportedly found among the cremated ashes of Buddhist spiritual masters...
, but these usually take on the form of bright jewels formed during the cremation of the body.
Paribhogaka
The paribhoga cetiya, things used by the Buddha, would seem at first to be a nonexistent category today, as objects like his robes and begging bowl have long since decayed, and were not symbolically preserved like the (contentious) Shroud of TurinShroud of Turin
The Shroud of Turin or Turin Shroud is a linen cloth bearing the image of a man who appears to have suffered physical trauma in a manner consistent with crucifixion. It is kept in the royal chapel of the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, northern Italy. The image on the shroud is...
. However, the category also includes all places the Buddha visited, so Bodh Gaya itself functions as a paribhogaka. The most common paribhogaka is the bodhi tree
Bodhi tree
The Bodhi Tree, also known as Bo , was a large and very old Sacred Fig tree located in Bodh Gaya , under which Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher and founder of Buddhism later known as Gautama Buddha, is said to have achieved enlightenment, or Bodhi...
, which was transplanted across Southeast Asia; cuttings of the original bodhi tree apparently still survive today in Sri Lanka.
Buddha footprint
The footprint of the Buddha is an imprint of Gautama Buddha's one or both feet. There are two forms: natural, as found in stone or rock, and those made artificially...
, an imprint made across the Buddhist world to symbolize the ground that Buddha walked on and the powerful size of his "dharma body
Dharmakaya
The Dharmakāya is a central idea in Mahayana Buddhism forming part of the Trikaya doctrine that was possibly first expounded in the Aṣṭasāhasrikā prajñā-pāramitā , composed in the 1st century BCE...
". Sometimes these footprints are also classed as udeśaka, a representation of the Buddha's foot, or śarīraka, implying that the footprint was the foot itself.
Udeśaka
Greco-Buddhism
Greco-Buddhism, sometimes spelled Graeco-Buddhism, refers to the cultural syncretism between Hellenistic culture and Buddhism, which developed between the 4th century BCE and the 5th century CE in the area covered by the Indian sub-continent, and modern Afghanistan, Pakistan and north-western...
statues of the Buddha were produced in great numbers, followed later by paintings and other images. The dharmacakra
Dharmacakra
The Dharmachakra , lit. "Wheel of Dharma" or "Wheel of Life" is a symbol that has represented dharma, the Buddha's teaching of the path to enlightenment, since the early period of Indian Buddhism. A similar symbol is also in use in Jainism...
, wheel of dharma, falls under this category as a reminder of Buddhist insight.
The conventional view has long been this meant that early Buddhist art
Buddhist art
Buddhist art originated on the Indian subcontinent following the historical life of Siddhartha Gautama, 6th to 5th century BC, and thereafter evolved by contact with other cultures as it spread throughout Asia and the world....
was aniconic. However, this view has recently been the subject of debate among specialists
Aniconism in Buddhism
Since the beginning of Buddhist art history in the 1890s, the earliest phase, lasting until the 1st century CE, has been described as aniconic; the Buddha was only represented through symbols such as an empty throne, Bodhi tree, a riderless horse , Buddha's footprints, and the dharma wheel...
. There does not seem to have been any prohibition of creating images of the Buddha. Rather, creating images of the paribhogaka was regarded as a more fulfilling and meaningful symbol by the early Buddhists, evoking the discovery of Buddhist understanding (prajñā/pañña). Whether these scenes contained substitutes for the image of Buddha himself is currently under debate.