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'Swayambhunath' (Devnagari: स्वयम्भूनाथ स्तुप, English (rarely):'Monkey Temple') is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in the area of Kathmandu. It sits on a hill in the west of Kathmandu overlooking the city.

Contents

Mythology

History

Architecture

Symbolism

Gallery

Footnotes

References

External links

Mythology

According to Swayambhu Purana, the entire valley was once filled with an enormous lake, out of which grew a lotus. The valley came to be known as Swayambhu, meaning "Self-Created." The name comes from and eternal self-existent flame (''svyaṃbhu'') over which a sūpa was later built.^[1]
The Bodhisatva Manjushri had a vision of the lotus at Swayambhu and traveled there to worship it. In order to make the site more accessible to human pilgrims, Manjushri cut a gorge through the mountains surrounding the valley. The water drained out of the lake, leaving the valley in which Kathmandu now lies. The lotus was transformed into a hill and the flower become the Swayambhunath stupa.

History

Swayambhunath is among the oldest religious sites in Nepal. According to the Gopālarājavaṃśāvalī Swayambhunath was founded by the great-grandfather of King Mānadeva (464-505 CE), King Vṛsadeva, about the beginning of the 5th century CE. This seems to be confirmed by a damaged stone inscription found at the site.^[1] The history of the site itself apparently dates back to long before the arrival of Buddhism in the Kathmandu valley.
Although the site is considered Buddhist, the place is revered by both Buddhists and Hindus. Numerous Hindu kings are known to have paid their homage to the temple including the most powerful king of Kantipur- Pratap Malla.

Architecture

The stupa consists of a dome at the base. Above the dome, there is a cubical structure present with eyes of Buddha looking in all four directions. There are pentagonal Toran present above each of the four sides with statues engraved in them. Behind and above the torana there are thirteen tiers. Above all the tiers, there is a small space above which the Gajur is present.

Symbolism

The dome at the base represents the entire world. When a person awakes (represented by eyes of mercy and self knowledge) from the bonds of the world, the person reaches the state a bit higher. After that, the person has to cross thirteen stages represented by the tiers before attaining Nirvana.
Each morning before dawn, hundreds of pilgrims will ascend the 365 steps that lead up the hill, file past the gilded Vajra (Tibetan: Dorje) and two lions guarding the entrance, and begin a series of clockwise circumambulations of the stupa (Newari Buddhists circle in the opposite, counterclockwise direction). On each of the four sides of the main stupa there are a pair of big eyes. These eyes are symbolic of God's all-seeing perspective. There is no nose between the eyes but rather a representation of the number one in the Nepali alphabet, signifying that the single way to enlightenment is through the Buddhist path. Above each pair of eyes is another eye, the third eye, signifying the wisdom of looking within. No ears are shown because it is said the Buddha is not interested in hearing prayers in praise of him.

Gallery

Footnotes

1. Shaha, Rishikesh. ''Ancient and Medieval Nepal''. (1992), p. 122. Manohar Publications, New Delhi. ISBN 81-85425-69-8.
2. Shaha, Rishikesh. ''Ancient and Medieval Nepal''. (1992), p. 122. Manohar Publications, New Delhi. ISBN 81-85425-69-8.

References

★ ''Swoyambu Historical Pictorial''. Edited by Richard Josephon. (1985). Satya Ho. Kathmandu.

★ ''Psycho-cosmic Symbolism of the Buddhist Stūpa''. Lama Anagarika Govinda. (1976) Dharma Books. Berkeley, California. ISBN 0-913546-35-6; ISBN 0-913546-36-4 (pbk).

External links

★ Images from Swayambhunath

★ Swayambhunath images on flickr