Forests of Imagination

The symbolism of the stupa and the elements

talk by Padmayogini (Wendy Le Ber) from the 2006 event

This morning I want to say something about the elements and their relationship with the stupa another great symbol in the Buddhist tradition. I have taken some of my information from a booklet with talks by Sangharakshita on the Tantric symbolism of the stupa.

In Buddhist tradition the stupa arose after the Parinirvana of the Buddha, when he passed away in deep meditation. the physical body of the Buddha remained, and he was cremated. After the cremation his disciples search for relics and fragments of bone they kept these and venerated them. According to tradition many messengers from all the directions, sent by Kings nations and people came to where the Buddha had passed away and wanted a share of the relics. It was nearly a battle apparently over these relics, until a wise man talked to all sides and suggested that they divide up the relics into eight equal portions. This was done and the relics were taken away and enshrined and in some cases mounds of earth would heaped over the relic. These simple mounds similar to other burial mounds are the basis of the stupa.

Over the years the stupa became more and more complex, its architecture differed from country to country, from the chortens of Tibet to the pagodas of China and the meaning of the stupa became more complicated as other symbols were incorporated into it.

In Tantric Buddhism the symbolism of the five elements and the symbolism of the stupa itself was signified by transposing the wide symbolism from the material plane to the mental and spiritual plane The stupa came to be not only a symbol of the world without but of the world within, the world of mind and the transformation of energy or consciousness

At the base of the stupa is the square or cube, and this is a symbol of the earth element and its colour is yellow above the cube is the sphere which is associated with the element water and the colour white o On top of that is the triangle or cone that is associated with fire and the colour of red Above that is the pale green sort of hemisphere, the flat surface of which is uppermost, sometimes it has a bow like shape and this is associated with the element air. Space is the colour blue and then there is the flaming drop the symbol of unification.

we might have already over the weekend started to have some response to the element in terms of shape or form or colour it might be interesting to see if you have any of these association with your own experience of the elements.

The cube or square the earth element, is solid, a fairly immovable shape. It sits very securely on the ground and has a sense of stability and permanence. Indeed the brick or the cut stone have been used in architecture for many centuries and across many traditions. In terms of energy it Is said to represent a solid and relatively fixed position. It is grounded secure and supportive. The cube and earth energy also represent a certain form of locked energy as well as stability and grounded ness. If we find ourselves caught in some sort of impasse we can use the symbol of the stupa and bring the other elements to mind and so expand our awareness or consciousness and move into a more flexible understanding.

The water element and the sphere, are associated with the ebb and flow of water Sangharakshita says Water represents energy flowing between two points for instance between love and hate pleasure and pain it represents partially liberated energy, in the Tantric tradition. In this manner we might experience swinging between two different responses to the situation and again we may need to bring in our whole experience of the stupa.

The shape of the triangle or the cone, is associated with the fire element which may have the energy of overwhelming joy or bliss, mental conflicts can be resolved and there is continuous creativity .Energy here connected with fire can be bright, quick and illuminating. It may also seem like a flash in the pan, as fire needs fuel to burn and when the fuel runs out there is no more fire The energy of fire also moves in an upward s direction

The pale green hemisphere that represents the element air has a radiating quality of energy. Air symbolises energy pouring from an Inexhaustible fountain, just like the light pouring from the sun. The energy of air also radiates in all directions at once and in this way is energy liberated.

On top of a Buddhist Stupa is also the flaming drop it comes above a white moon crescent and a red sun disc and it is the unification of the two representing wisdom and compassion ,truth and the highest level of consciousness.

So this very briefly is a little taste of the symbolism of the stupa and its associations with the elements, The stupa itself represents all the qualities and potentiality that we have, We are not stuck with one particular aspect or type of energy but probably experience a combination of all these things even on a day-to-day basis.

We can look out today to see if we recognise anything of the symbolism of the stupa in our own experience, and notice what shapes and forms we choose to represent these elements in our experience.