125 Informative Buddhist Temple Facts To Know Before Visiting One

Buddhism is a religion that originated in India and is based on a set of basic teachings provided by Gautama Buddha.

A person who follows Buddha's teachings is called a Buddhist. Buddhism's objective is to end the suffering that is brought about by greed and denial of humankind's real nature.

Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, lived between c. 566-480 BCE. Gautama, the son of an Indian king, lived a lavish life in his adulthood, enjoying the benefits of his social position.

Gautama was subsequently convinced that pain lay at the end of all existence after seeing an old man, a corpse, and a monk while roaming the forest. He gave up his royal crown and became a monk, depriving himself of material riches in order to grasp the truth about the world.

His quest came to an end when he was meditating under a tree and realized how to obtain salvation. Siddhartha Gautama was referred to as the Buddha, which means 'enlightened one'.

Buddha encouraged spiritual awareness and commitment. Siddhartha Gautama preached that spiritual accomplishment was no longer confined to certain castes, but was open to all, regardless of age, gender, or social status. Buddha spent the rest of his life traveling throughout India, passing on what he had learned to others.

Importance Of Buddhist Temples

Buddha's teachings are a source of inspiration for people all across the world. They are primarily intended to relieve pain and suffering.

Temples are important in Buddhist life because they allow Buddhists to connect, worship, and discuss their thoughts with others who share their beliefs.

The majority of Buddhists worship Buddha out of respect and admiration. They don't believe in God.

Buddhist temples are made of multi-story tower-like buildings which are built with stone, wood, or brick.

Reincarnation, or the idea that humans are reborn after death, is one of Buddhism's core beliefs.

The five elements of earth, fire, water, wisdom, and wind, are represented in Buddhist temples.

Buddhism teaches that until people achieve Nirvana, their journeys are a cycle of death and rebirth.

Nirvana is regarded to be the completion of the cycle, that can only be attained when all desires have been satisfied and real happiness has been discovered.

A shrine including Buddha statues, incense burner, flowers, and candles can be found in a Buddhist home.

During worship, an incense burner gives a pleasant scent that is meant to evoke the presence of Buddhist divinities.

Owning a shrine in one's house allows a Buddhist to worship on a daily basis.

When you are in a shrine, you should wear suitable clothes and avoid wearing shoes inside.

Make offerings and bow before the statue of Buddha.

Sit on the floor with crossed legs and don't stretch them out, as it is a symbol of disrespect.

Mahayana Buddhism is the greatest primary Buddhist tradition in existence today.

The Three Universal Truths, The Noble Eightfold Path, and The Four Noble Truths are Buddha's Basic Teachings and are extremely important to the religion.

The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism say that life is a source of pain because our wishes and desires do not match the reality of the universe which is constantly changing, therefore we suffer.

According to Buddhism, attachment is the source of misery, we not only fail to understand truth, but we also misunderstand it. The material world is in eternal transition, but we perceive it to be constant.

Buddhists believe it really is possible to stop the pain in this life by finding Nirvana. Nirvana refers to a liberation from concerns, fears, and thoughts, as well as the elimination of the ego. This can be achieved when you fully understand Dharma.

The Middle Way, which means the end of suffering, is a way of detachment from the material world, to a state of full calmness. It is accomplished by following the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Nobel Eightfold Path is one of Buddhism's most important teachings, thatt is said to ultimately lead to Arhatship.

There are eight practices that make up the Eightfold Path. These are the right view, speech, livelihood, effort, conduct, resolve, mindfulness, and Samedi.

Architecture Of Buddhist Temples

Buddhist temples are made up not only of their structures but also of their surroundings. The concept of a place of Buddhist worship as a symbol of the universe, is what impacted the construction of temples.

Sanchi temples have one of the oldest Buddhist structures still intact, which is focused on a stupa reported to have been constructed by King Ashoka.

Architecture, like Buddhist art, follows the expansion of Buddhism throughout East and South Asia, with ancient Indian models serving as a primary point of reference.

Buddhist sites later became increasingly artistic, with the inclusion of scripts and statuary, containing figures, especially on stupas.

Buddha, on the other hand, was not shown as a human figure until the first century CE. Symbols were used previously instead.

Stone structure stupa (sites where relics are kept), viharas (monasteries), and chaityas (prayer hall) are the three main features of Buddhist architecture.

A stupa is a Buddhist monument that stores holy treasures attributed to the Buddha.

Buddhists believe that a stupa offers enlightenment to the person who constructs and maintains it. Many Buddhists regard it as a site of worship.

Monks and nuns' residential rooms and meditation rooms are located in the viharas.

Chaityas are in the square base of the temple and are where Buddhists go to worship.

Buddhist tradition believes that there are five elements that make up the universe.

The five elements are represented in Buddhist temples in the square base, shrines, and stupas.

The temples have a square base representing planet Earth.

The peak at the very top represents wisdom and the spire is a symbol of fire.

Air is represented by the curve of a temple and water is represented by the dome.

Typical Buddhist building stupas in Sri Lanka were one of the world's largest brick buildings before the modern era.

Vatadage, spiral Buddhist structures were built around mini stupas, were another architectural development related to stone structure stupas and had ancient Sri Lankan design.

Buddhist architecture evolved in style as Buddhism spread, echoing comparable developments in Buddhist art.

Famous Buddhist Temples

In Buddhism, temples symbolize a Buddha's pure land or pure surrounding. Inner and outer peace are the goals of traditional Buddhist temples. A statue of Buddha can be found in every Buddhist temple.

Mahabodhi Temple is located in the Indian city of Bodh Gaya. The word Mahabodhi means 'great awakening'.

It is a historic Buddhist temple that symbolizes the area where Buddha is claimed to have acquired enlightenment.

Borobudur is the world's biggest and most historic Buddhist temple, located 25 mi (40.2 km) northwest of Yogyakarta on the Indonesian Island.

Bagan, often called Pagan, is the world's biggest collection of Buddhist temples, stupa, pagodas, and ruins, located on the banks of the Ayeyarwady River.

Tōdai-Ji is Japan's most well-known Buddhist temple. It has one of the biggest Buddhist sculptures.

The Shwedagon Pagoda, located in Yangon, is Burma's holiest Buddhist monastery.

The monastery is full of brilliant, vibrant stupas, but the main stupais the focal point, as it is 324.8 ft (99 m) tall and fully covered in gold, .

Manjushri Kadampa Buddhist Temple is an international Buddhist center and World Peace Temple in Cumbria, United Kingdom.

Thousands of pilgrims visit the Jokhang Temple or monasteries in Lhasa every year, making it the most important sacred place in Tibetan Buddhism.

Boudhanath, one of the world's biggest stupas, is also the heart of Tibetan Buddhism, harboring many Tibetan refugees.

Pha That Luang is one of Laos' most important monuments, centered in Vientiane. The typical Buddhist building stupa is divided into numerous levels, each representing a phase of Buddhist enlightenment.

The material world is represented at the lowest level, while the world of nothingness is represented at the greatest level.

Wat Arun Temple of Dawn, located on the Thonburi side, is one of Bangkok's oldest and most well-known Buddhist structures. The architects of this temple were inspired by Mount Meru, the Buddhist cosmology's point of the universe.

Haeinsa is one of South Korea's most sacred Buddhist temples.

Yumbulagang was the very first structure in Tibet, according to mythology, and it served as the palace of Nyatri Tsenpo, the first Tibetan ruler.

Its Tibetan name, Haeinsa, means 'Palace of Mother and Son.'

Key Gompa, also known as Ki Monastery, is a 1,000-year-old Tibetan monastery perched on a hill at an elevation of 13,667 ft (4166 m).

Fun Facts About Buddhist Temples

Buddhism spread throughout Asia, embracing a diverse set of ideas, spiritual practices, and techniques. Buddhism urges its believers to remove themselves from worldly life and dedicate themselves to precepts that will lead them to enlightenment. Here is a list of Buddhist temple facts that will help you understand more about their belief.

Siddharta Gautama is the founder of Buddhism. He was a royal prince who was born on the borders of present-day Nepal and India and eventually found enlightenment underneath a Bodhi tree.

Buddhism began in northern India, but King Ashoka assisted in the expansion of Buddhism into neighboring Asian countries.

Prayer wheels, or Mani wheels, are an important part of Buddhist monasteries and Buddhist worship.

Buddhism, which arrived in Sri Lanka in the third century BCE, had a profound influence on Sri Lankan art and architecture.

With at least 244 million Buddhists, China has the world's largest Buddhist population.

The stupa, a stone building made over what are believed to be Buddha's relics, is a typical Buddhist structure.

Siddharta Gautama was born on the borders of present-day Nepal and India, where Hinduism is practiced by the vast majority of the population.

Buddha's birth is celebrated as Vesak and it is the most important day in the religion.

He devoted most of his time trekking huge distances to propagate enlightenment philosophy.

The Gandharan Buddhist scriptures found in Eastern Afghanistan are the world's oldest Buddhist writings.

Outside of Asia, there are 488 million Buddhists.

Lan Tau Island is home to the world's highest public seated bronze Buddha.

China is home to the world's tallest statue of Buddha, which is 420 ft (128 m) tall.

Sichuan, China is home to the world's second-biggest carved Buddha statue.

Nirvana Day is a Buddhist festival This is an annual celebration that honors the death of Buddha, when he attained Nirvana. It is celebrated on February 15 and many will attend Buddhist temples on this day.

Gautama Buddha passed away at the age of 80.

The first of the five precepts of Buddhism are abstaining from taking someone's life, not taking what isn't offered to you, abstaining from exploiting your senses, avoiding from making false assertions, and abstaining from intoxicants that muddle the mind.

In Buddhist temples, people participate in prayers . Around monasteries you can hear monks chanting Mantras from holy scriptures, possibly performed by instruments.

A mantra is a single word or phrase that is recited repeatedly.

Guan Yin is a Buddhist goddess of high significance.

This goddess is occasionally represented as both female and male to demonstrate the divinity's ascension beyond gender. She is known as the 'Goddess of Mercy.'

Borobudur Temple Compound is a World Heritage Site in Central Java, Indonesia, consisting of three Buddhist temples.

The Dalai Lama is the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism's Vajrayana branch.

The present Dalai Lama is said to be the reincarnation of Avalokiteśvara. He is the 14th Dalai Lama to serve as a monk.

Buddhist monks decide not to marry and live in Buddhist monasteries so that they can concentrate on obtaining enlightenment.

Buddhist monks will give their blessings to a marriage, but they will never perform it.

Monks and nuns in Buddhism shave their heads as a symbolic indication of readiness to commit and let go of the past.

Monks study and serve on a daily basis. They also engage in physical activity, as well as harvesting and cooking.

When they are alone, they also meditate, which is the most essential thing they should do.

According to Buddha's teachings, monks are not permitted to work for a living.

It is the responsibility of the general disciples to provide the monks with their requirements, such as food, medication, and shelter, but not money.

Monks and nuns wear robes that are mainly brownish, although the various types of color did not represent the wearers' strictness at the time of Buddha.

Having to wear such robes will quickly differentiate a monk from the general public. Plus they will deter robbers, as monks have no valuable things with them.

There is no belief in God, according to the Buddhist teachings. It is up to each person to practice good karma and work toward enlightenment, as Buddha was able to do.

After a deep meditation underneath the Bodhi Tree, Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment.

Meditation is incredibly important to monks and they practice it multiple times a day.

Unlike most religions, monasteries do not have a central holy book, such as the Bible, Quran, or Bhagavad Gita.

Karma is a principle that highlights the relationship between cause and effect. It mainly discusses the outcomes of our behavior and how this affects our ideal future.

It is believed that it was via meditation that the Buddha attained ultimate enlightenment.

Zen meditation is a technique for training yourself to be at peace and be conscious of your role in the cosmos.

In 1974, Steve Jobs flew to India to study Zen Buddhism. He was influenced by its focus on concentration, clarity, and purity, which he attempted to include in his iPhone designs.

According to Buddhist teachings, heaven and hell do not exist.

Buddhists do not consume meat and follow a vegetarian diet.

Mahayana Buddhism, Vajrayana Buddhism, and Theravada Buddhism are the three primary forms of Buddhism in the modern age.

Mahayana Buddhism is the most widely practiced type of Buddhism, especially in China.

Theravada is the second most popular tradition, with the majority of practitioners in Southeast Asia.

Buddhism is frequently misunderstood by some people as a sort of psychology instead of a religion, due to its focus on mindfulness and meditation.

Partially closed eyes are frequently shown on Buddha statues, indicating a state of mindfulness through meditation and, moreover, detachment to the physical world.

In some Buddhist schools, the symbol of a Lotus flower represents the path to enlightenment.

It depicts wisdom because, like a Buddha or awakened one, it grows from mud and water to light.

Buddhists refer to the Teaching of Buddha as 'Dhamma', which signifies truth, law, and wisdom.

Arthur Schopenhauer was the first significant Western philosopher to be interested in Buddhism. He considered it to be the most intellectual and ethically advanced of all world faiths.

In Asia, Buddhists do not identify with their faith as 'Buddhism'.  Instead, they refer to it as Dharma which means the law of Buddha.

There is no single leader in Buddhism, such as the Pope in Christianity.

Nichirin Buddhism is a branch of the Mahayana Buddhists and is focused on the teachings of Nichiren, a Japanese Buddhist monk who lived in the 13th century.

In Japan, some Buddhist monks performed Sokushinbutsu. The monks and nuns ate a particular diet consisting of tree roots and nuts.

The Buddhist faith is represented by the Noble Eightfold Path symbol.

Its eight symbols signify the Middle Way, which implies that a Buddhist living should be neither too difficult, nor too comfortable.

In 538-552 CE, the Korean dynasty of Baekje established Buddhism in Japan.

Japanese people viewed Buddhism favorably because it matched their Shinto traditions.

Buddhist temples or monasteries have become an essential element of the local society since they provide schooling, a library, meals, and home to the poor.

Zen Buddhism originated in China and spread throughout Japan, Korea, and the west by the 20th century.

After Hinduism, which originated from India around the second century, Buddhism is Indonesia's second oldest religion.

Buddhist worship by going to the monasteries for significant events like weddings and festivals.

Weddings can be held at the bride's home or at the temple. After saying farewell to her family and praying to her forefathers, the bride concludes her prayers.

Some Buddhists believe in rebirth, while others do not. While practicing Buddhism's fundamental principles, Buddhists are free to believe in anything they want.

There is no Satan in Buddhism. However, something is considered to be evil if it causes pain to others.

According to Buddhism, our ego, or the fact that we are not disconnected from the world, is the reason for most of our pain.

According to Buddha, life's happiness begins when the ego fades away.

The final teachings of Gautama Buddha prohibit the consumption of meat from any living creature.

Buddha also said that any vegetarian food that had come into contact with meat should be cleaned before eating.

Tibetan Buddhists embraced a path of nonviolent opposition against the Chinese invasion of their land in 1950, which resulted in the deaths of a million Tibetans and the destruction of over 6,000 Buddhist temples.