Topic > Buddhist and Hindu Temples - 1656

The Hindu and Buddhist cultures are both rich in religion and express their faith through art. Buddhist culture was formed by Buddha who went to discover the causes of pain and suffering. Once Buddha understood what the cause was, he provided a set of four guiding principles known as the “Four Noble Truths” that are practiced in Buddhism (Kleiner, p. 13). The Four Noble Truths are “Life is suffering, the cause of suffering is desire, desire can be overcome and extinguished, the way to conquer desire and end suffering is to follow the Eightfold Path of the Buddha…” (p . 13). These truths are expressed in the following of Buddhism and commonly realized through art. Buddhism is practiced throughout Southeast Asia and southern India, where there is a strong presence of Buddhist artwork. This includes art in the form of statues, temples, paintings and architecture. The two dominant forms or arts are the stupas and the chaitya halls which often house the stupas. The Stupa is a round burial mound essential to the Buddhist religion. The stupa itself is not a tomb for the dead, but a habitation of the Buddha. These means of burial came into existence when Buddha died and was cremated. His remains were then scattered throughout the burial chamber which was solid and round. It was not possible to enter these stupas. Stupas can be of different sizes. There are portable stupas and there are giant structure stupas that represent a map of the universe. The most famous of the giant stupas is the Great Stupa of Sanchi. There are different parts of the structural stupas that represent different points in Buddhism. The main parts of the stopas are: the domes shape themselves, the toranas, the harika, the yasti, the three chatras and a stone enclosure......in the center of the card......or Vishvanatha because as you advance towards the main tower a series of towers follow one another that increase in size. Since Vishnu is the “Preserver of the Universe,” the five main towers of Angor Wat represent the five peaks of Mount Meru, which is the mountain at the center of the universe. When Suryavarman II died, it is believed that the temple absorbed him, so he is worshiped as a god. Images and sculptures of Suryavarman II and Vishnu are depicted throughout the galleries of the tall towers of Angor Wat. Temples and structures represent religious ideals through elaborate architecture. Hinduism and Buddhism share similarities due to the depiction of gods in art forms. Temple buildings are important elements in the expression of faith in deities because of the conservation and worship that takes place in them.