Assignment.

BD/2002/002
Rev. Adicca Saimtip

Discuses the origin of the Buddhist architecture in India as given in Buddhist

literature

According to the evidence data during 3000 B.C to 15000 B.C in India the
there was a civilization which is called in the Indus valley-civilization or Harapa-
civilization. In this civilization there was the urban of type of city in the Indus
valley ears. According to the data we found that this civilization it is very develops
and mature civilization which the houses were built with stone, bricks and wood.
Hence the architectures are in this civilization can be called urban. After the Indus
civilization there came up another civilization from 1500 BC to 600 B. C. which
was called Vedic period.

This period is called Rig Vedic period. The civilization that exists in this
period was rural civilization. There were no town and city in India. So the early
Aryan civilization that exist in this period were perishable material of wood, thatch
and wood. Though we have no evidence regarding archeological we can assume
that the earlier Indo Aryan made of wood and thatch. There are two forms of
house: one is the kind circular form and other is the apsidal form like the backside
of elephant. Their religions were formed in a manner by clearing the jungle and
wood and building up a house around it. Around it they build a road called the
circumambulation then other architecture were built for the spiritual.

1. Before the Buddha around 3000-1500 BC, this period there was Indus
civilization. In this period there was a certain Art in India e.g. the sculpture
of Sharma priest and Torso etc.

2. From the 1500-600 BC, this period the Aryan people come into India and
formed the Vedic civilization. There was a certain image. They worship the
simple things e.g. when they want to worship Visanu, they worship the
Varuna and when they want to worship Siva they worship the Lingas.

3. From the 600-300 BC, this period the image seemed to be made but not for
the purpose of worship. The Buddhist art and architecture began with the
emergence of Buddhism. Actually there was nothing called Buddhist
architecture because Buddhism adopted all what thought in India. At that
time there were trivial Art and architecture in India and Buddhism also
adopted that. However, at the time of the Buddha many a monasteries were
donated to Buddha and his disciples
 According to Cullavagga, during the time of the Buddha, the devotees donated
monasteries to Buddha for example, Verunannarama and Jivakaram at Rajagiri,
Ambapalirama at Vesali and Jetavanarama at Sarvathi and Kukutarama and
Pavariyarama. All these monasteries had according to Cullavagga, dwelling room;
retire room, storeroom, service hall, fireplace, path and ponds. But all these types
of Monasteries were not continuous to allow the Bhikkhus because at the first time
all the Bhikkhus were asked to wander about and were asked to live in the wood
and jungle, at the root of tree, at the mountaineer shape, in the cemeteries open
space and on the heap of straw.

According to Digha Nikaya, the people complained to the Buddha that all
the Bhikkhus were walking on the grass and slept on the heap of straw, killing the
insect and grass being destroyed by them. Then later Buddha said all right all
Bhikkhus, during the rainy season can live in the places. These places were
according to Buddha:
1. Vihara
2. Arthayoga
3. Pasada
4. Himmiya
5. Cave
According to Budhaghosa the Vihara was a small hut with open to enter light
and air. They are made of brick and wood. The Ardhayoga according to him is a
house built on Bangle and called it Svarna vanggeham and it is kind of Garuda of
bird - mythology birth. Pasada is a house fairly big structure than the Vihara and
Ardhayoga. Hamiya is a kind of house built on pillars. A guha is a cave.
According to Buddhaghosa, he took it as a sense of cave that made of brick or
wood or rock. There three types of caves:
1. One is natural
2. Second is Simi-natural
3. Third one is excavated cave.

This is of what we found the data of the origin of the Buddhist arts and
architecture in the Buddhist literature which was believe to be appeared during the
Indus Valley Civilization.

End.