The Stupa as the Buddha

The Stupa has been shown to model the universe=a muti-dimensional reality, the Path of Return (to Enlightenment) and the Dharma 9teaching). Now we examine the stupa as a model of the Buddha’s body, which is to say, the Buddha embodies or is a microcosm of the universe, the macrocosm. This is to say that the Buddha’s body itself embodies the universe.

BODIES of the BUDDHA
The proportions and measure of the Buddha’s body, for purposes of creating sacred art, follows a specific canonized form, called the Canon of the Buddha. According to the ancient Hindu text re the creation of sacred art of divine beings called the Silpa Sutras, “He who knows the application of the measure of the enlightened one will himself become enlightened.” The parts of the Stupa also represent Buddha’s body, both the physical and etheric energy bodies,including. the system of six chakras and light bodies, the Tikaya.. See Microcosm diagram below.

Stupa Microcosm

In the Buddhist teaching the subtle energy centers of the body called chakras are six in number. The crown and 3rd eye are combined into one head center. These are conduits of subtle energies into the body. Note that the chakras are represented as lotus’ each having a specific number of petals and are aligned vertically around the axis of the spinal cord. This is the position of the chakras in an enlightened being. The subtle energy body or aura takes the form of a tube torus, which is a universal form of systems with polarized energy axis uch as the heart, the solar system and galaxy. See Stupa-Energy Fields, Grids & Vortexes.

Light Bodies of the Buddha–The TRIKAYA-
The awakened Buddha is said to have three primary Bodies of Light, Kayas, and five bodies altogether.
1.) the Nirmanakaya-the physical body of time and space,
2.) the Sambhogakaya-the Light Body of Enjoyment (the astral and mental bodies) and
3. the Dharmakaya – the Eternal Light Body of Transcendence.

The full integration of the first three kayas are combined into one called the Svabhavkakaya, Beyond these is the fourth body, the Vajrakaya, the imperishable, unchanging Diamond Body and the fifth and final body, the Abhisambodhikaya, the body of Manifold Manifestation. Another light body known as the Rainbow Body of Complete Enlightenment, the energy body of the fully realized master, that is sometimes attained by very high teachers before death.

6 Chakra System of Tibetan Buddhism One head center and chakras shown as multi-petalled lotus’ oriented vertically

The Rainbow Body

The Buddha Bodies