Talk:Caitya
From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
By Swami Harshananda
Caitya literally means ‘of the funeral pyre’.
‘Citā’ is the funeral pyre. ‘Caitya’ is anything that is connected with it. However in practice these are accounted as caityas:
- A funeral mound
- A tree with a rivetment around its stem
- A building serving the same purpose
The term has also been used as a general nomenclature for any temple.
Over the years the word has acquired a peculiarly Buddhistic flavor. Places with or without a monument but associated with Buddha’s life have come to be known as caityas such as:
- Lumbiṇī
- Gayā
- Vaiśālī
- Rājagṛha
Stupas also have been called caityas. In the rock-cut cave temples of Buddhist origin, Caitya Halls are seen. They are apsidal, barrel-vaulted halls used to enshrine a stupa.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore