Unveiling Shared Meanings: A Symbolic Synthesis of Temple Pinnacle Ornaments Across Asia

Ayu Lestari Ni Kadek; I Nyoman Widya Paramadhyaksa; Ema Yunita Titisari; I Gusti Agung Bagus Suryada

Authors

Ayu Lestari Ni Kadek Universitas Udayana
I Nyoman Widya Paramadhyaksa Universitas Udayana
Ema Yunita Titisari Universitas Brawijaya
I Gusti Agung Bagus Suryada Universitas Udayana

Keywords:

Asia, Hinduism and Buddhism, symbolic meaning, temple top ornaments

Abstract

Hindu and Buddhist temples across Asia are renowned for their distinctive pinnacle ornaments, which, despite varying names and forms across regions, share a profound equality of symbolic meaning. This qualitative study employs a comparative approach, analyzing diverse architectural examples to uncover and interpret the underlying symbolic meanings of these ornaments on various Hindu and Buddhist temple structures in Asia, such as vat shrines in Cambodia, wa̋t in Thailand, mandir in India and Nepal, pagoda in Japan, and temple and meru in Indonesia and Bali. The findings show that (a) in the human body, the ornament at the top of the temple can be interpreted as the crown of the head element; (b) the ornament at the top of the temple can be interpreted as the top of the mountain; (c) the existence of the ornament at the top of the temple building can be compared to the heaven at the top of Mount Meru; and (d) the ornament at the top of the temple is realized as small, abstract motifs, and has four similar faces. These shared symbolic interpretations underscore a profound underlying cosmological and philosophical unity within Hindu and Buddhist architectural traditions across the Asian continent.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Dhar, P. P. ((2018). Monuments, motifs, myths: Architecture and its transformations in early India and Southeast Asia. Cultural and Civilisational Links between India and Southeast Asia. Historical and Contemporary Dimensions, pp. 325-345.

Gulla, M., & Herwindo, R. (2024). Studi Karakteristik Arsitektur Percandian Era Singosari-Majapahit (Ditinjau Dari Sinkretisme Arsitektural secara Sosok, Tata Ruang, dan Tektonika). Riset Arsitektur (RISA), 8(04), 406-422.

Gurme, P., & Patil, P. (2017). A Review Study On Architecture Of Hindu Temple. International Journal For Research & Development In Technology, 244-250.

Hardjoko, Y. (2020). The Great Stupa-Sanci. Retrieved from Retrieved from Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/document/477282483/The-Great-Stupa-Sanchi

Hisatoku, T., Nakahara, K., Nagase, T., & Takahashi, Y. (2000). Earthquake Response Of Ancient Five-Story Pagoda Structure Of Horyu-Ji Temple In Japan. 12WCEE2000, 3-10.

Kumar, V. (2024). Art and Architecture: North India and South India. Studies in Art and Architecture, 3(2), 145-152.

Lim, H. S. (2019). Kearifan lokal dari situs candi nusantara. Dhammavicaya: Jurnal Pengkajian Dhamma, 22-27.

Malik, S. (2020). A Story of the UNESCO World Heritage Site: The Great Stupa of Sanchi. International Journal for Research in Applied History.

Nieamah, K. F. (2014). Persepsi Wisatawan mancannegara Terhadap Fasilitas dan . Jurnal Nasional Pariwisata, Vol. 6, No.1.

Paramadhyaksa, I. W. (2009). Pemaknaan Ornamen Murdha pada Arsitektur Tradisional Bali. INFO-TEKNIK, Vol.10, No.1.

Paramadhyaksa, I. W. (2016). Konsepsi Panca Mahabhuta dalam Perwujudan Arsitektur Tradisional Bali. Jurnal ArchiGreen, 1-14.

Ratni, N. P. (2020). Fungsi Dan Keistimewaan Makna Candi Prambanan Bagi Umat Hindu Di Indonesia. Jurnal Penelitian Agama Hindu, 200-212.

Rawat, B. (2022). Development Of Stupa in South-East Asia. Bodhi Path. Retrieved from https://www.bodhi-path.com/index.php/Journal/article/view/101, 22, 106-137.

Setiawan, J. (2023). Bentuk dan Fungsi Sanggar Pemujaan Bangunan Pertapaan Raja Keraton Gunung Kawi Kabupaten Malang. VISUALHERITAGE : Jurnal Kreasi Seni dan Budaya, 363-370.

Sheehy, M. R. (2020). The offering of Mount Meru: Contexts of Buddhist cosmology in the history of science in Tibet. Journal of Dharma Studies, 319-348.

Sunjana, D. (PURBAWIDYA: Jurnal Penelitian dan Pengembangan Arkeologi). Gunung sebagai lokasi situs-situs keagamaan dan skriptoria masa sunda kuno. VISUALHERITAGE, 97-112.

Suryada, I. A. (2020). Ornamen-ornamen Bermotif Kedok Wajah dalam Seni Arsitektur Tradisional Bali. ResearchGate.

Syafrony, A., & Suwanpratest, O. (2016). A Comparison of the Significances of Garuda in Society, Arts and Architecture in Two South-East Asian Countries: Indonesia and Thailand. Journal of Community Development Research, 46-60.

Widyargo, N., & Herwindo, R. (2018). Persistensi Penggunaan Unsur-Unsur Arsitektur Candi Borobudur-Prambanan-Sewu (Jawa Era Klasik Tengah) Pada Candi Bayon di Kamboja. Jurnal Riset Arsitektur, 129-151.

Yusuf, F. (2020). Doktrin Nir-Kekerasan Dalam Agama Hindu dan Buddha. Jakarta: Universitas Islam Negeri.