BUDDHIST ARTS AND ARCHITECTURE About the stupa The stupa is prominent structure in the field of Sri lankan

architecture. There are various views about the stupa. In Sri lanka, the stupa is also known as Thupa, cetiya, Dagoba, Saya and Vihara. It is said that the stupa was originated from the funeral mound. Therefore, the original stupa had connection with the cemetery. Actually, a stupa is a kind of religious building used by Indian religion with the different meaning. Again, there is a certain pole called Yupa which is a sacred symbol of the Hindu. They used to make the sacrifices under it. According to some scholars, the stupa also has the symbol of Yupa. Furgoson said that the origin of stupa is Smasana stupa which were cemetery in India. Smasana has two types of the shape of square and circular. Normally, there has a square shape of place in the inner side of a stupa to enshrine the relics. In Buddhism, the stupa is well known as a monument of the Buddha to pay respect. In Mahaparinibbana sutra, it is said that there are four kinds of great men who are worthy to pay respect by constructing the stupa. They are Sammasambuddha, Paccekabuddha, Arahanta and Cakkavattiraja. The Buddha instructed to construct as a stupa in middle of four crossed roads after cremating his body and to go round his stupa and offer flowers and worship. After the Buddha's passing away, the seven kings took the relics of the Buddha and they built up the stupas storing the relics in them. The Buddhists believe that they gain the mundane and supra mundane benefits by paying respect to the stupa. Therefore, the stupas were constructed with some kinds of relics of four great men. According to the historical background of Theravada tradition, there had been built the stupas enshrining the relics of Venerable Moggallana and Ven. Sariputta when they had passed away at the time of the Buddha. In Sri Lanka, king Devanampiyatissa had built the Thuparama stupa firstly in Anuradhapura after introducing the Buddhism by the Reverence Mahindathera, the son of king Asoka in 3rd centery BC. According to the sri Lankan tradition, there are various shapes about the stupa. They are bubble shape, heap of paddy shape, bell shape, pot shape, lotus shape and myrobalan shape. There are ten steps to build the structure of the stupa. They are Send terrace, Stone terrace, Base moulding, Three terraces, Dome, Square enclosure, Section of the deities, Spire, Pinnacle and Crest jewel. In brief, there are many historical stupas with their respective events in sri lanka. Of them, Thuparama, Mahathupa, Mirisaveti, Abhayagiri, Jetavana and Pabbatavihara are in Anuradhapura. In Polonaruva, there are the stupa of Rankot vehera, Kiriverhera, Vatadage, Danda and Satmahal pasada. Mahiyangana and Tiriyaya stupas are also the most historical in Sri lanka. Words ( 475 )