What was the Buddhist vihara used for?

What was the Buddhist vihara used for?

vihara, early type of Buddhist monastery consisting of an open court surrounded by open cells accessible through an entrance porch. The viharas in India were originally constructed to shelter the monks during the rainy season, when it became difficult for them to lead the wanderer’s life.

Are there female Buddhist monks?

A bhikkhunī (Pali: भिक्खुनी) or bhikṣuṇī (Sanskrit: भिक्षुणी) is a fully ordained female monastic in Buddhism. Male monastics are called bhikkhus. Both bhikkhunis and bhikkhus live by the Vinaya, a set of rules.

Is a Buddhist temple called a vihara?

A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages.

What is a stupa in the vihara?

The vihara in return supports the members of the community in their spiritual growth. Shrine – the site of a statue or image of the Buddha , either within a temple or vihara, or alone. Stupa – a burial mound built to house relics of the Buddha or another important Buddhist teacher.

What led to the growth of viharas?

According to Johannes Bronkhorst, this created competitive financial pressures on all traditions, including the Hindu Brahmins. This may have led to the development of viharas as shelters for monks, and evolution in the Ashrama concept to agraharas or Hindu monasteries.

What activities take place in a vihara?

Temples are centres for study and worship for the whole community. Worship in the temple includes chanting the Three Refuges and Precepts and the scriptures , giving offerings in front of an image of the Buddha , lighting candles, burning incense , meditating and listening to sermons .

How were the vihara built?

Later, many monks and nuns realised that they needed permanent shelters and so monasteries known as viharas were built out of either rock or wood. The land on which a vihara was built was usually donated by a rich landlord or a king. The local people came with clothes, food, and other gifts to learn from the monks.

How many viharas are there in India?

There are 16 Viharas and one Chaitya situated in Nasik of Maharashtra. The Nasik Chaitya is also known as ‘Pandulane’. It also consisted of musical hall. These earlier Viharas were related to Hinyana Buddhism (Satvahana period).

How many viharas are there in Ajanta caves?

Ajanta caves are located in the Sahyadri ranges (Western Ghats). These are a series of rock-cut caves on Waghora river near Aurangabad in Maharashtra. There are a total of 29 buddhist caves in Ajanta of which 4 were used as Chaitya or prayer halls while 25 were used as Viharas or residential caves..

What were viharas answer?

Viharas are permanent shelters which were made by monks and nuns. These are also known as monasteries. The earliest viharas were made of wood, and then of brick.

Can a Buddhist fall in love?

Accepting a partner for who they are, for who they are throughout their life no matter what changes, and making the best of every situation is how one achieves personal fulfillment in a romantic relationship. The idea of unconditional love is essentially what Buddhism teaches.

Can monks be married?

Buddhists monks choose not to marry and remain celibate while living in the monastic community. This is so that they can focus on achieving enlightenment .

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