In Tibetan Buddhism, a Chorten (the Tibetan term for a stupa or chaitya) is far more than a monument – it is a sacred symbol of the enlightened mind of the Buddha.

Chorten in Tibetan Buddhism enshrine the memory of key milestones in the Buddha’s life and encapsulate profound philosophical teachings. In fact, the word chorten is used in English to refer to Tibetan stupas.

Each part of a stupa’s architecture carries symbolic meaning: for example, the square base represents the Buddha’s throne (and the element earth), the dome represents his body (and water), the spire represents the flame of enlightenment (fire), the parasol and moon represent the airy sky, and the sun and apex symbolize the wisdom of enlightenment.

In essence, a chorten is viewed as a microcosm of the Buddha himself in meditative posture, and circumbulating it is a contemplative act of devotion.

Origins and Preservation of Stupas in Tibet

The tradition of building stupas in Tibet dates to the 7th century CE, when Buddhism first took root during the reign of King Songtsen Gampo.

He is traditionally credited as the first Tibetan ruler to embrace Mahayana Buddhism and is said to have built many Buddhist temples (notably the Jokhang in Lhasa). Songtsen Gampo’s minister, Thonmi Sambhota, was sent to India to study language; he devised the Tibetan script by adapting the Sanskrit script.

This enabled the translation of Buddhist scriptures into Tibetan, a monumental project that began in Songtsen Gampo’s time.

Over the subsequent centuries, the translated words of the Buddha were compiled as the Kangyur (literally “Translated Words,” containing sutras and tantras ascribed to the Buddha), while treatises and commentaries by Indian masters were preserved as the Tengyur.

The Kangyur and Tengyur became the Tibetan Buddhist canon and the basis for 1,300 years of Tibetan Buddhist study and practice.
Among the many chortens built by Tibetan Buddhists, the most significant are the Eight Great Chortens, each of which commemorates a pivotal event in the life of Gautama Buddha.

There are eight distinct stupa designs in Tibetan tradition, each corresponding to one of these significant events. Below, we explore these eight great stupas and the events they represent:

1. Lotus Blossom Stupa (Padmakuti Chorten)

Birth at Lumbini: This stupa commemorates the Buddha’s miraculous birth in Lumbini (present-day Nepal).

According to tradition, the newborn Siddhartha Gautama took seven steps in each of the four directions immediately after his birth, and lotus flowers bloomed under each step.

Hence, the Lotus Blossom Stupa often features lotus petal motifs and a circular base with four steps adorned with lotus designs, symbolizing purity and the auspicious beginning of the Buddha’s journey.

Some versions even include seven layers of lotus tiers to represent those first seven steps of the infant Buddha, emphasizing the Brahmavihara qualities (love, compassion, joy, equanimity) that the lotus symbolizes in this context.

2. Enlightenment Stupa (Bodhi Chorten)

Enlightenment at Bodh Gaya: This stupa marks the Buddha’s enlightenment at age 35 under the Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya, India.

It is also known as the “Stupa of the Conquest of Mara,” referring to how Siddhartha overcame the temptations and attacks of Mara (the personification of ignorance and worldly distraction) on the eve of his enlightenment.

The Enlightenment Stupa typically has a simple, unadorned design. Its base is square or four-sided, which some interpret as representing the Four Noble Truths – the foundational insights the Buddha realized upon enlightenment.

The plain rectangular steps of this stupa signify the Buddha’s steadfast meditation and victory over all delusion, culminating in his awakening to the true nature of reality.

3. Stupa of Many Doors (Dharmachakra Chorten)

First Sermon at Sarnath: This stupa, sometimes called the Dharmachakra (Wheel of Dharma) Stupa or “Stupa of Turning the Wheel of Dharma,” symbolizes the Buddha’s first teaching after enlightenment.

Buddha delivered his first sermon in the deer park at Sarnath, near Varanasi, where he taught the Four Noble Truths and set the Wheel of Dharma in motion.

The Stupa of Many Doors is characterized by multiple door-like niches or gates on each side of its steps. These numerous doorways represent the many paths of Dharma opening to the world – the various teachings and practices that lead to liberation.

In particular, the series of doors is said to symbolize the foundational teachings that the Buddha expounded at Sarnath: the Four Noble Truths, the Six Pāramitās (perfections), the Noble Eightfold Path, and the Twelve Nidānas (links of dependent origination).

This rich symbolism underscores that through this first turning of the Dharma wheel, countless gateways to enlightenment became available to beings.

4. Stupa of Miracles (Pratiharya Chorten)

Miracles at Shravasti: This stupa commemorates a series of extraordinary miracles the Buddha performed at Shravasti. When the Buddha was around 50, skeptical rivals and sectarians challenged him to display his spiritual power.

Reluctantly (and only to increase the faith of devotees), the Buddha demonstrated numerous miracles over 15 days – such as multiplying his form, emitting fire and water from his body, and other wondrous feats – to establish the supremacy of the Dharma.

The Great Miracle Stupa (another name for this chorten) honors this event. Architecturally, each of the four sides of this stupa’s base has a central projection or extension, giving it a complex eight-pointed shape.

In other words, the base consists of four steps, each extended outward at the center, which can be seen as an allusion to the expansive display of miraculous power in all directions.

Historically, a stupa of this design was said to be built in Jetavana Grove (Shravasti) by a devotee (named Lisabi). Later, another was raised by the Licchavi kingdom of Nepal to commemorate the Buddha’s miracles.

The Miracle Stupa is also known as the “Stupa of the Conquest of the Tīrthikas (heretics),” as the Buddha’s wondrous deeds humbled those who doubted his enlightenment.

5. Descent from Heaven Stupa (Deva Avatara Chorten)

Descent at Sankasya: This stupa symbolizes the Buddha’s descent from the Tushita Heaven (the Heaven of the Thirty-Three Gods).

According to legend, when the Buddha was 42 years old, he ascended to the heavenly realm of Tushita to teach the Dharma to his mother, Queen Maya (who had died seven days after Buddha’s birth and been reborn in that heaven), as an act of gratitude and compassion.

He spent three months teaching the gods and his mother, then descended to earth in Sankasya (present-day India) to continue his work among humans.

The Descent from Heaven Stupa is distinctive for its ladder-like central features: it typically has a stairway or triple ladder depicted on each of its four sides.

These steps or ladders directly represent the ladder that the gods prepared for the Buddha’s return from heaven – a celestial stairway down which he descended, accompanied by Brahmā and Indra, according to myth.

The stupa visually commemorates the connection between heaven and earth and the Buddha’s compassionate return to the human world by including these central stairways.

6. Stupa of Reconciliation (Sangha Chorten)

Reuniting the Sangha at Rajgir: This stupa stands for the Buddha’s role in resolving a dispute within the Sangha (the monastic community).

Late in the Buddha’s life, his cousin Devadatta caused a schism by attempting to create a separate order and turning some monks against the Buddha.

However, the Buddha intervened and used his wisdom and patience to reconcile the split, reuniting the monks. The Reconciliation Stupa was first built in the ancient kingdom of Magadha (near Rajgir, India), where this reconciliation occurred.

Appropriately, the stupa’s design has an octagonal base – eight sides and eight corners of equal length. The octagonal shape signifies harmony and balance, reflecting how the Buddha restored harmony in the community.

Eight is a number associated with wholeness in Buddhism (as seen in the Noble Eightfold Path), and here it underscores the idea of unity coming from diversity.

This chorten thus eternally reminds devotees of the importance of harmony and the Buddha’s success in preserving the integrity of his Sangha.

7. Stupa of Complete Victory (Vijaya Chorten)

Prolonging Life at Vaishali: Also known as the All-Victorious Stupa, this monument represents the Buddha’s victory over death – specifically, an occasion when he extended his lifespan.

At Vaishali, the Buddha, at age 80, announced that he would soon enter parinirvana (final nirvana in passing). Distressed, his disciple and attendant Ananda beseeched him to continue living.

In response, the Buddha agreed to prolong his life by three more months out of compassion for his followers. This was seen as a great victory over the constraints of mortal life.

The Stupa of Complete Victory thus symbolizes longevity and the Buddha’s compassionate postponement of his passing. Fittingly, the stupa’s form is characterized by having only three steps, which are circular and unadorned.

These three round tiers at the base represent those additional three months the Buddha granted – each step a month of extended teachings.

The smooth, plain design conveys the Buddha’s transcendence over the usual bonds of time and age. Many Buddhists also associate this stupa with blessings for long life and healing.

8. Parinirvana Stupa (Mahaparinirvana Chorten)

Final Nirvana at Kushinagar: The final great stupa commemorates the passing of the Buddha into parinirvana at the age of 80 in Kushinagar (in present-day Uttar Pradesh, India).

Unlike the other designs, the Parinirvana Stupa typically has no steps or terraces leading up to the dome – the hemispherical or bell-shaped dome sits directly on the ground or a simple base.

This represents the complete cessation of the Buddha’s worldly journey. The stupa is often bell-shaped and unornamented, symbolizing the Buddha’s final release from the cycle of birth and death, and the “bell of Dharma” that rang in his final teachings.

When the Buddha lay between the sal trees in Kushinagar, he entered a deep meditative state and passed away peacefully, attaining Mahaparinirvana – the great final nirvana beyond all sorrow.

This chorten’s smooth bell form evokes the perfection of ultimate wisdom and peace, a state beyond all duality and suffering.

It invites reflection on the Buddha’s last words, in which he urged his disciples to strive for their own liberation diligently.

The Parinirvana Stupa symbolizes final liberation, inspiring Buddhists to seek the same ultimate freedom.

The Eight Holy Sites of Buddhism

These eight great chortens are linked to a holy geographic site in the Buddha’s life. Together, they form the Eight Sacred Places of Buddhist pilgrimage, known in Pali as Atthamahāthānāni (the “Eight Great Places”).

In Chinese, they are referred to as 八大圣地 (Bā Dà Shèng Dì), meaning “Eight Great Holy Sites.” These sites and their associated events are:

• Lumbini (Nepal) – The Buddha’s birthplace (marked by the Lotus Blossom Stupa for the birth event).
• Bodh Gaya (India) – Place of Enlightenment (marked by the Enlightenment Stupa).
• Sarnath (India) – Site of the First Sermon in the Deer Park (marked by the Stupa of Many Doors, symbolizing the first turning of the Dharma wheel).
• Shravasti (India) – Site of the Great Miracles (marked by the Miracle Stupa).
• Sankasya (India) – Where the Buddha descended from Tushita Heaven (marked by the Descent from Heaven Stupa).
• Rajgir (Rajagriha, India) – Site of the reconciliation of the monastic community (marked by the Reconciliation Stupa).
• Vaishali (India) – Place where the Buddha extended his life by three months (marked by the Complete Victory Stupa).
• Kushinagar (Kushinara, India) – The Buddha’s passing into Parinirvana (marked by the Parinirvana Stupa).

Buddhists have revered these eight locations for over two millennia. Tradition holds that the Emperor Ashoka (3rd century BCE) visited all eight and erected stupas or pillars at many of them, calling such a pilgrimage dhamma-yatra (a “Dharma journey”).

Even today, pilgrims worldwide aspire to visit these sites, which are believed to confer great merit and inspiration by retracing the Buddha’s footsteps.

The Eight Great Chortens of Tibetan Buddhism are not just architectural monuments but rich allegorical icons encapsulating the Buddha’s journey and teachings.

Scattered across Asia and replicated in Tibetan Buddhist communities worldwide, these stupas preserve the essence of Buddhism’s most important events – from the Buddha’s miraculous birth to his enlightenment, from his first teaching to his compassionate miracles, and finally to his passing beyond this world.

Each chorten tells a story and imparts a lesson: about purity, awakening, teaching, compassion, harmony, triumph over ignorance, and ultimate liberation.

Studying or paying homage to these eight stupas offers a profound way to connect with Buddhist philosophy and history. They are tangible reminders of the Buddha’s path to enlightenment and his legacy of wisdom and compassion.

For devotees and observers alike, the Eight Great Chortens inspire reflection, devotion, and aspiration – inviting everyone to remember the Buddha’s life, to understand the Dharma more deeply, and to cultivate the enlightened qualities that these sacred monuments so beautifully represent.