Descent from Heaven Stupa
The Descent from Heaven Stupa commemorates the Buddha’s ascent to the heavenly realm of Tushita, where he taught his mother, and his subsequent descent back to earth at the Indian town of Samkasya.
This stupa is characterized by triple staircases at the center of each side. They often consist of thirty-three steps, symbolizing the heavenly realms. Triple staircases are also traditionally built at the entrances of temples. The central staircase is reserved for incarnate lamas, the right staircase for ordained monks, and the left staircase for lay practitioners. In the Potala Palace, the central part of the triple wooden staircase was reserved for the highest lama and is therefore much better preserved than the worn left and right sides.
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Stupa Design and Specifications
If you have the possibility to consult your teacher or lama, they can help you choose the most suitable type of stupa.
The dimensions and materials are identical for all stupa types.
Stupa Height
34.5cm
Stupa Width
18 cm
Height with Pedestal
43.5cm
Width with Pedestal
22 cm
Internal Volume
1 liter
Weight
approx. 4.4 kg
Material
Stupa body - ceramic compound (artificial stone),
Ornaments - epoxy and polyurethane resin
Stupa Specifications
+
Stupa Height
34.5cm
Stupa Width
18 cm
Height with Pedestal
43.5cm
Width with Pedestal
22 cm
Internal Volume
1 liter
Weight
4.4 kg
Material
Stupa body - ceramic compound (artificial stone), Ornaments - epoxy and polyurethane resin
Samkasya – Place Where the Buddhas Descended from Heaven
The Buddha descended to earth on a lapis lazuli ladder, accompanied by Brahma on a golden ladder to his right and Indra and his host of devas on a crystal ladder to his left. The ladders sank into the earth, leaving only seven rungs above ground. Since that time, Samkasya has been honored as a site of one of the eight great wonders, the place where Buddhas of the past and present descended to earth from the Trayastrimsa Heaven.
Queen Maya, the Buddha's mother, died seven days after the future Buddha's birth and was reborn in the heavenly realms. Since she had no opportunity to hear his teaching in this life, the Buddha manifested in the Heaven of the Thirty-three Gods to teach her the Abhidharma and ensure her progress on the path to enlightenment. After teaching his mother and large assemblies of devas for three months, the Buddha descended from the Heaven of the Thirty-three Gods on a celestial ladder. This sojourn in the heaven realms and the subsequent descent at Samkasya was one of the four great actions performed by all Buddhas. Samkasya, modern Sankissa, is located on the upper Ganges River directly east of Mathura in the Farrukhabad district of Uttar Pradesh. From ancient times, it has been known as the place where Shakyamuni Buddha, as have all Buddhas before him, descended bodily from the Heaven of the Thirty-three Gods. During the third century B.C.E., the emperor Asoka visited Samkasya and established the scene of the Buddha's return as a major place of pilgrimage. The site where the ladders entered the ground was excavated to the point where the diggers struck water; Asoka then built a temple over the excavation and placed in it a statue of the Buddha descending the ladder. Behind the temple the king erected a pillar topped by an elephant capital. Asocoated with miracles and a direct link to the heaven realms, Samkasya soon became a popular place of pilgrimage.
~ Holy places of the Buddha