Minneapolis Institute of Art

Chorten

Tibet

Date

13th century

Medium

Brass

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

A portable chorten (Tibetan for stupa , a domed structure that contains relics) can be understood as a three-dimensional mandala, or symbol of the universe. The dome-shaped base is modeled on the hemispherical burial mounds erected over the relics of the historical Buddha. These architectural structures originated in India but were also constructed in various forms wherever Buddhism spread. Tibetan followers would have commissioned examples like this to donate to a monastery. The tower of disks represents the thirteen stages of enlightenment in the Kadam Order of Tibetan Buddhism. The crescent moon and sun symbolize the dissolution of opposites, a critical aspect of wisdom. Asia

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