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| Caption: Swyambhunath Stupa P.S. Painted by Mahendra Khadka |
Swyambhunath is an old holy architecture atop a hill in the Kathmandu Valley. The Tibetan name for the site is 'Sublime Trees' (Wylie: Phags.pa Shing.kun), on the many species of trees found on the hill surrounding the stupa. However, Shing.kun may be a corruption of the local Nepal Bhasa name for the complex Singgu, meaning 'self-sprung.' Swayambhunath occupies a central position for Buddhist people and is probably the most sacred place among Buddhist pilgrimage sites.
The Swayambhunath consists of a stupa some even dating back to the Licchavi period. A Tibetan monastery, library and museum are most the recent additions. The stupa possesses Buddha's eyes and eyebrows painted on it. Between them, the number one (in Devanagari script) is decorated in the fashion of a nose. The site has two entrance points: a long stairway with 365 steps leading directly to the main floor of the temple, which is from the top of the hill to the east and a car road which goes around the hill from the south leading to the southwest entrance.
According to the Swayambhu Purana, the entire valley was once filled with a huge lake out of which grew a magnificent lotus. The beautiful valley then came to be known as "Swayambhu" which means "Self-Created." The name originates from an eternal, self-existent flame (svyaṃbhu) over which a sūpa was built later.
Swayambhunath is also known as "The Monkey Temple." It is because there are a huge number of holy monkeys living in the northwest parts of the temple. They are called holy because Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom and learning, had raised the hill, which the Swayambhunath Temple stands on. It is said that he was supposed to leave his hair short, but he made it grow long and had lice grow in it. It is also said that the head's lice later transformed into monkeys.
It is said that Manjusri once had a vision of the Lotus at Swayambhu and traveled there to worship it. Seeing that the valley can be a good settlement and accessible to human pilgrims, he cut a gorge at a place which is presently known as Chovar. The water drained out of the lake leaving the valley in which Kathmandu lies today. The Lotus then transformed into a hill and the flower became the Swayambhunath stupa.
The Swayambhunath consists of a stupa some even dating back to the Licchavi period. A Tibetan monastery, library and museum are most the recent additions. The stupa possesses Buddha's eyes and eyebrows painted on it. Between them, the number one (in Devanagari script) is decorated in the fashion of a nose. The site has two entrance points: a long stairway with 365 steps leading directly to the main floor of the temple, which is from the top of the hill to the east and a car road which goes around the hill from the south leading to the southwest entrance.
According to the Swayambhu Purana, the entire valley was once filled with a huge lake out of which grew a magnificent lotus. The beautiful valley then came to be known as "Swayambhu" which means "Self-Created." The name originates from an eternal, self-existent flame (svyaṃbhu) over which a sūpa was built later.
Swayambhunath is also known as "The Monkey Temple." It is because there are a huge number of holy monkeys living in the northwest parts of the temple. They are called holy because Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom and learning, had raised the hill, which the Swayambhunath Temple stands on. It is said that he was supposed to leave his hair short, but he made it grow long and had lice grow in it. It is also said that the head's lice later transformed into monkeys.
It is said that Manjusri once had a vision of the Lotus at Swayambhu and traveled there to worship it. Seeing that the valley can be a good settlement and accessible to human pilgrims, he cut a gorge at a place which is presently known as Chovar. The water drained out of the lake leaving the valley in which Kathmandu lies today. The Lotus then transformed into a hill and the flower became the Swayambhunath stupa.
