The Stupa of the Descent from Tushita Heaven
[Tib.: »Lhab babs mchod rten« ལྷ་ལས་བབས་པའི་མཆོད་རྟེན]
Maya Devi, the Buddha's mother, was reborn in a God realm called Tushita Heaven where he taught his mother his dharma. This stupa represents Buddha's return from the celestial realms in order to continue teaching the path to enlightenment.
The large central stupa shown here is flanked on the right and left by two other smaller stupas.
The three stupas are completely encircled by a band of writing. The letters dates from the time of the Indian Kutila script - a variant of the Ranjana script - which was used between the 8th and 12th centuries.
The upper part of the stupa is decorated with garlands on both sides. The top is crowned by a protective umbrella.
Of the eight different stupas, seven are very similar in structure, making it difficult to distinguish between them, especially in the case of smaller images. This is particularly true of the smaller three-dimensional ancient tsa tsas made of fired clay.
The main feature that distinguishes the Lhabab Stupa from the other six similar stupas is the depiction of a staircase. According to tradition, the historical Buddha Shakyamuni used it to descend to the human world after visiting his deceased mother in the realm of the gods.
Time has left its mark. In all the Lha Bab Stupa Tsa Tsas pictured on this website, which are several hundred years old, these stairs are barely visible. The image of the original sharp-edged staircase has been leveled by abrasion over time, but it is clearly visible in the sketch on the top left.
Another indication of an early date is the unusual depth of 1.1" | 2.8 cm. Until the 14th / 15th century, Tsa Tsas were made with this depth for safety reasons. At that time it was not always possible in Tibet to make tsa tsas with a shallower depth without compromising their stability.
| More about Stupas |
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Measurements: | 2.6 x 2.4 x 1.1" | 6.5 x 6.0 x 2.8 cm |
| Price: | 384 $ | 330 € |
| Shipment: | Parcel Service from Germany |
| Material: | Burned Clay |
| Age: | 10th - 11th cent. ! |
| High resolution: | Display [0.9 MB, 2255 x 2404 px.] |
| Preservation: | History |
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