![Side View [1]](tsa-tsa-9-2.jpg)
![Side View [2]](tsa-tsa-9-3.jpg)
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. All three rest on a base of lotus petals. The two smaller ones are connected to the central stupa by stems of the lotus plant between their bases. Two lotus plants grow from them, each with a lotus flower at the end. The top is crowned by a protective umbrella.
The three stupas were originally completely encircled by a band of writing. It 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 characters are now only visible on the left side of the Tsa Tsa.
The special feature of this Tsa Tsa is his back, because here is the impression of a circular seal with tibetan letters refers to an old sutra text.
The many hundreds of years have left their mark. Although you can see the basic structure of Tsa Tsa, many of the details have been lost. Compare it with this better preserved Stupa Tsa Tsa stupa. Although it is not identical, it shows the same details.
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.
This staircase is barely recognisable on any of the Lhabab tsa tsas depicted here, all of which are several hundred years old. Time has taken its toll on all Lha Bab Tsa Tsas on this website. The image of the original sharp-edged staircase has been levelled over time by abrasion. The staircase can be clearly seen in the sketch on the left.
| More about Stupas |
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Measurements: | 2.5 x 2.1 x 0.4" | 6.3 x 5.3 x 1 cm |
| Price: | 175 $ | 150 € |
| High resolution: | Display [1.1 MB, 2219 x 2656 px.] |
| Shipment: | Parcel Service from Germany |
| Material: | Burned Clay |
| Age: | 12th - 13th cent. |
| Preservation: | History |
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