Sample Essay – Stupa
There is the Stupa, which symbolizes the enlightened mind of the Buddha[1]. Its symbolic meaning is the representation of the five elements: the canopy is air, and the volume of the Stupa is space. The round dome is for water, the square base represents earth, and the cone-shape is fire. It has three precious Jewels that signify the three pillars of the Buddha: the Sangha, which encompasses monks and nuns, and Dharma[2], which is Buddha’s teachings.
It is worthy of mention that outside the temple, there is a Buddhist flag with five colors that symbolize faith and peace. This flag is believed to be associated with the aura that emanated from the Buddha’s body when he attained Enlightenment[3]. The table below represents colors and their religious meanings according to Buddhism.
Table1. Buddhism flag colors and attached values to those colors
| Colors | Attached values |
| Blue | Loving kindness, peace and universal compassion |
| Yellow | The Middle Path – avoiding extremes, emptiness |
| Red | Blessings of practice – achievement, wisdom, virtue, fortune and dignity |
| White | Purity of Dharma – it leads to liberation, outside of time or space |
| orange | The Buddha’s Teaching – wisdom |
Source: Keown, Damien. 2003. Swastika; A Dictionary of Buddhism
[1] McArthur, Meher. 2004. Reading Buddhist Art: An Illustrated Guide to Buddhist Signs and symbols. Pp. 381