Chorten

Tibet

13th century

Brass

Minneapolis Institute of Art

A brass chorten, a Buddhist stupa, is displayed against a neutral gray background. The object is intricately detailed with multiple tiers and decorative elements. A portable <i>chorten</i> (Tibetan for <i>stupa</i>, 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