A Buddhists goal in life is to reach enlightenment. To reach this goal, Buddhists meditate. Meditation consists or clearing your mind of all worries and thoughts and just being. The zen Buddhist architecture style tends to be simple and focus on the beauty of nature, rather then the beauty of grand buildings. Since there are many different types of Buddhism there are many different types of Buddhist architecture. The two that will be discussed are zen Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism.
Examples of Buddhist Architecture
Tibetan Buddhism
![Picture](/uploads/1/9/8/2/19825631/1369507145.jpg)
Yong He Gong (Lama Temple), Beijing, China, 1649 AD. Unknown Architect.
This Tibetan Buddhist temple is a very famous attraction in China. The colorful exterior, beautiful gardens, and many prayer halls make up this architectural gem. It also has a statue of the future Buddha, Maitreya. This temple is very important to the Tibetan Buddhists and many people come to worship in it.
This Tibetan Buddhist temple is a very famous attraction in China. The colorful exterior, beautiful gardens, and many prayer halls make up this architectural gem. It also has a statue of the future Buddha, Maitreya. This temple is very important to the Tibetan Buddhists and many people come to worship in it.
Zen Buddhism
![Picture](/uploads/1/9/8/2/19825631/1549675.jpg)
Shukoin Temple, Kyoto, Japan, 1590 AD. Established by Yoshiharu Horio in honor of Kinsuke Horio, his son.
This Zen Buddhist temple is another example of Buddhist architecture. The gardens around it provide a link to nature and place of relaxation and meditation for Buddhists. Inside are sliding door panels with depictions of animals and men in nature. The focal point of the temple are the gardens, which demonstrates how important nature is in the Buddhist religion.
This Zen Buddhist temple is another example of Buddhist architecture. The gardens around it provide a link to nature and place of relaxation and meditation for Buddhists. Inside are sliding door panels with depictions of animals and men in nature. The focal point of the temple are the gardens, which demonstrates how important nature is in the Buddhist religion.
"Architecture is like a mythical fantastic. It has to be experienced. It can't be described. We can draw it up and we can make models of it, but it can only be experienced as a complete whole.' -Maya Lin