Comparative study on the cave monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25420677
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Architectural history/Design
• Research Institution: Tottori University of Environmental Studies
• Principal Investigator: Asakawa Shigeo 公立鳥取環境大学, 環境学部, 教授 (90183730)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: ブータン / チベット仏教 / 密教 / 崖寺 / 瞑想 / 懸造 / 放射性炭素年代測定 / 民話

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Cliff monasteries are constructed at the several districts in Bhutan highlands and the meditation caves are established on the cliffs apart from the main hall called lakhang. The monasteries had not the main hall, but only meditation caves and the monks were devoted to long-term meditation practice at the caves before 17th century when the nation state was founded. Its tradition have been inherited to nowadays. We have investigated 15 monasteries in total to understand the actual situation of such meditation caves. In Jambay Lakhang monastery, which was transmitted to have been constructed by Srongbtsansgampo at the time when Tufan ancient Tibetan dynasty was founded at 7th century, we succeeded to get the sample of radio-carbon dating from inner sanctum central pillar of the main hall. The result is 1632-1666 cal AD (reliable limit 74.4%). It is very exciting that the result points not the foundation time of Tufan dynasty, but the time after the foundation of Bhutan national state.

Free Research Field

建築史・建築意匠