Stupa - Ormolu - Tibet - Late 20th century

Buddhist stupa (Tibetan chorten) in gilded bronze, finely hand-worked with small Buddha figures and traditional decorations.
It has a square base with supporting feet, topped by a band with lotus petals and niches depicting meditative figures on the four sides.
The upper part features the typical bottle shape (or reliquary chamber) topped by a pinnacle with stylized rings.
Stupas are used in Asian tradition as symbols of peace, for meditation or as decorative elements for personal altars.
In Tibetan Buddhism, the architecture of the stupa (or chorten) does not have a purely aesthetic function: each section visually represents the body of the Buddha in meditation, the gradual path toward enlightenment, and the cosmic harmony of the five primordial elements. Here is the detailed meaning of its different components:
1. The Square Base (Lion Throne)
• Body symbolism: The Buddha’s feet in meditative cross-legged posture.
• Cosmic element: Earth. Represents solidity, stability, and equanimity.
• Spiritual meaning: Symbolizes the foundation of Buddhist practice: the ten virtuous actions, ethical conduct, generosity, and the immutable foundations necessary to begin the inner journey.
2. The Steps and the Lotus Band
• Body symbolism: The knees and crossed legs.
• Spiritual meaning: The concentric steps (as seen in the photo’s terraces) symbolize the fundamental stages of mental development, including the four bases of awareness, perfect effort, and the Three Jewels (the Buddha, the Dharma—the teaching—and the Sangha—the spiritual community). The lotus petals surrounding the structure symbolize the intrinsic purity of the mind that emerges untainted from the mud of the material world.
3. The Niches with Buddhas (Harmika / Intermediate Level)
• Body symbolism: The bust and meditative posture.
• Spiritual meaning: In the specific model of your image, the intermediate block is carved with Buddha figures enclosed in niches on four sides. These connect to the symbolism of the Five Dhyanas (Dhyani Buddhas) or enlightened beings guarding the cardinal directions, indicating the nature of awakened mind radiating wisdom and universal compassion throughout space.
4. The Dome or Central Vessel (Bhumpa or Anda)
• Body symbolism: The bust or heart of the Buddha.
• Cosmic element: Water. Fluid, purifying, and unstoppable.
• Spiritual meaning: Known as the “treasure vase” or the “potential egg,” it is the inner chamber originally intended to house sacred relics, texts, or mantras. It represents the inexhaustible wealth of positive mental qualities, the accumulation of merits, and the awakened potential guarded within every living being.
5. The Thirteen-Ring Spire (The Tower)
• Body symbolism: The neck and face of the Buddha.
• Cosmic element: Fire. Symbol of active energy, purification, and inner transformation.
• Spiritual meaning: The thirteen overlapping rings forming the conical pinnacle symbolize the 13 stages of consciousness (Bhumi) and the stages of purification and wisdom that a Bodhisattva must traverse to eradicate ignorance and complete the spiritual ascent toward enlightenment.
6. The Upper Pinnacle (Umbrella, Sun, Moon and Jewel)
• Body symbolism: The head, crown, or the supreme tuft (Ushnisha) of the Buddha.
• Cosmic elements: Air/Wind (the umbrella and crescent moon) and Space/Ether (the sun and the jewel at the top).
• Spiritual meaning:
• The Umbrella (chhatra) offers compassionate protection from the world's suffering.
• The Moon and Sun together indicate the sacred union of Compassion (Bodhicitta) and transcendent Wisdom (Prajna).
• The Supreme Jewel atop represents absolute emptiness, transcendence, and ultimate realization: the state in which the mind is no longer separated from the cosmos and is fully awakened.
In summary, walking around a stupa clockwise (kora) or meditating before a metal reproduction like this equates to symbolically retracing the entire Buddhist path: from the earthly stability of moral rules to the liberation of the spirit in infinite space.
Dimensions: 13.5 cm high x 9 x 9; weight 1,235 g
Good condition
Insured shipping with professional packaging