... is believed to have been sacred ground since the third century BCE, and the monument that exists today dates back to the first century BC. The stupa plays an important part in the Buddhist belief system because it symbolizes nirvana, which is the final enlightenment and goal of Buddhism. The Great Stupa at Sanchi, like all stupas, follows a very simple plan. They are domed shaped solid mounds of brick and rubble with a stone outer casing. Around the base of the dome is a pathway that Buddhists would use so they could walk around the mound in a clockwise motion. This pathway was enclosed with a large stone wall with four entrances from the outside, that mark the cardinal directions. On top of the mound are three disked shaped objects called the umbrella, which symbolizes the basic aspects of the Buddhist beliefs. The first disk signifies Buddha himself, ...

See this essay or coursework document in full right now