The Butkara Stupa is an important BuddhistBuddhism is a dharmic religion and a philosophy.This article primarily describes general Buddhist doctrines and history. For a more in-depth treatment regarding Buddhist religious institutions, see Schools of Buddhism; regarding Buddhism and philosophy, see Buddhist philosophy; and, regarding Buddhism ...Buddhist shrine in the area of Swat: For other uses of the name Swat, see Swat. Swat (Pashto/Urdu: سوات) is a valley and a district in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. the capital is Saidu Sharif. With high mountains, green meadows, and clear lakes, it is a place of great natural beauty, and a popular ...Swat, PakistanPakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a republic in South Asia, marking the region where South Asia converges with Central Asia and the Middle East. [Encarta Encyclopedia - Pakistan Middle East Institute: Pakistan] It has a 1,046 kilometer coastline along the Arabian Sea in the south, and is bordered by ...Pakistan. It may have been originally built by the MauryanThe Maurya Empire (322–185 BC), ruled by the Mauryan dynasty, was the largest and most powerful political and military empire of ancient India. Originating from the kingdom of Magadha in the Indo-Gangetic plains (modern Bihar and Bengal) in the eastern side of the sub-continent, the empire had its capital city at Pataliputra (near modern Patna). The Empire was founded in 322 BC by Chandragupta Maurya, ...Mauryan emperor AshokaAlong with the Edicts of Ashoka, his legend is related in the later 2nd century Ashokavadana| ("Narrative of Ashoka") and Divyavadana| ("Divine narrative"), and in the Sinhalese text Mahavamsa. An emblem excavated from his empire is today the national emblem of India.Ashoka, but it is generally dated slightly later to the 2nd century BCEThe 2nd century BC started the first day of 200 BC and ended the last day of 101 BC. It is considered part of the Classical era, although depending on the region being studied, other terms may be more proper (for instance, if regarding only the Eastern Mediterranean, it would best be called part of the Hellenistic period). Fresh from its victories in the Second Punic War, the Roman Republic ...2nd century BCE.
The stupa was enlarged on five occasions during the following centuries, every time by building over, and encapsulating, the previous structure.
