About the Sacred Geometry of 108

The Mystery of 108

The number 108 has long been considered a sacred number in ancient cultures and spiritual practices around the world.  Renowned mathematicians of Vedic culture viewed 108 as a number of the wholeness of existence.  The average distance of the Sun and the Moon to Earth is 108 times their respective diameters.  According to yogic tradition, there are 108 pithas, or sacred sites, throughout India. And there are also 108 Upanishads and 108 marma points, or sacred places of the body.  On the Shri Yantra there are points where three lines intersect, and there are 54 such intersections. Each intersection has masculine and feminine qualities, which represent Shiva and Shakti, 54 x 2 equals 108.  The chakras are the intersections of subtle nerve channels and there are said to be a total of 108 nerve channels converging to form the heart chakra.  Kathmandu is said to be the capital of Buddhism and there are exactly 108 images of Lord Buddha, erected in and around the place in reverence of the Buddhism deity.  Each deity in Hinduism has 108 names.  Sarsen Circle Stonehenge, in the UK, is one of the world’s most famous prehistoric monuments. Interestingly, it has a diameter of 108 feet. The structure of the monument is similar to that of PhNom Bakheng, an ancient Shiva Temple located in Cambodia. The temple also has 108 towers around it. There are exactly 108 sacred sites (also called pithas) all over India.  There are 108 Upanishads, and there are 108 Marmas with regard to Ayurveda. There are 108 stars in Chinese astrology. Tibetan legends are made of 108 Masters and 108 initiates.  108 saints are celebrated in Japan and they are also known as Vajradhatu. The Buddha has 108 names and there are 108 lamps devoted to him. Both Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva have 108 names each.  Most Buddhist temples usually have 108 steps and 108 columns. A very good example of such temples is the temple at Angkor. The temple is built around 108 huge stones.

The list goes on and on as there are many examples of 108 being used throughout the world, throughout various cultures, religions, science, and more.