Borobudur Temple

Borobudur is the largest Buddhist temple in the 9th century measuring 123 x 123 meters. Borobudur was completed centuries before Angkor Wat in Cambodia.


Who does not know Borobudur? This Buddhist temple has 1460 relief panels and 504 Buddha effigies in the complex. Millions of people are yearning to visit the buildings included in this World Wonder Heritages. No wonder, for the architectural and function as a place of worship, Borobudur is attractive heart.

Borobudur was built by King Samaratungga, one of the kings of Old Mataram Kingdom, Dynasty descendant dynasty. Based Kayumwungan inscription, an Indonesian named Hudaya Kandahjaya revealed that Borobudur is a place of worship was completed on 26 May 824, almost a hundred years from the time the construction. The name of Borobudur, as some people means a mountain having terraces (budhara), while the other says that Borobudur means monastery on the high ground.

Borobudur shaped building with staircase punden consists of 10 levels. Height 42 meters before it was renovated and 34.5 meters after the renovation because the lowest level is used as a drag. Six lowest level of a square and three levels on top of a circle and one of the highest levels of Buddhist stupa facing to the west. Each level represents the stages of human life. In accordance madhhabs Mahayana Buddhism, every person who wants to reach the level as the Buddha had to through every level of life is.

The base of Borobudur, called Kamadhatu, symbolizing human beings that are still bound by lust. Four levels above referred Rupadhatu symbolizes man who had to break free from lust but still bound manner and form. On this terrace, Buddha effigies are placed in open space. Meanwhile, three levels above where the Buddhist stupas are laid in holes called Arupadhatu, symbolizing man who has been free from lust, appearance, and shape. The top part is called Arupa symbolizes nirvana, where Buddha is residing.
Each terrace has beautiful relief panels showing how skillful. Relief that will be read coherently when you walk in a clockwise direction (towards the left of the entrance of the temple). The relief panels tell the legendary story of Ramayana. In addition, there are relief panels describing the condition of society at that time. For example, relief of farmers' activity reflecting the advance of agriculture system and relief of sailing boat representing the advance of the voyage who was based in Bergotta (Semarang).
All relief panels in Borobudur temple reflect the Buddha's teachings. Hence, this temple functions as educating the media for people who want to learn Buddhism. YogYES invites you to surround each of the narrow alleys of Borobudur for to understand the philosophy of Buddhism. Atisha, a Buddhist from India in the 10th century, had visited the temple that was built 3 centuries before Angkor Wat in Cambodia and 4 centuries before the Grand Cathedrals in Europe.
Thanks to visiting Borobudur and armed with a script from Serlingpa Buddhism (one of the king of the Kingdom of Sriwijaya), Atisha was able to develop Buddhism. He became head Vikramasila monastery and taught Tibetans of practicing Dharma. Six manuscripts of Serlingpa was condensed into a core course called "The Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment" or better known by the name Bodhipathapradipa.
One of the questions still unanswered about Borobudur is how the condition around the temple Some say Borobudur initially stood surrounded by a swamp and then buried by the eruption of Merapi. Calcutta is essentially the inscription reads 'Amawa' means sea of milk. The word is then interpreted as lava of Merapi. Some other says that Borobudur was built Merapi.ketika buried by cold lava and why the temple was found in the buried state.

With all the grandeur and mystery that is, only natural that many people from all world penjru include Borobudur as a place worth visiting in his life. Besides enjoying the temple, you can walk around to the villages around Borobudur, like Karanganyar and Wanurejo to view the activities of local crafts. You also can go to the top watu Kendil to be able to view a panorama from the top of Borobudur. Why wait? No need to worry about an earthquake May 27, 2006, because of Borobudur is not affected at all.
Borobudur own words based on the first written evidence that was written by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, Governor General of the United Kingdom in Java, which gives the name of this temple. There is no written evidence that older who gave the name of this temple of Borobudur. Only one of the oldest document showing the existence of this temple is Nagarakretagama book, written by the MPU Prapanca in the year 1365. In the book was written that this temple was used as a place of Buddhist meditation.

Meaning of the name Borobudur "abbey in the hills", which comes from the word "coal" (temple or monastery) and "beduhur" (hills or high ground) in Sanskrit. Therefore, in accordance with the meaning of the name Borobudur, then this place since long ago used as a place of Buddhist worship.

This temple for centuries no longer used. Then, because of volcanic eruptions, most of the buildings covered Borobudur volcanic soil. In addition, the building is also covered with various trees and shrubs for centuries. Then the building of this temple began forgotten in the time Islam arrived in Indonesia around the 15th century.
In 1814 when the British occupied Indonesia, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles heard of the discovery of huge archaeological objects in the village of Magelang district Bumisegoro. Due to great interest of the history of Java, then immediately ordered Raffles HC Cornelius, a Dutch engineer, to investigate the discovery of the location was a hill covered with shrubs.
Cornelius assisted by about 200 men cut down trees and remove shrubs that covered the giant building. Because the building is already fragile and could collapse, then report to the Raffles Cornelius invention includes several images. Since the discovery, Raffles was awarded as the man who started restoration of Borobudur temple and got the attention of the world. In 1835, the entire area of the temple has been unearthed. The temple is kept restored in the Dutch colonial period.
After Indonesian independence, in 1956, the Indonesian government requested the assistance of UNESCO to examine the damage to Borobudur. Then in 1963, out of the official Indonesian government's decision to conduct the restoration of Borobudur temple with the help of UNESCO. However, this restoration was only really started to be done on August 10, 1973. Process new refurbishment completed in 1984. Since 1991, Borobudur designated as World Heritage or World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Borobudur Temple

Borobudur temple is located in Magelang, Central Java, about 40 km from Yogyakarta. Borobudur has 10 levels consisting of 6 levels of a square, circular level 3 circular and a main stupa as a peak. At every level there are several stupas. Altogether there are 72 stupas in addition to the main stupa. In every stupa there are statues of Buddha. Ten levels of Buddhist philosophy which describes the ten levels of Bodhisattva who must pass to reach the perfection of the Buddha in nirvana. This perfection symbolized by the main stupa at the top level. Borobudur structure when viewed from above form a mandala structure depicting Buddhist cosmology and human thinking.
On the fourth side of the temple there is the gate and stairs to the level above it like a pyramid. This illustrates the Buddhist philosophy that all life came from rocks. Stone later became the sand, then into plants, then into the insect, then become wild animals and pets, and the last to be human. This process is known as reincarnation. The last process is to be the soul and eventually into nirvana. Each stage of enlightenment in this life processes based on Buddhist philosophy is illustrated in reliefs and statues in the whole temple of Borobudur.
This huge building just a giant pile of stone blocks which have a total height of 42 meters. Each stone connected without the use of cement or adhesive. These stones are only connected by patterns and stacked. The base of Borobudur temple is about 118 m on each side. The stones which used approximately 55,000 cubic meters. All the stones are taken from the river around the Borobudur Temple. The stones are cut and then transported and connected with a pattern like lego game. All without using glue or cement.
Meanwhile, relief began to be made after the completion rocks stacked and connected. Reliefs found on the temple walls. Borobudur has different relief 2670. Relief is read clockwise. This relief illustrates a story that I read it starts and ends at the gate to the east. This shows that the main gate of Borobudur temple facing the east like most other Buddhist temples.

Vesak celebration at Borobudur

Every year on the full moon in May (or June in leap years), Buddhists in Indonesia celebrate Vesak at the Borobudur Temple. Vesak is celebrated as the day of birth, death and the moment when Siddhartha Gautama obtain the highest wisdom to become the Buddha Shakyamuni. The third event is called Vesak Trisuci. Vesak ceremony focused on the three Buddhist temples by walking from the Mendut Pawon and ends at Borobudur.

On the eve of Vesak, particularly during peak moment of full moon, Buddhists gathered around Borobudur. At that time, Borobudur is believed to be the gathering place of supernatural powers. According to belief, during Vesak, the Buddha will appear visible on top of a mountain in the south.

Borobudur

Currently, Borobudur has become a tourist attraction which attracts many tourists both local and foreign tourists. In addition, the Borobudur Temple has become a holy place for Buddhists in Indonesia and became the center of the most important annual celebration of Vesak Buddhist.

Borobudur be one proof of the greatness and human intelligence has ever made in Indonesia. Borobudur become major attractions and culture in Indonesia besides Bali and Jakarta. After visiting the Borobudur, you can also visit the surrounding villages such as Karanganyar which has some interesting attractions.