Borobudur Temple

     

        Borobudur is a Buddhist temple located at Borobudur, Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. The location of the temple is approximately 100 km southwest of Semarang, 86 km to the west of Surakarta, and 40 km northwest of Yogyakarta. Stupa shaped temple was founded by the Mahayana Buddhists around the year 800 AD during the reign of the Sailendra dynasty. Borobudur is the largest Buddhist temple or shrine in the world, and one of the largest Buddhist monument in the world.

        This monument consists of six square terraces on which there are three circular courtyard, the walls are decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues are originals. Borobudur has a collection of Buddhist reliefs in the most complete and largest primary dunia.Stupa teletak in the middle once crowned this building, surrounded by three rows of circular 72 perforated stupas in which there is a statue of Buddha sitting cross-legged in the lotus position perfectly with mudra (hand gesture) Dharmachakra mudra (turning the wheel of dharma).

     This monument is a model of the universe and was built as a shrine to honor Buddha also functions as a place of pilgrimage to lead mankind to switch from natural lust to enlightenment and wisdom according to the teachings Buddha.Para pilgrims enter through the east side begin the ritual at the base of the temple by walking encircle this sacred building clockwise, while continuing to ascend to the next steps through the three levels of the realm in Buddhist cosmology. These three levels it is Kamadhatu (the realm of lust), Rupadhatu (the realm of intangibles), and Arupadhatu (the realm of the intangible). In this journey the pilgrim goes through a series of hallways and staircases with no less than 1,460 witnessed the beautiful relief panels carved on the walls and balustrades.

       According to historical evidence, Borobudur was abandoned in the 14th century as the weakening of the influence of Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms in Java as well as begin the influence of Islam. The world began to realize the existence of this building since it was discovered in 1814 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, who was then serving as the British Governor General of Java. Since then Borobudur has suffered a series of rescue and restoration efforts. The restoration project was held in the period 1975 to 1982 for the efforts of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and UNESCO, and the historical sites included in the list of World Heritage Sites.

        Borobudur is still used as a place of religious pilgrimage; each year Buddhists who come from all over Indonesia and abroad gather at Borobudur to celebrate Vesak Trisuci. In the world of tourism, attractions Borobudur is Indonesia's single most visited by tourists.

        In Indonesian, ancient religious buildings called temples; term candi is also used more broadly to refer to all the ancient buildings dating from the Hindu-Buddhist in the archipelago, such as gates, gate, and petirtaan (tub and shower bath). The origin of the name Borobudur is not clear, although it is the original name of most temples in Indonesia is not known. The name Borobudur was first written in the book "The History of Java" by Sir Thomas Raffles. Raffles wrote about a monument called borobudur, but there are no older documents that mention the exact same name. The only ancient Javanese manuscripts that give hints on their sacred Buddhist buildings which may refer to Borobudur is Nagarakretagama, written by MPU Prapanca in 1365.

       Bore-Budur name, which is then written Borobudur, probably written Raffles in English grammar to refer to the closest village to the temple, the village Bore (Boro); most temples is often named after the village where the temple stood. Raffles also suspect that the term 'Budur' might be related to the term Buda is a Javanese word that means "ancient" - it means "ancient Boro". But other archaeologists believe that the name comes from the term Bhudhāra Budur meaning mountain.

       Many theories attempt to explain the name of this temple. One of them states that the name is probably derived from the word Sambharabhudhara, which means "mountain" (bhudara) where the slopes are located terraces. In addition there are several other folk etymology. Suppose borobudur word comes from the word "the Buddha" is due to shift borobudur sound. Another explanation is that the name comes from the two words "coal" and "beduhur". The word bara said to have originated from the monastery, while there are also other explanations where the coal comes from the Sanskrit which means temple or monastery complex and beduhur meaning is "high", or to remind the Balinese language means "above". So the point is a monastery dormitories were on high ground.

      Historian J.G. de Casparis in his dissertation for a doctorate in 1950 argued that Borobudur is a place of worship. Based on the inscriptions Karangtengah and Tri Tepusan, Casparis estimate founder of Borobudur is the king of the Mataram dynasty dynasty named Samaratungga, doing construction around 824 AD The huge building will be completed at the time of her daughter, Queen Pramudawardhani. Borobudur construction is expected to take half a century. In Karangtengah inscription also mentioned about the bestowal of land sima (tax-free land) by CRI Kahulunan (Pramudawardhani) to maintain kamulan called Bhūmisambhāra. Kamulan term itself comes from a word originally meaning the origin, the sacred building to honor ancestors, most likely ancestor of the Sailendra dynasty. Casparis estimates that Bhumi Sambhāra Bhudhāra in Sanskrit which means "Hill set of ten levels boddhisattwa virtue", is the original name of Borobudur.

        Located about 40 kilometer (25 miles) northwest of the city of Yogyakarta, Borobudur is located on a hill on a plateau surrounded by two pairs of twin mountains; Mount Sundoro-chippy in the northwest and Merbabu-Merapi in the northeast, to the north there is Tidar hill, closer to the south there is a range of hills Menoreh, and the temple is located near the confluence of two rivers namely Progo and Elo River next east. According to Javanese legend, the area known as Kedu plain is a place considered sacred in Javanese beliefs and hailed as the 'Garden of Java' for its natural beauty and fertility of the soil.

      There was not found written evidence that explains who build Borobudur and what it does. Construction time is estimated based on a comparison between the type of script that is written in the legs closed Karmawibhangga with the kind of characters are commonly used in royal inscriptions 8th century and 9th. It is estimated that Borobudur was built around 800 AD. This period of time corresponding to the period between 760 and 830 AD, past the heyday of the house of dynasty in Central Java, who was then influenced Srivijaya Empire. Borobudur Development estimated to spend 75-100 years and actually completed during the reign of Samaratungga in 825.

       There is confusion as to whether the facts of Javanese kings at that time were Hindu or Buddhist. Sailendra known as Mahayana Buddhist devout, but through inscriptions Sojomerto findings suggest that they may originally Hindu Shiva. In the period that was built many Hindu and Buddhist temples in the Kedu Plain. Based Canggal inscription, in 732 AD, the king of religion Shiva Sanjaya ordered the construction of sacred buildings Shiwalingga built in the hills of Mount Wukir, located only 10 km (6.2 miles) east of Borobudur. Borobudur Buddhist temple built in the same time period with the temples at Prambanan Plain, nevertheless Borobudur is expected to be completed around 825 AD, twenty-five years earlier before the commencement of construction of the Shiva temple Prambanan around the year 850 AD.

      Borobudur is a masterpiece of Buddhist art Indonesia, for example crowning achievement of harmony the architecture and aesthetics of art Buddha in Java. The building is inspired by the idea of dharma of India, among others stupa and mandala, but it is believed also the continuation of local elements; punden megalithic structures or pyramid were found from the prehistoric period in Indonesia. As a blend of native Indonesian ancestor worship and struggles achieved Nirvana in Buddhism.

      Kamadhatu The legs symbolize Kamadhatu Borobudur, the world is still controlled by kama or "low desire". This section is mostly covered by a pile of rocks that were allegedly made to strengthen the construction of the temple. At the foot of the original enclosed additional structure there are 160 panels Karmawibhangga story that is now hidden. A small part of the additional structure on the southeast corner set aside so people can still see some relief in this section. Structure andesite extra feet covering the legs of this original has a volume of 13,000 cubic meters.

       Rupadhatu Four steps terraces that form the hallway around which the gallery walls decorated with reliefs by experts called Rupadhatu. The floor is rectangular. Rupadhatu consists of four hall with 1,300 relief image. 2.5 km long relief entirely with 1,212 decorative carved panel. Rupadhatu is a world that has been able to break free from lust, but is still bound by the appearance and shape. This level represents the nature of which, between the underworld and the upper world. In part this Rupadhatu Buddha statues found in niches or niches in the wall on the balustrade or breezeway. Originally there were 432 Buddha statues in the niches open along the outer side on the balustrade. On the balustrade there is little difference in design that symbolizes the transition from the realm to the realm Rupadhatu Kamadhatu; lowest balustrade crowned jewel, while four levels above the balustrade crowned stupika (small stupas). Part of this rectilinear terraces rich in ornament and carved reliefs.

      Arupadhatu Unlike the hallways Rupadhatu rich in relief, from the fifth to the seventh floor walls are not berelief. This level is called Arupadhatu (which means no tangible form or not). Circular floor plan. This level represents the upper world, where people are free from all desires and bond forms and shapes, but have not reached nirvana. In the courtyard of the circle there are 72 two small stupas berterawang arranged in three rows that surround a large stupa as the main stupa. Small bell-shaped stupa is arranged in three terraces that circle each numbered 32, 24, and 16 (a total of 72 stupas). Two terraces Stûpa larger bottom rhombic holes, the top terrace Stûpa little smaller and a square box-shaped hole. Statues of Buddha placed in a stupa covered with holes like in a cage. From the outside the statues were still seem vague. This design is intelligently explain the concept of transition towards a situation without form, ie, a Buddha statue that is there but invisible.