Borobudur Temple
Borobudur Temple is one of my favourite places to visit. It is the largest Buddhist temple in Indonesia and is located in Magelang, Central Java. This temple is so wonderful because there are 504 Buddhas with meditative postures and six different hand positions throughout the temple.
In Buddhist belief, Borobudur was built in the Mandala style which reflects the universe. The structure of the building is square with four entrances and a circular center point. When we view the temple from outside to inside, we can see that it is divided into two main parts. They represent the natural world, with three zones on the outside and the realm of Nirvana in the center.
Zone 1 is called Kamadhatu, which means the natural world that is seen and is being experienced by current humans. Kamadhatu consists of 160 reliefs that explain the Karmawibhangga Sutra, namely the law of cause and effect. The hood at the base has been permanently removed so that visitors can see the relief hidden at the bottom. A photo collection of all 160 relief photos can be seen at the Borobudur Temple Museum, located in the Borobudur Archaeological Park.
Zone 2 is called Rupadhatu, which means the transitional realm, where humans have been freed from worldly affairs. Rapadhatu consists of a gallery of stone relief carvings and Buddha statues. There are 328 Buddha statues which also have reliefs on the carvings. According to Sanskrit manuscripts, this section consists of 1.300 reliefs in the form of Gandhawyuha, Lalitawistara, Jataka, and Awadana. The whole stretches for 2,5 km with 1.212 panels.
Zone 3 is called Arupadhatu, which means the highest realm, the house of God. Three circular porches lead to the central dome or stupa which represents the resurrection from the world. There are no ornaments or decorations here, which means that it represents the highest purity. The porch consists of a circular stupa with holes, inverted bells, and it contains a Buddha statue that leads to the outside of the temple. There are 72 stupas in total. The largest stupa in the center is not as tall as the original version, 42 metres in height above the ground with a diameter of 9,9 metres. The central stupa is empty. However, it raises debate between people who believe there is actually content but there are also those who think that the stupa is truly empty.
Two smaller temples were discovered during restoration in the early 20th century.
They are Pawon and Mendut Temple which are in line with Borobudur Temple. There is a belief that there is a religious relationship between the three temples, but the ritual process is still unknown. The three temples form the route for the Vesak Day Festival which is held annually during the full moon in April or May. The festival commemorates the birth and death of Gautama Buddha, as well as the enlightenment he gave.
What is the largest Buddhist temple in Indonesia?
