Cosmos Mythology and Borobudur Temple

An ancient Javanese legend tells of ancient times, when the island of Java was still floating aimlessly in the cosmic ocean, the gods took pity on the plight of their inhabitants and decided to place a place on the island once and for all. By hammering a giant spike right into the center of the island, they set its place on the sea floor. To this day, Tidar, or Bukit Paku, forms the topographic legend of the island, its name a reminder of this ancient myth.

Because Indian cosmological concepts were adopted in the Indonesian archipelago, the belief in a cosmic mountain called Meru, or Semeru in Java, is similar. Mount Meru's summit rises from the center of Jambudvipa, the continent that constitutes our world. Its main peak is believed to rise to nirvana, connecting the world where humans live with the realm of the gods.
From the earliest times, Indians also attached a special aura of sanctity to river confluences. In ancient Java, this belief was combined with the belief in cosmic mountains. This led to the confluence of the Progo and Elo rivers, near Tidar Hill, being considered a sacred site. As such, the site was chosen for the largest Buddhist monument in Southeast Asia, Borobudur Temple.

Borobudur is a brilliant blend of architectural, Buddhist, and cosmological ideas. It is a stupa built to honor the ashes of the Buddha. The stupa symbolizes the attainment of nirvana, or absolute purity, the end of samsara, and freedom from rebirth.

At the same time, the stupa symbolizes the cosmic mountain Meru, which rises from the center of the world. The slopes below this cosmic mountain are inhabited by various deities, carved into reliefs in Borobudur's outer galleries.
The summit of the cosmic mountain is the heavenly abode of the gods, where the palace of Indra, king of the gods, is located. Above it are various layers of heaven, encompassing various realms of desire, from the tangible to the intangible.

It could be said that Borobudur is not just an architectural masterpiece. It represents more than that; it represents a deeper symbolism, a hallmark of Buddhist belief, architectural ingenuity, and a cosmic mythological concept.