History of Borobudur Temple
Borobudur Temple is one of the largest and most magnificent Buddhist monuments in the world. Recognized as a symbol of the architectural and artistic glory of the past, Borobudur Temple possesses a rich and profound history reflected in every stone and relief.
Origin of Development
The Sailendra Dynasty built the world's largest Buddhist relic between 780 and 840 AD. The Sailendra Dynasty was the ruling dynasty at that time. This relic was built as a place of Buddhist worship and pilgrimage. It contains instructions for humans to distance themselves from worldly desires and seek enlightenment and wisdom according to Buddhism. This relic was discovered by British troops in 1814 under the leadership of Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles. The temple area was completely cleared in 1835.
Borobudur was built in the Mandala style, reflecting the universe in Buddhist belief. The structure is rectangular with four entrances and a circular center. Viewed from the outside in, it is divided into two parts: the worldly realm, divided into three zones on the outside, and the Nirvana realm in the center.
Zone 1: Kamadhatu
The natural world that is visible and being experienced by humans now.
The Kamadhatu consists of 160 reliefs explaining the Karmawibhangga Sutra, the law of cause and effect. It depicts human nature and desires, such as robbery, murder, rape, torture, and slander.
The base cover has been permanently removed to allow visitors to view the reliefs hidden beneath. A collection of all 160 reliefs can be seen at the Borobudur Temple Museum in Borobudur Archaeological Park.
Zone 2: Rupadhatu
The transitional realm, where humans have been freed from world affairs.
Rapadhatu consists of a gallery of stone relief carvings and Buddha statues. In total, there are 328 Buddha statues, each with relief decoration.
According to Sanskrit manuscripts, this section consists of 1300 reliefs, including Gandhavyuha, Lalitawistara, Jataka, and Awadana. The total length is 2,5 km, with 1212 panels.
Zone 3: Arupadhatu
The highest realm, the home of God.
Three circular porches lead to a central dome, or stupa, depicting the resurrection from the world. This section is devoid of ornamentation or decoration, signifying the utmost purity.
The veranda in this section consists of circular, perforated stupas, inverted bells, and Buddha statues facing the exterior of the temple. There are 72 stupas in total. The largest stupa in the center is not as tall as the original version, which stood 42 meters above the ground and had a diameter of 9.9 meters. Unlike the surrounding stupas, the central stupa is empty, leading to debates about whether it actually contains contents, while others argue that it is indeed empty.
Relief
In total there are 504 Buddhas in meditation postures and six different hand positions throughout the temple.
Temple Corridor
During restoration work in the early 20th century, two smaller temples were discovered near Borobudur: Pawon Temple and Mendut Temple, which are in a line with Borobudur. Pawon Temple is 1.15 km from Borobudur, while Mendut Temple is 3 km from Borobudur. It is believed that there is a religious connection between the three temples, but the exact ritual process remains unknown.
The three temples form the route for the Vesak Day Festival, held annually on the full moon in April or May. The festival commemorates the birth, death, and enlightenment of Gautama Buddha.
