Borobudur's the mountain of the virtues

Buddhist on Pilgrimage

Borobudur, the magnificent and the great Buddhist temple - the mountain of the virtues - is first a landscape, which over a thousand years ago, met the eyes of those who came on pilgrimage here to seek the inner peace to which all believers in the Buddha aspire.

Borobudur viewed from Dagi hill

Source: Guiding technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto screenshot arisguide.

The path that guides pilgrims was designed to symbolize Buddhist meditation.
Source: Guiding Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto arisguide.

The path that guides pilgrims was designed to symbolize Buddhist cosmology. The monument's three divisions symbolize the three "realms" of Buddhist cosmology, are namely Kamadhatu (the world of desires), Rupadhatu (the world of forms), and finally Arupadhatu (the formless world).

Ordinary sentient beings live out their lives on the lowest level, the realm of desire.

Kamadhatu

Illustrating the human behavior of desire.

Borobudur’s hidden Kamadhatu level consists of 160 reliefs depicting scenes of Karmawibhangga Sutra, the law of cause and effect. Illustrating the human behavior of desire, the reliefs depict robbing, killing, rape, torture and defamation.

Karmavibhangga

The reliefs on the ‘hidden foot’ are devoted to the inevitable law of karma. The 160 panels do not relate a continous story, but each provides one complete illustration of cause and effect.

The first 117 panels show various actions producing one and the same result, while the remaining 43 demonstrate the many results that can follow from one kind of act. Blame worthy activities, from gossip to murder, with their corresponding purgatorial punishments, and praise worthy activities, like charity and pilgrimages to sanctuaries, and their subsequent rewards, are both shown. The pains of hell and the pleasures of heaven, and scenes of daily life are represented in a full panorama of samsara, the endless cycle of birth and death, the chain of all those forms of delusional existence from which Buddhism brings release.

The encasement base of the Borobudur temple was dissembled to reveal the hidden foot, and the reliefs were photographed by Casijan Chepas in 1890. During the restoration, the foot encasement was reinstalled, covering the Karmawibhangga reliefs. This base level has been covered by a supporting foundation, hidden from view. During an investigation by Yzerman in 1885 the original foot was discovered. The additional base was added during the original construction of the temple. The reason for adding the base is not a certain, but likely to be either for stability of the structure, to prevent the base from moving, or for religious reasons – to cover up the more salacious content.

A corner of the covering base has been permanently removed to allow visitors to see the hidden foot, and some of the reliefs. Photography of the entire collection of 160 reliefs is displayed at the Borobudur Museum.

Rupadhatu

The transitional sphere, humans are released from worldly matters.

The four square levels of Rupadhatu contain galleries of carved stone reliefs, as well as a chain of niches containing statues of Buddha. In total there are 328 Buddha on these balustrade levels which also have a great deal of purely ornate reliefs. The Sanskrit manuscripts are depicted on narrative story of Lalitawistara, Jataka/Awadana and Gandhawyuha.

Lalitavistara

The Lalitavistara series does not provide a complete biography of the Buddha. It starts with the glorious descent of the Lord Buddha from the Tushita heaven, and ends with his first sermon in the Deer Park near Benares. The relief showing the birth of the Buddha as Prince Siddhartha, son of King Suddhodana and Queen Maya of Kapilavastu (in present - day Nepal), is near the southern staircase. It is depicting the various preparations, in heaven as well as on earth, to welcome the final incarnation of the Bodhisattva (the would - be Buddha).

jatakas and avadanas

Jatakas are stories about the Buddha before he was born as Prince Siddhartha. They have for main theme the meritorious acts which distinguished the Bodhisattva from any other creature. The accumulation of virtue is the characteristic of the preparatory stages to the attainment of Buddhahood. The hundreds of times the Bodhisattva was born and reborn, either as ananimal or in a human form. Jatakas and avadanas are treated in one and the same series without any evident distinction in the reliefs of Chandi Borobudur. No particular system of alternation is evident. The lower row of reliefs on the wall of the first gallery, mostly depicts avadanas. Some jatakas are included by way of variation. The system in its upper row of the series on the balustrade is quite different. The reliefs are practically all jatakas, with just a few avadanas.

The first 20 panels in the lower series on the wall on the first gallery depict the Sudhanakumaravadana (The Saintly Deeds of Prince Sudhanakumara), derived from the Divyavadana. The story starts with the rivalry of two kingdoms: the prosperous kingdom of North Panchala, and the poverty stricken kingdom of South Panchala.

Gandavyuha

Gandavyuha is the story told in the final chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra about Sudhana's tireless wandering in search of the Highest Perfect Wisdom. It covers two galleries (third and fourth) and also half of the second gallery, comprising in total of 460 panels.

The principal figure, the youth Sudhana, son of an extremely rich merchant, appears on the 16th panel. The preceding 15 panels form a prologue to the story of the miracles during Buddha's samadhi in the Garden of Jeta at Sravasti.

During his search, Sudhana visited no fewer than thirty teachers, but none of them had satisfied him completely. Each meeting has given Sudhana a specific doctrine, knowledge and wisdom. These meetings are shown in the third gallery.

The preceding fifteen reliefs form the miracles produced by the Buddha’s samadhi (deepest meditation) on the assembly of a hundred disciples in the Garden of Jeta at Sravasti. Upon his arrival at the sanctuary of Vichitrasaladhvaya the people of the town rush out in large numbers to hear the Bodhisattva describe the wonderful deeds performed by the Buddha. After a brief meeting with Manjusri, Sudhana proceeds to the residence of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra (fourth gallery of Chandi Borobudur).

Arupadhatu

The highest sphere the abode of the gods.

The three circular terraces leading to a central dome or stupa represent the rising above the world, and the terraces are a great deal less ornate, the purity of form is paramount. The terraces contain circles of perforated stupas, an inverted bell shape, containing sculptures of Buddha, who face outward from the temple.

There are 72 stupas in total. The impressive central stupa is currently not as high as the original version, which rose 42 m above ground level, the base is 9.9 m in diameter. Unlike the stupas surrounding it, the central stupa is empty and conflicting reports suggest that the central void contained relics, and other reports suggest it has always been empty.

The upper part of the walls consists of niches with decorative reliefs. There are 432 niches around the five terraces, each containing a seated Buddha statue. And since the walls behind the niches constitute the inner facade, the row of 1472 stupas form in the balustrades its counter part in the narrative reliefs.

In the square terraces of the rupadhatu, the circular platforms representing the Sphere of Formlessness are plain: no carvings, no ornaments, no embellishments. The only break in the monotonous plainness is offered by the row of stupas that encircle the big central dome. Supported by lotus cushions, the stupas are arranged in three concentric circles, corresponding to the three circular platforms. In all there are 72 stupas: 32 on the lowest or first platform, 24 on the second and 16 on the third. Each of the 72 stupas has a kind of lattice - work surface, composed of stones and diamond - shaped empty spaces which partly disclose the seated Buddha statue inside.

Source: Guiding Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide.

References:

1. Walubi. "Borobudur: Candi Berbukit Kebajikan".

2. "Buddhism in Indonesia". Buddhanet. Diakses tanggal 4 May 2015.

3. "Vesak Festival: A Truly Sacred Experience". Wonderful Indonesia. Diakses tanggal 4 May 2015.

4. Dr. Soekmono, Candi Borobudur - Pusaka Budaya Umat Manusia, Jakarta: Pustaka Jaya (1978).

5. Galeri Lalitavistara di Borobudur di photodharma.net

6. Tipitakadhara Mingun Sayadaw. (2008). RIWAYAT AGUNG PARA BUDDHA 1. Ehipassiko Foundation Giri Mangala Publications.

7. Tipitakadhara Mingun Sayadaw. (2008). RIWAYAT AGUNG PARA BUDDHA 2. Ehipassiko Foundation Giri Mangala Publications.

8. Tipitakadhara Mingun Sayadaw. (2008). RIWAYAT AGUNG PARA BUDDHA 3. Ehipassiko Foundation Giri Mangala Publications.

9. Let it share, you may like and open more detail to Welcome to Borobudur Temple, the fabric of life in the Buddhist culture.

10. Text adapted from Guiding Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide, Foto arisguide.