The Religious Meaning of Borobudur

The Religious Meaning

Borobudur, the magnificent and little known 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.

The three superimposed spheres of Kamadhatu, Rupadhatu and Arupadhatu accord perfectly depicting with bhurloka (earth), bhuvarloka (atmosphere) and svarloka (heaven), symbolizes the Cosmic Mountain, which is in turn the symbol parexcellence of the Universe.

The Cosmic Mountain concept is purely Hindu and alien to Buddhism. The Buddhist cosmology ascribes no obvious significance to it. The Lord Buddha is said to have once instructed his disciples to burn his corpse after that he had entered nirvana, and to deposit the ashes in a stupa.

When asked what a stupa was, the Master folded his garments on the ground, put his beggar’s bowl upside down on it, and stood his staff over the bowl. This instruction resulted in the constructions, which usually consist of a square base, a semi-circular dome and a pinnacle.

Borobudur

Borobudur Temple is a Mahayana Buddhist temple, built in the 9th century during the reign of the Sailendra Dynasty, this temple was designed in the form of Javanese Buddhist architecture, which combines native Indonesian culture, namely ancestor worship and the Buddhist concept of achieving Nirvana.

Buddist Pilgrim

Consequently, the symbolical meaning of Chandi Borobudur has a two fold origin, in Mahayana Buddhism, and ancestor worship. The ten mounting terraces of the structure then correspond to the ten successive stages the Bodhisattva has to achieve before attaining to Buddhahood.

Buddhist pilgrims meditate on the top of Arupadhatu. Source: Guiding Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide.

Buddhist pilgrims meditate on the top of Arupadhatu.

The daring break with tradition is a further demonstration of the high esteem of the founder of Chandi Borobudur for the forefather whom he identified with the Buddha; and a stepped pyramid with a stupa on top was a most appropriate symbol to depict the virtue the dynasty had accumulated successively along the Path of the Bodhisattva.

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.