Borobudur

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Borobudur

• Mahayana monument, in Java, Indonesia
• O Reiley, pp. 82-83
• Fisher, pp. 196-200

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3.19 Borobudur, Java, Late 8th century F 175-77
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Borodudur

• It was built by the Sailendra dynasty the late
  8th century it is the biggest stupa monument in
  the world located in the Java Island of
  Indonesia
• Medium volcanic rocks and massive heap of stones
• It is a Mahayana monument with 9 levels each
  side measure 370 feet in length and 12 feet in
  height in each wall
• It has 5 square terraces and 3 circular diminish
  terraces with series of stupas (72 stupas)
  crowned by a large circular unfinished stupa (113
  Feet)
• Note no inscription was found at the site

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Plan

• Lower level represents
• Kamadhatu-Sphere of Desire (human spirit is still
  chained to greed
• Rupadathu- The sphere of Form (spirit liberated
  from greed but stillunable to transcend the
  phenomenal world)
• The upper-circular terraces-the Arupadhatu-the
  Sphere of Formlessness (liberated human spirit
  has left all earthly considerations behind)
• People visiting Borodubur -as pilgrims to immerse
  themselves in and graph the truth of the Buddhas
  teachings--by studying the narrative releifs and
  to practice meditation

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Gates

• Gates Kala or Makala (fish-elephant) 328 heads
  on the monumnets
• kala symbolizes sun and light
• makara symbolizes water and darkness together
  they symbolize the Universe

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Jina Buddhas (Dhyani Buddha)

• Vairocana Buddha-Universal Buddha, in the center
• Gesture dharmacakramudra
• Color white
• Aksobhaya-Buddha of the East
• Gesture bhumisparsamudra
• Color yellow
• Amitabha-Buddha of the West Sakyamuni and
  Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva resided (Sukhavati
  paradise)
• Gesture dhyanamudra
• Color Red

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Jina Buddha

• Ratanasambhava-Buddha of the South
• Gesture varadamudra
• Color green
• Amoghasidi-Buddha of the North
• Gesture abhayamudra
• Color Blue

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Gallery

• There are approximately 1300 panels with a total
  length of 8,200 feet cover the walls and the
  balustrades of the galleries
• It has no roof
• 540 seated Buddha in life size
• 432 are in niches (part of the balustrades)
• 72 in hollow stupas

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texts

• Base now covered depicted relief from the
  Kamawibhanga text-the doctrine of cause and
  effects
• Along the many galleries show panels with scenes
  in bas-relief. The releifs were directly drawn
  from the ancient texts
• 1st gallery lalitavistara in the upper level of
  the (Life story of the Buddha) wall and the
  Jatakamala in the lower part of the wall (Jataka
  stories)
• 2 and 3rd galleries Gandavyuha (story of Sudhana
  in search of the Ultimate Truth Maitreya helps
  him)

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Interpretations

• It represents the unity of the cosmos-sacred
  replica of the universe
• Unfinished Buddha symbolized the ultimate
  spiritual truth
• Mandala-cosmic diagram, cosmic universe the
  concept of the Three Bodies
• It associates with royal cult
• It represents the cosmic mountain-Mt Meru as
  described in the Lotus Sutra (Saddharapundarikasut
  ra)
• The ultimate message is that by hearing the Lotus
  sutra, ever beings can become a Buddha after
  having obtained complete enlightenment or bodhi