Welcome to Borobudur, one of the sacred buildings of Buddhism as a World Cultural Heritage site. The splendor and beauty of Borobudur has its own historical value for Indonesian people. The Indonesian government has designated Chandi Borobudur as a major tourist attraction, and also a priority tourist destination for domestic and foreign visitors.
Chandi Borobudur had attracted extraordinary enthusiasm to visit and explore several narrative sources in thematic tours, with the aim of getting to know more closely the history, architecture and fine arts of this building.
A friendly tour guide, Pamong Carita will accompany you on this interesting opportunity, providing narratives and explanations as a form of appreciation for the study and participation in maintaining, protecting and preserving ancestral cultural heritage. As a form of appreciation for study and participation in maintaining, protecting and preserving ancestral cultural heritage.
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Borobudur wall and balustrade carvings
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Relief Lalitavistara
The splendor of Chandi Borobudur is indeed extraordinary, from its unique and impressive architecture, Borobudur is very rich with relief sculptures that decorates the walls and balustrades on the six square terraces. Borobudur reliefs can be divided into two types: narrative and decorative. 1460 narrative panels arranged in eleven rows surround the monument with a total length of over 3000 m.
The 1212 decorative panels, though arranged in rows, are treated as individual reliefs. The first series of 160 narrative panels are at a hidden base and they are consequently not visible. Fortunately, a complete set of photographs was made not long after the rediscovery, and they can be identified as illustrating the working of the law of karma according to the Mahakarmavibhangga text.
The other ten series of narrative reliefs are distributed through out the Rupadhatu on the walls and balustrades of the four galleries. The first gallery is flanked by four series; the three successively mounting galleries' shave only two series each. The wall of the first gallery, over 3.5 m high, has two superimposed series of reliefs, each consisting of 120 panels. The upper row relates the biography of the Buddha according to the Latitavistara text. The lower row depicts his former lives, as told in the jatakas and Avadanas, these earlier incarnations before being born to become the historical Buddha are also narrated in the two superimposed rows of reliefs on the balustrade.
The balustrade of the second gallery has another jatakas and Avadanas series, but the wall panels take a new theme. As there is only one row of them on the almost 3 m high wall, they are considerably larger than those on the wall of the first gallery. The 128 panel series deals with the tireless wanderings of Sudhana in search of the Ultimate Truth, as told in the Gandavyuha text. The walls and balustrades of the third and fourth galleries are devoted to the further wanderings of Sudhana, terminating with his attainment of the Highest Wisdom. There are in all 1460 panels.
The narrative reliefs on the walls read from right to left, those on the balustrades from left to right. This was done for the purposes of the pradaksina. A ritual circumambulation which the pilgrim makes, moving in a clockwise direction and keeping the sanctuary to his right. The narrative begins on the left and ends on the right of the eastern ascending staircase, asserting that this staircase is the actual entrance to the monument.
Lalitavistara
Borobudur is rich in relief stories, there are 1,460 story carvings and 1,212 beautiful and elegant decorative carvings. What illustrates the aesthetic artistic value of Buddhist culture is the story on the main wall about the life history of Sidharta Gautama which is taken from the Lalitavistara manuscript/text.
Lalitavistara is a story or manuscript about depicting the history of Sidharta Gautama in a series of reliefs (but not a complete history), which are depicted and carved on the walls of Borobudur, starting from the descent of the Buddha from Tushita Heaven, and ending; with the first sermon or discourse in Taman Deer (Taman Kijang) near the city of Banaras.
The Lalitavistara reliefs consist of 120 relief panels lined up from the east main entrance stairs and to read these reliefs, visitors walk through a series of main wall passages using the Pradaksina method, namely walking around the passage clockwise. Walking towards the south, the relief panel on the second floor hallway of Borobudur's main wall in the relief panel of the top row of stories begins.
The Lalitavistara Sutra itself was written around the first to third centuries AD. In this book there are several older aspects that come from oral legends, and also elements that have developed more recently that are not found in older versions of the Buddha's history. This book is very well known among Mahayana and Wajrayana Buddhists, but less well known among Theravada Buddhists. Among all the series of relief panels in the Borobudur temple, the story of the relief panel about Lalitavistara is the most complete.
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The following is a brief story of the relief panels in the wall of Borobudur . |
Lalitavistara on Borobudur
Lalitavistara series, this story does not provide a complete biography of the Buddha. The story begins with the Buddha's descent 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 (now Nepal), is near the south staircase. It is preceded by 27 panels, which depict the various preparations, in heaven as well as on earth, to welcome the final incarnation of the Bodhisattva (future Buddha).
Before leaving the Tushita heaven, the Bodhisattva entrusted his crown to his successor, the future Buddha Maitreya. He then descended to earth, and in the form of a white elephant with six tusks he penetrated Queen Maya's right womb. For the Queen this event appeared in a dream, which was later interpreted to mean that a son would be born from her who would grow up to become a king or a Buddha.
The Lalitavistara is a fundamental text of Mahayana Buddhism, which tells the story of the Buddha’s descent from the Tusita Heaven up and till he gives his first sermon in the Deer Park near Benares. The title of the Sutra means The Elaboration of the Play [of the Buddha] and refers to the idea that the Buddha’s last incarnation was a performance intentionally given to enlighten mankind. The 120 panels which illustrate the Lalitavistara cover the upper half of the main wall around the first gallery of the monument, and are some of the best-preserved reliefs on the monument.
First gallery - main wall : 120 panels.
Lalitavistara
The Buddha lives among the clouds above Indra's palace on the peak of Mt. Sumeru. The Buddha tells the gods he has decided to be reborn on earth. Around his waist there is wrapped a cord that supports his right knee. This is a convention used in Borobudur to denote people of high status. In honor of his upcoming birth, a few gods go to earth to inform the brahmanas. The Buddha teaches the Introduction of the Law to the gods, and gives his crown to the Bodhisattva Maitreya, who is his designated successor. The Buddha then asks the gods what form he should take in his mother's womb. Some recommend the figure of a human, but others tell him that in the brahmanas' books the Buddha is described as an elephant with six tusks, brightly shining, with a head that oozes with sap. Queen Maya and King Suddhodana live in a palace in the city of Kapilavastu.
The king grants her request to undertake a vow of restraint from sensual pleasures. Queen Maya is seated in her quarters awaiting the Buddha's descent. During the Great Descent, the Buddha sits on a throne in a pavilion, accompanied by an uncountable number of gods, nymphs, and other supernatural beings.
While Queen Maya sleeps, the Buddha enters her womb in the shape of the white elephant. That night a lotus grows out of the ocean and reaches up to Brahma's heaven. The lotus contains the essence of all creation. Brahma collects the essence in a bowl and gives the Buddha the essence to drink as a mark of honor. This is one of the most popular scenes in ancient Buddhist art. Queen Maya decides to go to a forest of Asoka trees. She arrives and sends a servant to ask the king to meet her there.
Some members of the Sakya tribe suggest the child should be taken to the temple.
The schoolmaster is Visvamitra, and a god named Subhanga is also there. The story skips a few years and then describes a visit to a rural village.
The king arrives at the edge of the forest but is not allowed to go any further. The queen tells him of her dream, in which an elephant enters her womb. She asks him to get brahmans to interpret the dream. The brahmans tell the couple that the queen will bear a son who will become either a Universal Monarch or a Buddha. Indra and other gods offer for the queen to stay in their palace during her pregnancy. The unborn Buddha creates the illusion that the queen is in all the palaces to prevent any of the gods or kings being disappointed.
During her pregnancy, the queen acquires certain powers, such as the ability to restore people possessed by supernatural beings to their normal state by letting them look on her her, and also the power to heal diseases. The king lives like a hermit during her pregnancy. Queen Maya asks the king to be allowed to give birth in the Lumbini Pleasure Garden. The queen sets out for the garden in a carriage. When she arrives, she walks until she comes to an Asoka tree which magically bends down for her. She grasps the branch and the Buddha emerges from her right side. The baby takes seven steps in each of the four directions, and at each step a lotus springs up. After Sakyamuni's birth, Indra and Brahma disguise themselves as brahmanas to congratulate King Suddhodana along with many other gods.
A week after the Buddha is born, Queen Maya dies and becomes a god. Her sister, Gautami, becomes the baby prince's guardian. Some members of the Sakya tribe suggest the child should be taken to the temple. When the prince arrives, the statues in the temple come to life and kneel before him. Later, when Sakyamuni comes of age he is sent to school. The schoolmaster is Visvamitra, and a god named Subhanga is also there. The story skips a few years and then describes a visit to a rural village. This is where the scene of the first meditation takes place. The prince sits down under a guava tree to meditate.
Some members of the Sakya tribe suggest the child should be taken to the temple. The schoolmaster is Visvamitra, and a god named Subhanga is also there. The story skips a few years and then describes a visit to a rural village. The Buddha arrives in Benares, and goes out on alms round. He finds the five former disciples, and they are awed by his radiance and arise to serve him. The disciples ceremonially bathe Buddha. Then Buddha preaches his first sermon, which sets the Dhamma-Wheel Rolling.
Its more detail: Borobudur-insight into a meditation.
Source: Chandi Borobudur Guidance Techniques arisguide.
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| Welcome to Borobudur Borobudur 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. Source: Chandi Borobudur Scouting Techniques arisguide. arisguide's photo. |
Get more narration and materials about Chandi Borobudur in Barabudur atau Borobudur, Candi Buddha Pusaka Budaya Indonesia.
Reading is more fun exploring the thematic narratives in more detail in Selamat Datang di Kebudayaan Borobudur.
Reading in English is fun and also seems so interesting to translate into language that is easy and flexible, get readings in detail in Welcome to Borobudur Temple, the fabric of life in the Buddhist culture.
Explore, admire the beauty of art in pictures and photos by typing the detailed link in PHOTO IMAGE BOROBUDUR.
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| Borobudur Borobudur 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. Source: Chandi Borobudur Scouting Techniques arisguide. arisguide's photo. |
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| Stupa of Borobudur The largest main stupa is located in the center and crowns this building, surrounded by three circular rows of 72 perforated stupas in which there is a statue of Buddha sitting cross-legged in a perfect lotus position with the Dharmachakra mudra (turning the wheel of dharma). Source: Scouting Techniques Chandi Borobudur arisguide. arisguide's photo. |
Story of Lalitavistara
The Beginning of Buddha's Last Birth
The relief panels on the main upper wall tell of the time when the Gods in the Tusita Heaven had given permission to grant the Bodhisattva's wish to descend to the world and be reborn as a Buddha, with the aim of providing guidance and direction to mankind and returning them to the right path. By incarnating into a human named Gautama Buddha, Sidharta. At the Kapilawastu royal palace, King Sudhodana and Queen Maya were having a deep conversation about their desire to have and have a son. This desire made them both meditate, to have children.
It is said that at that time, in the royal palace, Goddess Maya, the consort of Sudhodana, King Kapilavastu, dreamed of seeing a white elephant with six tusks, then infiltrated Queen Maya's body. The white elephant in the dream descended from the Tusita heaven riding on a lotus flower, which was none other than the Bodhisattva himself. At the same time, the gods expressed deep respect by worshiping him. Then, because the dream incident could not yet be interpreted, Goddess Maya's desire arose to tell King Sudhodana about her dream, about what it meant. Likewise with Prabu Sudhodana, after thinking and contemplating the dream, he finally decided to ask the meaning of the dream to a wise person, a person with understanding, namely a Brahma named Asita.
On this occasion it was explained that Queen Dewi Maya would receive a gift, namely that she was pregnant with the child of the future king of the world. In her heart, Goddess Maya was very happy, but her wish for her son to become a wise man or Brahma had not been achieved. This was very different from Brahma's explanation which made Prabu Sudhodana's heart feel very happy, because Prabu Sudhodana had been longing for a son who would later become the heir to the throne of the next king's kingdom.
This joyful thing was welcomed happily by King Sudhodana and was then carried out by sharing, namely giving hasidah to Asita and other Brahmins. Due to this incident, the Gods then offered heaven to Goddess Maya. On the way to conceiving the king's son, life in the palace encountered many miracles. One of them is that the Maya Gods and Goddesses are shown three palaces or three places at once. The purpose of these three palaces is to illustrate the Trikaya teachings, namely the Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya teachings.
Before Buddha's birth, in the palace, Goddess Maya was able to perform various miracles, things that people around the palace could not do, including being able to treat sick and disabled people. Miracles also happened inside the palace, when lions and elephants outside the palace worshiped King Sudhodana. As the birth approaches, preparations are made in the palace where the Goddess Maya travels to give birth to the Bodhisattva. Goddess Maya gave birth in a standing position while holding a tree branch in Lumbini Park.
When the Bodhisattva was born, there were two streams of water that came down from the sky, one stream of water was cold and the other stream of water was warm. The current then flowed rapidly into Sidharta's body. At that time Sidharta was born clean and spotless, stood up straight and immediately walked towards the north. The place where he stood was covered with lotus flowers. A week after his birth, it is said that Empress Dewi Maya died.
Sidharta's Childhood and Adolescence
Asita again predicted that in the future Prince Sidharta would become a holy man, namely Buddha. This prediction made King Sudhodana's mind very anxious because his worry was that when his son grew up he would become a Buddha. This caused the Kapilavastu kingdom to have no king and no one to inherit it. Therefore, the ascetics suggested to King Sudhodana that Prince Sidharta be kept away from the four events of life. Otherwise, the life he would lead would make him an ascetic or Buddhist saint.
Since childhood, Sidharta has shown something different from other children, namely growing up to be an intelligent child. When he was seven years old, the prince was already interested in studying science. It is said that the prince's face was filled with bright light, so that when he first entered school the teacher fainted because he saw the prince's shining face.
At the age of 16, the time came for Sidharta to find a mate, give him a ring, and get married by choosing Princess Yasodhara, who he married after Sidharta succeeded in winning several competitions. Then for his victory he was honored by being given three magnificent and special palaces, namely the Winter Palace (Ramma), Summer Palace (Suramma) and Rainy Season Palace (Subha). This was done by his father, Sudhodana in connection with the ascetic's words and advice that his son should not be allowed to see the four events of life.
The Four Meetings and the Great Renunciation of Sidharta
After some time, Sidharta's life as the king's son, in three magnificent palaces complete with everything fulfilled. Sidharta received all the luxuries such as food, drink, clothes, loyal servants and was always looked after by royal guards, but this did not make his life better because he felt bored because he was always in the palace. Therefore, he thought he could take a look at the situation outside the palace.
One day the Bodhisattva had a desire to look outside the palace, so he asked permission to walk outside the palace. Outside the palace, life is very different, with several royal guards who on occasion met outside the palace, they saw four very meaningful and real life situations, namely: old people, sick people, dead people and holy people. Seeing this, it was implied in his heart that Sidharta was actually feeling very sad. For a moment of reflection, the desire to know made him ask himself what the meaning of life was. He thought that meeting a holy person was about a holy life that would answer the true meaning of life.
In his life, thinking and contemplating the four lives he saw had led him to live various forms of worldly life for 10 years. Sidharta's upheaval continued until one day he was 29 years old, coinciding with the birth of his first child. One night, his desire to leave the palace gave him the opportunity, the Bodhisattva decided to leave the palace. Horse-drawn guards accompany him to help Sidharta, he will be determined to seek and carry out the great renunciation and live as an ascetic.
The Bodhisattva felt that his body was very weak and death almost took his soul. However, with a will and determination as strong as steel, the Bodhisattva finally continued his asceticism under the Bodhi tree. It is also said that with various strategies, Goddess Mara's efforts stopped and thwarted her hermitage. But with all the efforts made by the Bodhisattva, miracles come and all dangers that arise to thwart his asceticism, can be removed by turning every temptation into a flower.
And at that time, the time came for the Bodhisattva to attain perfect enlightenment. The Bodhisattva would receive the supreme wisdom that guides final salvation and would become the Buddha on the exact full moon of 531 BC. Eighth day of the 12th month. When he had attained perfect enlightenment, his body was seen radiating light. Blue light means devotion, yellow means wisdom and knowledge, red means love and compassion, while white means purity.
After Bodhisatwa attained perfect enlightenment, Bodhisatwa politely met his five friends who had previously accompanied him and appointed them as his first disciples. And it is said that on such a happy occasion, it was the five disciples who heard the Buddha's teachings for the first time, namely the teachings of salvation.
Lalitavistara
Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide.
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Borobudur Story relief wall hallway The beauty of the relief carvings of the Borobudur story on the walls and balustrades. Source: Borobudur Conservation Center. Chandi Borobudur Scouting Technique arisguide. arisguide's photo. |
Traveling and visiting with the aim of getting to know Borobudur more closely, studying its history, taking part in thematic tours and exploring Borobudur as a sacred Buddhist building is something very special, admiring the splendor and beauty of the architectural artistic value, is a form of appreciation and participation in preserving and protecting Borobudur which is a world cultural heritage site, Chandi Borobudur.
In the historical narrative of Borobudur, the relief panels carved on the walls at the foot of the temple are mentioned in the Karmawibhangga text, regarding the offering of footwear called 'Upanat' to the Brahmins.
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Upanat Borobudur |
Giving footwear with the name 'Upanat', footwear offered to Brahmins, in order to obtain rewards and prosperity in life. Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. arisguide's photo.
Upanat Borobudur
One of the reliefs on the wall at the foot of the temple in the Karmawibhangga text, is about offering footwear with the name 'Upanat', footwear offered to Brahmins, in order to obtain rewards and prosperity in life. Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. arisguide's photo.
Explaining that 'Upanat' is the footwear used when visiting the terrace of Borobudur Temple. This visit aims to get to know Borobudur better, learn about its history, take a thematic tour and admire the splendor and fine art of this monument. This is a form of appreciation and getting to know Borobudur, as well as playing a role in maintaining and protecting the world cultural heritage site in Borobudur, Indonesia.
Read the complete narrative and material about Chandi Borobudur by visiting and make your tour even more enjoyable, explore in more detail the thematic narrative of Borobudur culture with Pamong Carita. Reading becomes more fun, digging into the narrative in more detail and reading in English is indeed fun and also seems very interesting to translate into easy and flexible language, get detailed reading at Welcome to Borobudur Temple, the fabric of life in the Buddhist culture. Explore, admire the beauty of fine art in images and photos at PHOTO IMAGE BOROBUDUR.
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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. Chandi Borobudur or Barabudur is a Mahayana Buddhist temple built in the 9th century, consisting of nine terraced terraces, six square terraces and three circular terraces, on top of which there is a large stupa, surrounded by 72 stupas and decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues . Chandi Borobudur or Barabudur is a 9th–century Mahayana Buddhist temple, which consists of nine stacked platforms, six square and three circular, topped by a central dome, surrounded by 72 stupas and decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto arisguide. |
Chandi Borobudur, is a majestic and little-known temple, a mountain of virtue, first of all a sight that, more than a thousand years ago, attracted the attention of people who came on pilgrimage here in search of the inner peace that everyone aims for. Buddhists aspire.
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Borobudur is the largest monument in the world. Source: Chandi Borobudur Scouting Technique arisguide. arisguide's photo. |
Lalitawistara
Lalitavistara Sutra is a story about the life history of Sidharta Gautama and Buddha in a series of reliefs (but not a complete history) starting with the Buddha's descent from the Tushita peak, and ending with the first sermon in Deer Park near the city of Banaras. These 6 reliefs line the stairs on the south side, after passing through a row of 27 relief frames starting from the stairs on the east side. The 27 frames depict busyness, both in heaven and on earth, in preparation for welcoming the arrival of the Bodhisattva's final incarnation as the Buddha-to-be. The relief depicts the birth of the Buddha in this arcapada as Prince Siddhartha, son of King Suddhodana and Empress Maya from the Land of Kapilavastu. The relief consists of 120 frames, which ends with the first sermon, which is symbolically expressed as the Turning of the Wheel of Dharma. The teachings of the Buddha are called dharma which also means "law", while dharma is symbolized as a wheel. The Lalitavistara Sutra itself was written around the first to third centuries AD. In this book there are several older aspects that come from oral legends, and also elements that developed later that are not found in older versions of the Buddha's history. This book is very well known among Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhists, but is unknown to Theravada Buddhism. Among all the Borobudur relief series, the identification of the Lalitavistara relief is the most complete.
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