BOROBUDUR TEMPLE

Most of Indonesian people know and recognize Borobudur as one of Seven Miracle Of The World or World Wonder Heritages. Most of them even have visited Borobudur temple several times.

Borobudur is a budhist temple which located in Borobudur village, Magelang city, Central Java province, Indonesia. Location of the temple about 100 km at southwest of Semarang city and 40 km at northwest of Yogyakarta city. The temple was build about year 824 Masehi by King of Samaratungga, a king at a period of governance of Syailendra dinasty. It is said this temple have buried by Merapi mount eruption ( 950M) and just found again at 19^th century by Governor General of Java at that time, Sir Thomas Raffles (1814).

Provenance name of Borobudur come from two word " bara" and " beduhur",word bara it is said come from Vihara word, there is also other explaination where bara come from Sanskrit with the meaning temple complex or convent and beduhur its meaning is high. So, Borobudur mean a convent residing in hill or highlands.

Borobudur is biggest of Budhist temple in the world highly 34,5 metre and wide of building 123 x 123 metre. This Budhist temple have 1460 reliefs and 504 stupas of Budha in its complex. Borobudur recognized by the name of HOLY BUILDING 10 STOREY because owning 10 storey(level). This is depict sect philosophy of Mahayana which teaching that everyone which wish to reach level as Budha have to pass ten level of Boddhisatwa

Building of Borobudur in form of punden berundak (holy place which have many stairs) consist of 10 storey. Height 42 metre before renovated and 34,5 metre after renovated because lowest storey used as buffer. Six lowest storey in form of square and three storey above in form of circle and one highest storey in the form of Budha stupa facing towards west. Each level symbolise human life step. According to doctrine of Budha Mahayana, everyone which wish to reach level as Budha must pass every level of life.

Part of base of Borobudur, named as Kamadhatu, symbolising human being which still tied desire/passion. Four level above named as Rupadhatu symbolise human being which have earned to free from passion but still tied form and aspect. At that storey, idol of Budha put down is open. Whereas, three storey above where idol of Budha put down in stupa which have many holes named Arupadhatu, symbolising human being which have freed from passion, aspect, and form. Topmost named as Arupa symbolise nirvana/heaven, place of Budha.

Each level have beautiful reliefs which show skilled its maker. The Reliefs will be read in a series if you walk clockwise ( left direction of temple entrance). At reliefs of Borobudur tell a story about a legendary story, that is Ramayana. Besides, there are also reliefs depicting the condition of that moment society. For example, relief about farmer activity expressing about progress of agriculture system at that moment and sailing boat relief represent of progress of sea transportation which at that time its center in Bergotta (Semarang).

Overall of reliefs exist in Borobudur temple express teaching of the Budha. Hence, this temple can be made as media of education for people who wish to study teaching of Budha. Atisha, a India buddhist at 10^th century, have visit to the temple which built 3 centuries before Angkor Wat in Combodia and 4 centuries before Glorious Cathedral in the Europe.

After visit Borobudur and stock of teaching copy of Budha from Serlingpa ( one of the king of Sriwijaya kingdom), Atisha can develop teaching of Budha. He become convent head of Vikramasila and teach tibetan about the way of practicing on Dharma. Six copy of Serlingpa also summarized to become a core of teaching named as " The Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment " which more knowledgeable by the name of Bodhipathapradipa.

One of the question which not answered yet till now about Borobudur is how condition of around the temple when the temple was build and why the temple found in a state of buried. Some telling Borobudur initially standing to circuit by bog then hidden because eruption of mount of Merapi. It is base on the inscription of Kalkutta write down ' Amawa' meaning milk ocean. That word which later interpreted as lava of mount of Merapi. The others tell that Borobudur piled up by cool lava of mount of Merapi.

Invention and Restoration of Borobudur

The first of Borobudur picture of year 1873. visible Dutch flag at main stupa of the temple.

• 1814 - Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, Governor General of Great Briton in Java, hearing the existence of invention of ancient object in countryside of Borobudur. Raffles command H.C. Cornelius to investigate invention location, that is in the hill fulfilled by coppice.

• 1873 - first monograph about temple published.

• 1900 - governance of Indies Dutch specify a restoration committee and treatment of Borobudur temple.

• 1907 - Theodoor van Erp lead restoration till year 1911.

• 1926 - Borobudur re-restored, but desisted in the year 1940 effect of crisis of malaise and World War II

• 1956 – Indonesian government ask aid of UNESCO. Prof. Dr. C. Coremans come to Indonesia from Belgia to check causes damage of Borobudur.

• 1963 - Indonesian government release decree to restore Borobudur, but become disorder after happened event of G-30-S PKI (Party of Indonesian Communist Movement on September 30th ).

• 1968 - at confrence 15th in French, UNESCO agree to help Indonesia to save Borobudur.

• 1971 - Indonesian government make restoration committee of Borobudur led by Prof.Ir.Roosseno.

Commemoration stone of restoration of Borobudur temple constructively by UNESCO

• 1972 - International Consultative Committee formed by entangling many countries and decide that Roosseno as chief. Committee sponsored by UNESCO provide 5 million United States dollar from expense of restoration 7.750 million United States dollar. The rest accounted by Indonesia.

• 10 Agustus 1973 - President of Soeharto announce strarting of restoration of Borobudur; restoration finish in the year 1984.

• 21 Januari 1985 - happened bomb attack damaging some stupa at Borobudur temple which immediately repaired.
• 1991 - Borobudur specified as World Heritage by UNESCO

BOROBUDUR IN THE PICTURES