Borobudur_ Kang Chai Yuen 1106576

 

Borobudur is a Mahayana Buddhist monument in Indonesia's Central Java. It was the world's largest Buddhist building in 9th century. By the end of June 2012, Guinness World Records recognized it as the largest Buddhist temple in the world. Borobudur built in 9th century during the region of the Sailendra Dynasty. The name Borobudur is likely come from the Sanskrit "Vihara Buddha Ur", means "The mountain of combined virtues of the ten stages of Boddhisattvahood". Borobudur, the Great Wall of China, the Egyptian Pyramids and Angkor Wat in Cambodia are four great miracle of ancient oriental.

Borobudur is built as a large stupa, when we looking down from above, it looks like a giant tantric Buddhist mandala, it represents the Buddhist cosmology and the nature of mind. the foundation is a square, 118 metres, side length about 118 metres. It has nine platforms, the lower six are in square, the upper three are in circular. The upper platform has seventy-two small stupas surrounding one large central stupa and each of the stupa is bell shaped, pierced by numerous decorative openings. Inside there sit a statues of the Buddha. The design of Borobudur is actually the form of a step pyramid.

The three parts of the stupa symbolize the three realms of Buddhist cosmology, which is Kamadhatu, Rupadhatu, Arupadhatu. Kamadhatu represented the base, Rupadhatu represented the five square platform and Arupadhatu represented the three circular platforms and the large stupa. [Square and detailed decorations in the Rupadhatu disappear into plain circular platforms in the Arupadhatu to represent how the world of forms – where men are still attached with forms and names – changes into the world of the formless.]

There are many carved rellief on the wall of Borobudur temple. We can do more research about the significant of the carved on the wall and even go there for a look to have depth understanding of Borobudur temple. It is worth for us to go there have a visit since there is a spectacular building in Indonesia.

I found it related to hero's journey. For the first part, ones received a call to enter a world and he or she would face tasks and challenges either alone or with assistance. The second part, ones must solve the problem and survive in challenges. The third part is ones must then decide whether to return to the original world or stay.