Borobudur, Largest Buddhist Monument on Earth

[Blue_Sky]

Borobodur Temple complex is one of the greatest monuments in the world. It is of uncertain age, but thought to have been built between the end of the seventh and beginning of the eighth century A.D. For about a century and a half it was the spiritual centre of Buddhism in Java, then it was lost until its rediscovery in the eighteenth century.

The structure, composed of 55,000 square meters of lava-rock is erected on a hill in the form of a stepped-pyramid of six rectangular storeys, three circular terraces and a central stupa forming the summit. The whole structure is in the form of a lotus, the sacred flower of Buddha.

For each direction there are ninety-two Dhyani Buddha statues and 1,460 relief scenes. The lowest level has 160 reliefs depicting cause and effect; the middle level contains various stories of the Buddha's life from the Jataka Tales; the highest level has no reliefs or decorations whatsoever but has a balcony, square in shape with round walls: a circle without beginning or end. Here is the place of the ninety-two Vajrasattvas or Dhyani Buddhas tucked into small stupas. Each of these statues has a mudra (hand gesture) indicating one of the five directions: east, with the mudra of calling the earth to witness; south, with the hand position of blessing; west, with the gesture of meditation; north, the mudra of fearlessness; and the centre with the gesture of teaching.

Besides being the highest symbol of Buddhism, the Borobodur stupa is also a replica of the universe. It symbolises the micro-cosmos, which is divided into three levels, in which man's world of desire is influenced by negative impulses; the middle level, the world in which man has control of his negative impulses and uses his positive impulses; the highest level, in which the world of man is no longer bounded by physical and worldly ancient desire.

It is devotional practice to circumambulate around the galleries and terraces always turning to the left and keeping the edifice to the right while either chanting or meditating. In total, Borobodur represents the ten levels of a Bodhisattva's life which he or she must develop to become a Buddha or an awakened one.

[Blue_Sky]

All image is taken from fotografer.net
And it is courtesy of their profesional photographer

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I'll post more image later

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[cOcO_cHaneL]

i've always loved this temple! when i was in year 7, we went here for school excursion, and i had to go around the temple 7 times.. the teacher said it meant sumthin,, like luck or.. dunno! forgot..

anyho, it's so beautifullll~~~~

[Blue_Sky]

[Blue_Sky]

Originally Posted by cOcO_cHaneL

i've always loved this temple! when i was in year 7, we went here for school excursion, and i had to go around the temple 7 times.. the teacher said it meant sumthin,, like luck or.. dunno! forgot..

anyho, it's so beautifullll~~~~

Too bad it is still very unknown to the world
Even my Malaysian Buddhist friend doesn't know that Borobudur is exist

[ncon]

it is world's 7 wonders ??

[Blue_Sky]

Seven Wonder list
# The Pyramids of Egypt
# The Taj Mahal, India
# The Great Wall of China
# The Eiffel Tower
# The Leaning Tower of Pisa
# The Statue of Liberty
# The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

source:
http://www.123world.com/wonders/seven-wonders.html

[ncon]

according to this :

Of the many Buddhist monuments and temples that exist today, perhaps none is as intriguing and well built as the ancient Buddhist monument Borobudur. Located on the Indonesian Island of Java, ancient Borobudur is the largest Buddhist monument in the world and is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It is colossal in size as it rises above the rice plains of central Java.

http://www.uwec.edu/greider/buddha/buddhism.course/student.culturetexts.'01/Leigh/Borobudur.htm

[Blue_Sky]

Originally Posted by encon

according to this :

Medieval Wonders
After the collapse of the great civilizations of antiquity, the memories of the destroyed ancient wonders faded. Scholars and philosophers reviewed and rewrote the lists of wonders, removing old ones and replacing them with "newly built" as tales of them spread. Over the centuries a consensus emerged in the form of the Seven Wonders of the Medieval Mind list:

Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa
Colosseum
Great Wall of China
Hagia Sophia
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Porcelain Tower of Nanjing (Nanjing, China)
Stonehenge (United Kingdom)
Borobudur (Indonesia) could also be considered.

I bold and font the main point


But maybe u also right, Borobudur is one of the 7 wonder

[Zorobabel]

The setting of Borobudur is awesome. I liked the surrounding mountains/hills more than the monument.

[ncon]

i do research and found out it is 7 Forgotten World's Wonders

[cOcO_cHaneL]

yes, it is one of the 7 forgotten wonders of the world i read it somewhere too.. encon, or someone,, let's put this in the world forum too.. i think ppl will like it and maybe they will come to jogja! eHEheheHHHe..

P.S we can put anythin in the world forum rite??