Religious meaning
The three superimposed spheres of kamadhatu, rupadhatu and arupadhatu
accord perfectly depicting with bhurloka (earth), bhuvarloka (atmosphere) and
svarloka (heaven), symbolizes the Cosmic Mountain, which is in turn the symbol par excellence of the Universe.
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the symbolical meaning of Chandi Borobudur
Source : Guiding Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. |
The Cosmic Mountain concept
is to Buddhism, the Buddhist cosmology ascribes no obvious significance to it. The Lord Buddha is said to have once instructed his
disciples to burn his corpse after that he had entered nirvana, and to deposit
the ashes in a stupa. When asked what a stupa was, the Master folded his garments on
the ground, put his beggar’s bowl upside down on it, and stood his staff over the
bowl. This instruction resulted in the constructions, which usually consist of a
square base, a semi - circular dome and a pinnacle.
Consequently, the symbolical meaning of Chandi Borobudur has a two
fold origin, in Mahayana Buddhism, and ancestor worship. The ten mounting
terraces of the structure then correspond to the ten successive stages the
Bodhisattva has to achieve before attaining to Buddhahood.
The daring break with tradition is a
further demonstration of the high esteem of the founder of Chandi Borobudur for
the forefather whom he identified with the Buddha; and a stepped pyramid with a
stupa on top was a most appropriate symboyl to depict the virtue the dynasty had
accumulated successively along the Path of the Bodhisattva.
Underlying the doctrine is the conviction that life is
misery. The world is not real; life in all its aspects is illusion. Its changing all the time, and nothing
in it is eternal. Life is both a continuation of earlier lives, and a
preparation for the
next one, a station in the endless cycle of being born and reborn. The form and
circumstances of each station 4 determined by their predecessors.
Buddhism
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Buddhist monks, the pilgrims are about meditation, its on the top of the platform.
Source : Guiding Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. |
In the sense that there was no god to be worshipped, Buddhism was not originally a religion. It was rather a doctrine explaining how to achieve the ultimate release from all sufferings: to nullify karma, to break up samsara, and finally to achieve nirvana.
The factor is not the station, but its about the karma, the balance of
good and bad acts. A positive balance will secure a better next life, and a
life that continues to improve will culminate in a rebirth in heaven. The
ultimate goal is therefore to avoid any form of rebirth. At this final stage
the devotee achieves arhat to enter nirvana, which is absolute non–existence.
The Four Noble Truths explain how ultimate salvation
from samsara is attained. The conviction that life is suffering is the first Truth. The second is
that suffering is caused by desire - the desire to exist and to cling to the
phenomenal world. The third Truth is that
suffering can be eliminated by extinguishing desire. The fourth is formulated
in the Eight fold Path, showing the way in which desire can be extinguished.
The Path consists of the following steps: 1. Correct
view, 2. Correct
thought and purpose, 3. Correct speech, 4. Correct conduct, 5. Correct livelihood
or occupation, 6. Correct zeal, 7.
Correct remembrance, which retains the true and excludes the false, 8. Correct
meditation. Desire is the fundamental source of misery, the result of an
illusive insight. The primary source of all sufferings is avidya or ignorance.
Lalitavistara
The Lalitavistara series does
not provide a complete biography of the Buddha. It starts with the glorious
descent of the Lord Buddha 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 (in
present - day Nepal), is near the southern staircase.
It is preceded by 120 panels sculptures,
depicting the various preparations, in heaven as well as on earth, to welcome
the final incarnation of the Bodhisattva (the would - be Buddha). Before leaving
the Tushita heaven the Bodhisattva entrusted his crown to his successor,
the future Buddha Maitreya. He then descended on earth, and in the shape of
a white elephant with six tusks he penetrated Queen Maya’s right womb. To the
Queen this event appeared in a dream, which was later interpreted as meaning
that a son would be born to her who would grow up to become either a sovereign
or a Buddha.
Lalitavistara
(Life of the Buddha)
East Wall (Center to South)
The Prelude to the Birth of Buddha
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| Bodhisattva in Tusita Heaven amongst the Gods |
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.
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| Bodhisattva’s announcement that he will be reborn on earth |
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| The Gods take the form of Brahmins on earth |
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| Pratyeka Buddhas leave earth now that the Bodhisattva will be Born |
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| Bodhisattva’s guidance to the Gods |
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| Passing the crown to Maitreya |
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| Choosing the incarnation |
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| King Suddhadana and Queen Maya |
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 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.
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| Goddesses visit Queen Maya who has vowed celibacy |
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The Gods discuss who should accompany the Bodhisattva
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| The Gods venerate the Bodhisattva |
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| The Bodhisattva descends to earth accompanied by the Gods |
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| The Bodhisattva enters Queen Maya's womb |
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| The Bodhisattva inside Queen Maya's womb |
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| The Queen wishes to meet King Suddhodana in the Asoka Park |
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.
South Wall
The Birth and Early Life of Buddha
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| The King goes to meet the Queen |
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| The Queen tells her dream |
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| The Brahmins interpret the Queen's dream |
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| The Brahmins receive gifts |
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| The Gods preparing for Queen Maya |
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.
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| Queen Maya in more than one palace |
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| Queen Maya heals the Sick |
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| The Sakyans give gifts to the Poor |
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| The King discourse on a Women's duties |
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| The Portents before the Bodhisattva's birth |
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.
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| Queen Maya's time draws near |
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| Queen Maya traveling to Lumbini |
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| Queen Maya gives birth |
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| The King names his Son Siddhartha |
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| Gautami looking after Siddhartha |
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.
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| Asita predicts Siddhartha will become Buddha |
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| The Gods worship Siddhartha |
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| The King is requested to take Siddhartha to the Temple |
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| The Procession to the Temple |
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| The Statues worship Siddhartha |
After Shakyamuni'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.
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Aristocrats present Jewelers to Siddhartha |
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| Siddhartha goes to school |
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| Siddhartha studying in the classroom |
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| Siddhartha in the villages |
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| Siddhartha Meditating under a Rose-Apple Tree |
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.
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| The Family decide to request Siddhartha to Marry |
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| Presenting a Ring to Gopa |
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| Siddhartha consenting to a contest |
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| Devadatta beats an Elephant to death |
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| Siddhartha removes the Elephant |
The king wishes
Siddhartha would marry because he remembers the prophecy that his son is to
become a Buddha or a Universal Monarch. The prince tells him he will give his
answer in seven days. The prince consents and chooses Gopa as his wife. Only
she can bear to look at him without being blinded by his radiance. Gopa's
father is not certain the prince is suitable for his daughter, so he requires
the prince undergo some tests to prove his mental and physical abilities.
West Wall
Buddha's Marriage and Renunciation
Siddhartha and 500 other princes go out to the city to demonstrate their powers. He sets a problem that only he can solve. The next test is an archery competition. Siddhartha uses an ancient bow which had been preserved in a temple since his grandfather's time. He shoots an arrow through seven trees, and through other various targets including an iron boar. Siddhartha having been successful in all the tests Gopa's father agrees to the marriage. Various gods including Indra and Brahma congratulate him on his marriage and ask when he will begin his quest for enlightenment.
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| Siddhartha wins at Mathematics |
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| Siddhartha wins a competition |
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| Siddhartha wins another competition |
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| Siddhartha wins an Archery competition |
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| Gopa agrees to marry Siddhartha |
The king dreams of the prince's departure and tries to attract him to remain by building three more palaces to amuse him. The king posts guards around the prince's palace and sends young women to entertain him. This is one of the most successful compositions on the monument.
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| Siddhartha and Gopa in the Palace |
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| The Gods congratulate Siddhartha |
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| The Gods remind Siddhartha of his Duties |
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| Siddhartha is presented with Three Palaces |
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| Siddhartha conversing in the Palace |
One day the prince decides to go to a royal pleasure garden. Suddenly an old man appears to him, and the prince goes back to the palace. This is the first of the Four Encounters which motivate the prince to begin his quest for Awakening. The second encounter occurs when the prince again sets out for the pleasure garden and sees a sick man. There is another occasion when the prince sees a dead man surrounded by grieving relatives. The last encounter is again created by the gods, and involves a monk. He is at peace compared to the grief and suffering felt by the others. The princes meditates based on the example of the monk and on the path of salvation from suffering. Siddhartha comforts Gopa that night who had a bad dream, then the next day goes to the king and asks permission to leave.
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| Siddhartha sees an Old Man |
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Siddhartha encounters a Sick Man |
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| Siddhartha sees someone who has Died |
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| Siddhartha meets a Monk |
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| Gopa tells her nightmare to Siddhartha |
After the prince says goodbye to the gods and other supernatural beings he cuts off his hair. Then he discards his royal robes and puts on the rough robes of a passing hunter. The prince goes to two places where brahmana female hermits offer him food. Sakyamuni embarks on a life of a wandering monk.
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| King Suddhodana gives permission for Siddhartha to leave the Palace |
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| Gautami brings beautiful women for Siddhartha |
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| Siddhartha is appalled by the Sleeping Women |
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| Siddhartha leaves the Palace, Chanda |
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| The Gods take leave of Siddhartha |
Eventually he reaches Vaisali, the capital of the Vrajji confederation, where he asks permission to become a pupil of a brahmana named Arada Kalapa. After some time Arada acknowledges the prince as his equal, and Sakyamuni also becomes a teacher.
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| Siddhartha begins his long Journey into Exile on the horse Kanthaka |
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| Siddhartha cuts his Hair |
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| Siddhartha changes his Clothes |
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| The Gods revere the Bodhisattva |
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| The Bodhisattva roams and comes to Padmapani Hermitage |
Later Siddhartha decides to resume his travels, and comes to the city of Rajagrha to go on almsround. The people are in awe of his appearance and think Brahma himself has come to the city. The next day a bright shining light comes from Mount Pandava where Sakyamuni is staying. The king asks him to stay and take half the kingdom but he declines. Siddhartha later visits a teacher in Rajagrha named Rudraka Ramaputra and is invited to join him.
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| The Bodhisattva meets with Arada Kalama |
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| Arada Kalama offers the Bodhisattva Joint Leadership |
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| King Bimbisara offers food to the Bodhisattva |
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| King Bimbisara venerates the Bodhisattva |
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| The Bodhisattva meets with Rudraka Ramaputra |
North Wall
The Buddha's Awakening
After a while the prince Siddhartha goes to Magadha. Five men from Rudraka's group decide to follow him, and they meditate on Gayasirsa Mountain. Then the prince and his new disciples go to meditate beside the river Nairanjana. This is where Sakyamuni practices such austerity that he nearly starves himself. When he is near death Queen Maya comes to see him and begins to cry. The gods offer to feed him through the pores of his skin so he will not have to eat, but he is scared the people will believe he can live without food. He abandons his fast, and the five disappointed disciples leave him.
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| The Bodhisattva begins Meditation in Caves with the Group of Five |
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| The Bodhisattva during his Life of Austerity |
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| His Mother tries to persuade the Bodhisattva to give up |
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| Mara tries to persuade the Bodhisattva to give up |
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| The Gods offer to give nourishment to the Bodhisattva |
The prince then goes to Uruvila. Siddhartha decides to put on a new robe, and takes a shroud from a dead woman named Radha. He washes it on a stone by a pond. When Siddhartha tries to leave the pond, the demon Mara makes the banks rise enormously high. The goddess of a tree beside the pond bends her branch and saves him. Another god gives the prince a reddish robe. The village chief's daughter, Sujata, invites the prince to her house and feeds him.
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| The Daughters of the Village Head offer Food to the Bodhisattva |
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| The Bodhisattva Bathes and Changes his Clothes putting on Radha’s Shroud |
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| The Gods offer Clean Clothes to the Bodhisattva |
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| Sujata presents food to the Bodhisattva in her Home |
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| The Bodhisattva takes the bowl and goes to the River to Bathe |
Siddhartha returns to the Nairanjana River to bathe and takes a golden bowl which Sujata gave him. Gods come to him and attend him. The prince sits down and finishes the food Sujata gave him. When he is finished, Siddhartha throws the bowl into the river. Indra desires it and turns into a Garuda to take it from the Naga king who saved the bowl.
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The Gods assist the Bodhisattva as he Bathes and collect the Relics |
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| A Nagi offers the Bodhisattva a Throne to sit on |
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The Bodhisattva eats the remainder of his Food |
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| The Bodhisattva disposes of the Bowl |
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| Svastika gives grass to the Bodhisattva to sit on |
The prince then sets out for the enlightenment tree. Brahma and a group of gods go to pay homage to the prince. It is now time for Sakyamuni to seek a tree to meditate under. The demon Mara attacks the prince in a final effort of preventing him to seek Awakening. Mara fails to defeat Sakyamuni by force, so he sends his beautiful daughters to try to arouse him, but this fails also. Siddhartha reaches Supreme Enlightenment, and becomes the Buddha, the Awakened One. The Buddha remained in the same position for seven days, but rises to walk twice to far distances. Both times however, he returned to the sacred Bodhi Mandala.
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| Brahma and the other Gods worship the Bodhisattva |
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| The Gods decorate Bodhi Trees, hoping the Bodhisattva will sit there |
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| Bodhisattvas pay homage to our Bodhisattva |
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| Mara sends his Daughters to entice the Bodhisattva |
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| Mara and his Army attack the Bodhisattva |
Four weeks after his awakening the Buddha goes to stay with a naga king named Mucilinda. The weather was poor so the naga king protects the Buddha while he meditates. After a week Buddha leaves Mucilinda's palace to walk to a banyan tree. On the way he meets wanderers who asks him how he has borne such a week of bad weather. Buddha goes to meditate under another tree, and merchants pass by who are frightened by the portents, but a goddess who was their former Mother reassures them.
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The Bodhisattva attains Awakening and becomes the Buddha |
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| Other Buddhas send umbrellas to Shade the new Buddha |
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| The Gods bathe the Buddha |
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| The Buddha showing Abhaya Mudra |
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The Buddha in the Vicinity of the Bodhi Tree |
The merchants offer Buddha food. He would like a bowl to put it in, and the Four Great Kings, each offer him bowls. Afraid to offend them he takes them all and combines them into one.
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| The Buddha meets Mucilinda |
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| The Buddha meets Ascetics in the Vicinity |
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| The Buddha meets Trapussa and Bhallika |
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The Gods offer the Buddha four Bowls |
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| Sujata offers Food to the Buddha |
East Wall (North to Center)
The Preaching of the First Sermon
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| The Gods request the Buddha to Teach |
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| The Buddha agrees to Teach |
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| The Gods prepare the Way to Rsipatana |
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| The Buddha on the Way to Rsipatana |
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| The Buddha meets some people on the Way |
That same night, the gods including Brahma and Indra, ask the Buddha to preach the Law. By morning he agrees to preach, and asks to whom he should first preach the Law. He asks for Rudraka but he has been dead for a week. Next he asks for Arada Kalapa but he is also dead. Buddha then asks for the five disciples he had earlier, and he sees they are in the Deer Park at Benares.
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| The Buddha is entertained by Cunda |
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The Buddha is entertained by Kamandaluka |
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| The Buddha is entertained by Kandha |
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| The Buddha is entertained by Householders |
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| The Buddha crosses the Ganges by flying through the Air |
The Buddha sets off for Benares, and on the way he meets the Abstainer Upaka who asks where he is going. He goes through several cities, and is honored in each of them. the Buddha comes to the River Ganges, and the ferryman refuses to row him across without payment. Buddha flies across the river, and the boatman faints.
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| The Buddha is offered Alms |
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| The Buddha meets the Good Group of Five |
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The Buddha teaches the Dhamma |
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| The people bring gifts to the Buddha |
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| The Buddha teaches the Dhamma to Gods and Men |
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.
Source : Guiding Technique Chandi Borobudur by Aris guide.
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