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Vesak Celebration at Borobudur
by Tomo ·
Borobudur temple is located in Magelang, Central Java, about 40 km from Yogyakarta. Borobudur Temple has 10 levels consisting of six levels of a square, three levels of circular hoop and a main stupa as a peak. At every level there are several stupas. Altogether there are 72 stupas in addition to the main stupa. In every stupa there is a statue of Buddha. Ten levels of Buddhist philosophy which describes the ten levels of Bodhisattva which must pass to reach the perfection of the Buddha in nirvana. This perfection symbolized by the main stupa at the top level. Borobudur structure when viewed from above form a mandala structure depicting the Buddhist cosmology and human thinking.
On the fourth side there is the temple gate and stairs to the level above it like a pyramid. This illustrates the Buddhist philosophy that all life came from rocks. Stone later became the sand, then into plants, then into the insect, and then become wild animals and pets, and the last to be human. This process is known as reincarnation. Last process is the soul and finally into nirvana. Each stage of enlightenment in this life processes based on the philosophy of Buddha depicted on reliefs and statues in the temple of Borobudur.
This giant building just a giant pile of stone blocks which have a total height of 42 meters. Each stone joined without the use of cement or adhesive. These stones are only connected on the pattern and stacked. (more…)
