| | The Borobodur Temple complex is one of the greatest Buddhist monuments in the world. The amazing Buddhist temple of Borobodur is located on the Kedu Plain in eastern Java. The exact time and age of its construction is unknown but historians believe it to be built some time between the end of the seventh century and the beginning of the eighth century A.D. Some also believe that this spectacular structure was built by the Javanese rulers of the Sailendra dynasty over a period of 80 years between 750 and 850 CE. |
For a century and half since its construction, the Borobudur temple was religious centre and a place of worship for Buddhism in Java, but remained unknown since it was rediscovered in the eighteenth century. The temple gets its name from the Sanskrit phrase "Vihara Buddha Ur", which when translated means "the Buddhist temple on the mountain."
The Borobodur temple lies in the midst of wonderful landscapes, rice-terraced hills of unparalleled splendor and four magnificent volcanoes. This edifice consists of six square platforms which are further topped by three round platforms. These platforms are adorned with 2,672 relief panels and 504 statues of Buddha. The top platform has a dome in its centre and seventy-two Buddha statues are found in the perforated stupa, encircling the dome.
In addition to being the chief symbol of Buddhism in Java, the Borobodur Stupa is also a miniature representation of the cosmos. These relief panels and other works in this temple provide a virtual image of the knowledge imparted by Buddha and thus reveal the path through life to attain enlightenment. The ten levels of a Bodhisattva's life which ought to be followed to become Buddha or an Enlightened One is very clearly depicted through the works in the Borobudur temple.
Thus the temple of Borobodur is a man-made marvel which has withstood the earthquakes of Java and continues to spread the spiritual message of Buddhism through its ancient history and architecture. Check out allwondersoftheworld.com to get more detailed information on the Borobodur temple as well as the other wonders of this universe. Click through the links given below to get information on some other man made wonders of this world
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Allwondersoftheworld.com describes the Borobudur Temple, the architectural jewel which has miraculously withstood the earthquakes of Java and still remains as a wonder with its representations of heaven, earth, and hell in its metaphor of stone and preserving its spiritual message.
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