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On Prambanan

In Paul Michel Munoz’ Early Kingdoms of the Indonesian Archipelago and the Malay Peninsula, he says that “Prambanan was a complex of temples dedicated to [the Hindu god] Shiva, which was built to celebrate the return to power of the Sanjaya Dynasty in Central Java around 825AD.” (at 354)

“As with the majority of Indonesian Hindu temples, the shrine of Prambanan presents typical cruciform, mountain-type shapes symbolizing Mout Meru, the residence of the Gods and the axis of the world in Hindu mythology.  The temple is divided by three concentric prescints with surrounding low walls which present openings for doors.  The external precinct was empty.  In the middle precinct were 224 small chapels or shrines disposed on four ranks…The inner precinct contained 16 cruciform temples.”  (Ibid., at 355)

The three main temples in the inner precinct are dedicate to the Hindu gods, Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma.  In front of each temple is a smaller temple dedicated to the vahanas or mount of those gods.  The vahanas of Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma are the Garuda, Nandi Bull and Hamsa, respectively.  To read more about vahanas, click on this. (more…)

Borobudur has taught me about Buddhism

I left Central Java confused about what Borobudur is all about. I did not know whether it was a temple or a monument and why it was constructed in such a way.

Strangely, I came to my own conclusion about what Borobudur means to me while reading a sign in Bali.  The sign spoke of the relevance of a lotus in Hinduism.   The sign reads, in part, as follows: “The root of the lotus sunk in mud represents material life, the stalk passing up through the water typifies life in the astral world, and the flower floating on the water and opening to the sky is emblematic of spiritual being.” When I read this sign, I instant thought of Borobudur.

It is probably because I came across some articles that said that Borobudur is shaped like a lotus.  Frankly, I do not see the similarity in the physical form of Borobudur and the lotus.  I do think that the way in which Borobudur was built emulates the life of a lotus.

Lotuses are not commonly found in the Philippines. It was when I was 25 years old that I first saw a bouquet of green lotus buds being sold in a market in Thailand. The buds were hard and looked liked two palm cupped tightly together in prayer. The buds were beautiful, pristine and sturdy. It was much later that I saw a lotus growing in a pond and observed that it is routed in mud and thrives on murky waters. The lotus later grows round leaves that sit delicately on the surface of the water. It is as if the leaves anchor the lotus above the water and allow the stem to reach out in to the air. Eventually, the lotus produces a huge tight bud, which surprisingly, could be supported by its thin stem. The bud later opens to reveal one of the most beautiful flowers on earth. The flower is ethereal and appears quite delicate. When you touch it, however, you will realize that, unlike a rose petal, a lotus petal is not easily scarred or wilted. It is smooth and firm. (more…)

My initial impression of Borobudur

When I was in grade school, one of my teachers said that Borobudur is one of the seven wonders of the world and it is found in Indonesia.  Friends who saw Borobudur said that it was beautiful.  That is about all I knew of Borobudur when I decided to visit it.  On the other hand, LS seemed to know more about Borobudur and Buddhism than Aisha, our Borobudur guide.

LS and I visited  Borobudur late in the afternoon of our second day in Jogjakarta.  Since Borobudur is in Central Java, we drove two hours to get there from Jogjakarta.  During the visit, I felt like I was cramming for an exam by learning all I could about the place in so little a time. Worse, the place was crowded. It took me a long while to find quite in Borobodur. And, when I did find quite, it was time to leave. I was very disappointed.

It is early morning now and I am looking at the pictures I had taken and remembering what  Aisha told us about the place. Strangely, my pictures tell a different story. It is as if, I had a profound experience in Borobudur. Looking back, perhaps I did but had not known it at that time.

A note on the picture of buddha:  Many of the buddhas in Borobudur are headless.  This buddha seemed to have grown back its head when the bees built their hive on top of its body.