BOROBUDUR TEMPLE

Borobudur temple is one of the greatest Buddist monuments in the world. This colossal relic of Borobudur temple was built during the golden Age of the syailendra Dynasty between 750 and 842 AD (the 8th century) by the King Sri sanmaratungga, the arachitech was Gunadharma.

Borobudur was built on a small hill in the kedu Basin, a rich fertile valley in Borobudur District, 41 km northwest of Yogyakarta, 7 km south of Magelang, central java. This temple is surrounded by spectacular. To the east lie merapi and Merbabu and to the north lie sumbing and sindoro. The unusual jagged menorah Hills encircle the temple to the south and west. The temple is also located near meeting place of two rivers, the Elo and the Progo. The rivers. Are believed to be symbolic of the Gangga and Yamuna, the two rivers feeding the Indus valley in India.
Borobudur was built in various steges under the authority of several defferent Kings. It was used for meditation and rituals by vajrayana sect of the Tantric School of budhism which made its way into java during the 8th century. The word Borobudur is believed to mean monastery on Hill . it is derived from the word “Bara” and “Beduhur”. “Boro/bara” is from the Sanskrit word “vihara” meaning a compelx of temple, monasteries or dormitories.”Beduhur”is a Balinese word meaning “above”.
Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles revealed Borobudur Temple in 1814. He foun the temple in ruined condition and ordered that the site be cleared of undergrowth and thoroughly surveyed. The massive restoration project began from 1905 to 1911 led by Dr. Theodorus van Erp. With the help of UNESCO. The second restoration to rescue Borobudur wes carriet out from Agust 1973 to 1983. Preseden soeharto inaugurated the renovated monument on February 23rd , 1983.it is hoped that the monument will stand for another thousand years.

The overall height of Borobudur. Was 42 meters, but is only 34,5 meters now (after restoration ).and has the dimension of 123 x 123 meters. The building has 10 floors or levels. Those are devided into three levels : kamadhatu (two floors), Rupadhatu (five floors), and Arupadhatu, ( three floors). According to the philosophy of Buddhist cosmology, THE KAMADHATU means the phenomenal world.,the world of desires; THE RUPADHATU is a transitional sphere where humans are released from their corporeal from and world concem;and finaliy THE ARUPADHATU means he sphere of GODs, the sphere of perfection and enlightenment which is manifested on the final ferrace of the monument.
All total of the statues in Borobudur temple are 504 statues and 73 stupas on Arupadhatu. Arupadhatu is usually called paradise or nirvana.