Intorduction to Borobudur

introduction

Introduction to Borobudur
Borobudur is certainly a unique masterpiece in the whole asian architectural sites. We can only compare it with the wide ensemble of Angkor in Cambodia, although it is neither a temple, nor a palace.
Borobudur is an incredable synthesis of many complex buddhist subjects. First its shape is build from a mandala, wich has probably a trantric origine. But, the general profile is still a montain, like in Hindu temples, also called Meru. And it can also be compared with a huge stupa. If you can drive to the top of the hills surounding this area, you can see the temple from the top and realy understand its inner beauty.
The strucutre of the building is made of height terraces wich start from a wide square terrace and finsish with a circular one, just like a spot covered with a big blind stupa.
The system of the circumbulation around each terrace sided with two walls covered with reliefs and sculptures is also unique. It is just like a comics or a movie, you can see as you walk the pictures of the tales or of buddhist sutra and build you own understanding of it. Four stories are displayed simultaneously.
Like in Angkor, it is not only an architectural piece of art, but it is also a relief and scuptural masterpiece.
Themas are also unique and I believe that in no other places in the buddhist world we can find so many illustrated buddhist stories. If we can always admire Ramayana in many places, and at first in Prambanan near Yogjakarta, but also in Angkor, it is very rare to see the jataka, the story of historical buddha and other stories.
It so enjoyable to look at the most famous tales about the former lives of the buddha, to see the four important meetings of the buddha, when he meets an old man, when he meets a sick man, when he meets a dead man and when he meets a monk, or to see the escape from his father's palace. Borobudur is a place to visit and to visit again. It is difficult to see all in one time. There is a lot to discover patiently, slowly, among shadows and sunlight rays, with the surounding landscape, with the strange waves of colors : green and greeny, yellow-red, gold …
We hope to make you love, as we do, this wonderfull place wich is also so fragile and somewhat in danger.
If you have any question you may write an e-mail.
Many thanks.

(indonesian) tripasia@yahoo.com (french)

(http://www.oocities.org/Tokyo/Lights/8089)