If statues could talk, they would whisper about the journey of pilgrims from afar, who would come in the name of religion and spirituality, in search of great moral significance.
If statues could talk, they would lament of an earthquake of such magnitude it caused severe damage for miles, in the area surrounding them.
“Many people died but WE remained intact.”
If statues could talk, they would counsel you on the three stages of mental preparation towards the ultimate goal.
The Kamadhatu, the world of desires,
Rupadhatu, the world of forms,
and finally Arupadhatu, the formless world.
He climbs the steps to the first level.. what does he desire?
He climbs the steps to the second level.. can he successfully peel off each layer, to reveal the next, during this ‘meditation of form’?
He reaches the third level – is he able to conquer the four levels of ‘meditation of the non-material’, that leads to rebirth as gods belonging to that realm ?
Probably not.
So, instead he does what he does best….
According to him, it is extremely uplifting and gratifying.. almost like being in the heavenly realms..!
When you cannot meditate, press the stupa for enlightenment.
Approximately 40 kilometers (25 mi) northwest of Yogyakarta, Borobudur is located in an elevated area between two twin volcanoes, Sundoro-Sumbing and Merbabu-Merapi, and two rivers, the Progo and the Elo. Read more on Wiki.
Borobudur is a ninth century Buddhist monument and is both a shrine to the Lord Buddha as well as a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The journey for pilgrims begins at the base of the monument and follows a path that encircles the monument while ascending to the top, through the three levels of Buddhist cosmology. These are, the world of desire, Kamadhatu, the world of forms, Rupadhatu, and the world of formlessness, Arupadhatu.
The monument comprises six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. A main dome is located at the centre of the top platform. It is surrounded by seventy-two perforated stupas, each containing one sitting Buddha statue. Many of the Buddha statues that once sat tall and proud, have now been vandalized and exist without their beautiful heads. The heads are prized possessions and sold for a lot of money. This is such a shame because it has marred the beauty of the Borobudur landscape.
Evidence suggests Borobudur was abandoned following the fourteenth century decline of Buddhist kingdoms in Java and the gradual Javanese conversion to Islam. It was rediscovered in 1814 by Sir Thomas Raffles, the British ruler of Java. Since then, Borobudur has been constantly refurbished and preserved through several restorations. In 1985 a bomb attack caused minor damages to the Candi again. Since 1991, Borobudur has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Borobudur is still used for pilgrimage and is one of the most visited sites in Indonesia.
‘ To the people of Java, Hinduism gave the rituals, Islam the concept of God, and from Buddhism the Javanese got the way of ascetic life and meditation’. (quoting a buddhist monk from Java)
Ciki says, “smile!”
The key word of Buddhism is suffering. (Something I do not take to very kindly, unfortunately, and I take my hat off to those who have dedicated themselves to a life like that). The buddhist also believes that there is no personal god.. it is only your own actions and thoughts that will decide your fate/karma. Within Buddhism there are three main areas that can help the people achieve a better karma; Wisdom, Morals and Meditation.
While the endless stream of tourists are looking into Borobudur, the silent smiling ones cast in sand stone gazes out into the undulating plains of beauty and abundance.
“Don’t spend too much time looking in, there’s a lot of things you’ll miss outside” – the wise one.
Books on Borobudur:
Books on Java:
Essentials for Backpacking:
My personal favourite read that covers Indonesia:
Wah. Cool backdrop for Cumi’s kung fu moves…..
thanks darling.. he’s great with the kungfu huh 😛
Hahaha… Cumi is so cute leh, sitting like the Buddha beside him and trying to be a kung fu master? 🙂
Beautiful pictures!!!
thanks selba, we left our hearts in Borobudur
this looks spectacular (mystical and magical!), but i gotta confess that i’ll probably never make it here, since i avoid having vacations in sweltering outdoor conditions. my loss, but looking at these pics are the next best thing to being there! =)
sean, yar, if u don’t like the heat best not go to angkor wat nor borodubur. it was so hot you could have fried an egg on my head, and this was during rainy season as well !
Ah… Borobudur is one of my must-visit place, after Angkor Wat!
for sure. highly recommended!
I’ve always wanted to visit Borobudur, such a picturesque place 🙂
A real gorgeous place .. with great food.. what more can one ask for?! LOL
Lee Xiao Long pose, haha!!
bruce lee or bruised cumi? haha
Funny shots you have. Esp the one with Cumi doing the fly kick and you ‘touching’ the stupa. LOL.
yup those are my favourites too:)
stunning shots wid beautiful writings! i so wanna go there now
and i so wanna go back NOW:P
Ciki!! Did you watch little javanese kids playing “Gasing”-the traditional wooden toy before you enter the temple? Because that’s the only thing I could remember from my one & only childhood visit..Thanks to bring the lost memory back, even better, in black & white!! <3
hi gaby! thanks for dropping by. no, we didn’t see , but I do love that traditional gasing game.. they make it look so effortless spinning the gasing LOL. Glad you like the shots.. we purposely did it in B & W for added effect 😉
I loveee your pictures! Especially the one with Cumi jumping. so cute! and pro!!!
thx babes
Wow.. love the Borobudur kick.
thx
Pictures are great. What an exotic location. Loved the piece. Borobudur is one of those places one doesn’t hear much about. Glad you featured it with loads of photos. It’s like I’ve been there, seen it and done that.
thank u! what a nice comment:)
oooh, i am stupafied!!! i love the press the stupa pic. what special effect is that halo around cumi?
ahpa! don’t be so funny ! LOL.. stupafied indeed 😛 oh, that’s some special effects with photoshop.. he’s suppose to be kicking the shadows away or something.. but the kick is 100% real.. he’s really good at jumping:)
I spied TWO cheeky (Cikay?) shots there! Hahaha …
Oh NO! You have not updated my link yet in your blogroll?! Aiyo …. how can?
we have not? zomg.. sorrreee how could we.. doing it NOW
Love your pictures, love your Borobudur story. Wow!
thank u marian.. what a compliment 🙂
More like a plc for Unka .. hehe..
Well.. i dun hv to go there. i learnt history, seen the pics & visited thru yr pics!
cool bananas
This comment’s a lil late, but better late then never. Such a lovely post. Love the shot of Cumi in mid-air and the effects too. so cool. And ciki pressing the stupa. LOL
thx munkey boy:)
Love this post. I think the height of experience is to use websites like yours to get a “trailer” of the places you’d want to visit and a hint of what to expect when you get there. AND THEN, visit and make your own memories. Nothing like breathing and living in that space, even if it’s for just a few days. The energy of Borobudur must be amazing. It does look like Angkor Wat but am sure that it FEELS entirely different.
thank u darling.. u r very kind!
Oh and the pics are AMAZING! Truly. I love the whimsical “press the stupa” one 😉
xoxo, thank u!
Wow..great pic and wonderful story, touchable, I’m proud of you, even I was born there, I found a different story of Borobudur in another side at all.
Side view of you……Thanks Ciki for appreciate that.
This is my favourite post of yours so far. Love it!
vow, you’ve had a great trip. How long did you stay in indo for and did you follow an itinerary ot the lonely planet?