VISUAL ETHNOGRAPHY: Borobudur Temple: Buddhist Reliefs in Existence (Nokia XpressMusic Camera)

Borobudur, one of the places of learning and recreation of the famous in Indonesia. In 2004 I came with two friends for the first time. December 30th, 2014 together with my wife come back to Borobudur. After 10 years. There are many different changes, all for the convenience of visitors. Admission ticket, used to enter pay got tickets, now in the digital age of admission using the string and card tickets.

Admission Ticket...

The ruins of this 1100 year old template lie 42 km N.W. of Yogyakarta, one hour by 2 public buses from Yogyakarta. This colosal man-made cosmic mountain is one of the most imposing creations of mankind.

...the north side...

..the south side...

There’s nothing is the world quite like it, there’s no 2nd Borobudur. Built with more than 2 million cubic feet of stone, It’s the world largest stupa and the largest ancient monument in the southern hemisphere see it on a rainy day when water spews out of the mouths of gargoyies.

...silent...

...so it is always clean...

Relief

One of the largest and most complete ensembles of Buddhist reliefs in existence, amounting to a virtual textbook of the Mahayana Buddhist doctrine in stone. There are 1500 pictoral relief panels of Buddah’s teachings, plus 1212 purely ornamental panels.

...kalpataru tree...

Once glistening with bright purple, crismon, green, blue and yellow paint, over 8235 sq. Meters of stone surface are carved in high relief. These high quality bas-reliefs tell scholars much about the material culture of 8th-9th Century Java.

....enthusiastic...

..sitting in the corner...

...explanation of the Guide...

...syncreatism and harmony...

...no climbing...

...cadik ship...

..sea expedition...

...natural factor...

...no scratching...

..keep clean...

...without heads...

....the face of king...

...bird couple...

..corrosion...

There are lessons on history, religion, art, morality, literature, clothing styles, family life, architecture, agriculture, shipping, fighting arts, dancing – the whole Buddhist cosmos. See jugbands and dancing drummers, kings in high court, trees heavy with fruit, elepants trampling people, babies being born, female warriors throwing spears.

...head stone...

...stare at visitors...

..stupa...

...the east side

The distance through all the galleries to the summit is a walk of over 5 km, a labyrinth of narrow corridors. Because of so many right angle corners, you are able to see only a few steps ahead. This forces you to take in each phase of the story a frame at a time, like 9 th Century TV.

...discuss...

...security...

...about unanimityin ideal..

The best-known relief panels of the historical Buddha are today cordoned off, awaiting restoration. This 5-storied pyramid is subdivided vertically into 3 spheres of Buddhism. The base-terrace or the ‘hidden-foot’ wasn’t discovered until 1885. Originally it was buried under the earth and covered with stone to hide its reliefs from view. It contains a series of reliefs showing man shackled to greed, a world dominated by desire, lust and death. Lower richly-adorned square terraces are for the senses, the round top terraces are for the soul. The lower terraces are full of scenes of karma and earhtly existence, woe and desire, good and evil deeds, rewards and punishment-all the samsara of the world. But as you climb to the higher levels, relief become more heavenly. By the time you come to the square terraces nearer the top, man has eliminated desire, though he is still tied to the world of the senses. Man finally attains perfection and is released from all his earthly bonds when he reaches the round terraces.

Temple Park