Mudra of Budha Statues
Welcome to Borobudur, one of the sacred buildings of Buddhism as a World Cultural Heritage site. The splendor and beauty of Borobudur has its own historical value for Indonesian people. The Indonesian government has designated Chandi Borobudur as a major tourist attraction, and also a priority tourist destination for domestic and foreign visitors.
Chandi Borobudur attracts extraordinary enthusiasm to visit and explore several narrative sources in thematic tours, with the aim of getting to know more closely the history, architecture and fine arts of this building.
The friendly Pamong Carita will accompany and guide you to provide explanations and narratives about Borobudur and its surroundings. Introducing 'Upanat', namely special footwear worn when visiting the terraces through a corridor with a series of relief panel galleries, leading to the top of the circular upper terrace with a row of stupas at Borobudur Temple. Explore history and admire the beauty of architectural art, as well as the origin of the name Chandi Borobudur.
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Chandi Borobudur is exceptionally rich in splendid stone statues, all depicting Dhyani Buddhas. Each mudra represents one of the Five Dhyani Buddhas; its own symbolism. Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto A screenshot arisguide. |
Welcome, nice to meet you on the Borobudur tour, You will now step on and visit the splendor of Chandi Borobudur which is one of the world's cultural heritage sites. The reopening of Borobudur sends an interesting opportunity to explore several narrative sources about the existence of the Borobudur in the insights of travel guides on to Borobudur.
Mentioned in the history of Borobudur, there is one of the relief panels carved on a hidden foot, based on the text of Karmawibhangga, panel number 150, concerning about the offering of footwear called 'Upanat', which is dedicated to Brahmins.
The bas-relief of the foot wall is hidden in the Karmawibhangga text panel number 150, regarding the offering of footwear with the name 'Upanat', the footwear offered to Brahmins, in order to obtain rewards and prosperity in life.
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The bas-relief of the foot wall is hidden in the Karmawibhangga text panel number 150, regarding the offering of footwear with the name 'Upanat', the footwear offered to Brahmins, in order to obtain rewards and prosperity in life. Source: Borobudur Conservation Center. Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. A screenshot arisguide. |
The relief found on the wall of hidden foot, based on the Karmawibhangga text panel 150, concerns the offering of a footwear as its name 'Upanat', a special footwear offered to Brahmins, to obtain merit and prosperity in life.
Introducing 'Upanat', a footwear used to visit on the terraces of Chandi Borobudur, with the aim of getting to know the monument better, learning history, doing thematic tours and admiring the splendor of Chandi Borobudur as a sacred temple for Buddhists. The trip will be part of an appreciation in learning, admiring, and participating in safeguarding and protecting the world cultural heritage site located at Borobudur Indonesia.
It's fun going around the temple to get a source of explanation guided by a tour guide. Opportunity to find out the source, explanation of the written history of Chandi Borobudur and study of Borobudur at glance.
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Welcome to Chandi Borobudur You will now step on and visit the splendor of Chandi Borobudur which is one of the world's cultural heritage sites. Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto arisguide. |
Step on Borobudur
Chandi Borobudur is one of a world cultural heritage site or World Heritage Site, a Buddhist temple located in Borobudur, belongs to Magelang regency and located in Central Java province. To reach the monument is approximately 96 kilometers from Semarang, the capital city of Central Java, and approximately 86 kilometers from the city of Surakarta, and about 40 kilometers from the city of Yogyakarta.
Chandi Borobudur is located right above the hill and built in the middle of several mountains and hills. Looking to the west, there are Mount Sundoro and Sumbing. Looking to the east you can see Mount Merbabu and an active volcano, Merapi. View to the north, it is approximately 15 kilometers from Borobudur, there is Tidar hill, and to the south it is bounded by the Menoreh hill range. Borobudur is located at the confluence of two rivers, they are Progo and Elo River, located right in the middle between the east of Chandi Borobudur and Pawon Temple.
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Chandi Borobudur or Barabudur is a 9th–century Mahayana Buddhist temple, which consists of nine stacked platforms, six square and three circular, topped by a central dome, surrounded by 72 stupas and decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto a screenshot arisguide. |
The Buddha statues
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A Buddha statue with the hand position of dharma chakra mudra. The upper platform features seventy-two small stupas. Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto a screenshot arisguide. |
Chandi Borobudur is exceptionally rich in splendid stone statues, all depicting Dhyani Buddhas. Each mudra represents one of the Five Dhyani Buddhas; its own symbolism.
Apart from its abundance of narrative reliefs and ornamental carvings, Chandi Borobudur is exceptionally rich in splendid stone statues, all depicting Dhyani Buddhas. They are to be found in the rupadhatu and in the 3 Cross-section of Chandi Borobudur. The Buddha statues of the rupadhatu are placed in niches, which are arranged in rows on the outer sides of the balustrades. As the terraces progressively diminish in size, the first balustrades have 104 niches, the second also 104, the third 88, the fourth 72, and the fifth 64, so that there were originally 432 statues.
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Borobudur statues on terrace of Rupadhatu. Source: Guide Book arisguide. Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto arisguide. |
The statues of the arupadhatu are placed in perforated stupas, which are themselves arranged in three concentric circles. The first circular terrace supports 32 domes, the second 24, the third 16, so that originally there were 72 Dhyani Buddha statues, out of sight but still partly visible in the stupas. Of the original total of 504 Buddha statues, over 300 are mutilated (mostly headless), and 43 are missing. At first sight the Buddha statues seem all alike, but closer observation reveals evident differences, particularly in the mudras (position of the hands).
The Buddhas at the first four balustrades have different mudras, each peculiar to one particular side of the monument. The statues facing East have the same mudras, and so have respectively the Buddhas facing South, ‘West and North. The Buddhas on the uppermost (fifth) balustrade all have the same mudra, regardless of the direction they face. This same mudra also characterizes the 72 statues on the three circular terraces.
In other words, the Borobudur statues show five kinds of mudra, corresponding to the five cardinal points of the compass (East, West, North, South, Zenith), and also to the Mahayana conception of the five Dhyani Buddhas. One point of the compass is ascribed to each Dhyani Buddha, and the distinction between the Dhyani Buddhas is indicated by the different mudras.
the mudras of the Buddha statues
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Buddha statue. The upper platform features seventy-two small stupas. Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto a screenshot arisguide. |
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A statue of Arupadhatu The upper platform features seventy-two small stupas. Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto a screenshot arisguide. |
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Welcome to Borobudur Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto arisguide. |
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Bhumi sparsa mudra meaning Calling the Earth to witness Buddha Aksobhya location East Rupadhatu niches on the first four eastern balustrades Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto A screenshot arisguide. |
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Vara mudra meaning Benevolence, alms giving Buddha Ratnasambhava location South Rupadhatu niches on the first four southern balustrades Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto A screenshot arisguide. |
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Dhyana mudra meaning Concentration and meditation Buddha Amitabha location West Rupadhatu niches on the first fourWestern balustrades Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto A screenshot arisguide. |
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Abhaya mudra meaning Courage, fearlessness Buddha Amoghasiddhi location North Rupadhatu niches on the first four northern balustrades Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto A screenshot arisguide. |
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Vitarka mudra meaning Reasoning and virtue Buddha Vairochana location Zenith Rupadhatu nichesin all directions on the fifth (uppermost) balustrade Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto A screenshot arisguide. |
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Dharmachakramudra meaning Turning the Wheel of dharma (law) Buddha Vairochana location Zenith Arupadhatu in 72 perforated stupas on three rounded platforms Source: Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide. Foto A screenshot arisguide. |
The five different Dhyani Buddhas are emanations of the Adi Buddha (the Supreme or Primeval Buddha), who generally is not represented in any tangible form.
Source: Guide Book arisguide, Guiding Technique arisguide. Guidance Technique Chandi Borobudur arisguide.
Get more narration and materials about Chandi Borobudur in Barabudur atau Borobudur, Candi Buddha Pusaka Budaya Indonesia.
Reading is more fun exploring the thematic narratives, beyond travel guide its more detail in UPANAT - Wisata di Borobudur.
Reading in English is fun and also seems so interesting to translate into language that is easy and flexible, get readings in detail in Welcome to Borobudur Temple, the fabric of life in the Buddhist culture.
Explore, admire the beauty of art in pictures and photos by typing the detailed link in PHOTO IMAGE BOROBUDUR.
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