BARABUDHUR TEMPLE

Barabudhur temple located in Magelang District, about 15 km to the SSW of Yogyakarta. The largest Buddhist temple in Indonesia has been listed in the world heritage list (world heritage list), which was originally given the number 348 and then changed to 582 in 1991. Location Barabudhur temple which is a small hill surrounded by mountains Menoreh, Mount Merapi and Mount Merbabu in the northeast, and Mount Cleft and Mount Sindoro in the northwest.

Based on the writings contained in some rocks in the temple Barabudhur, experts believe that this temple was built around the year 780 AD, during the reign of the kings of Sanjaya dynasty. Its construction took decades and recently completed around the year 830 AD, during the reign of the King Samaratungga of Wangsa dynasty. It is said that the architect of this huge temple named Gunadharma, but have not obtained written information about this character. In the year 950 AD, the temple Barabudhur buried by the eruption of Mount Merapi lava and only rediscovered nearly a thousand years later, in 1814. Rediscovery Barabudhur temple is on the merit of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles.

At Raffles visit to Semarang, he was informed that in the picture Kedu found a pile of stones. It is said that in 1814, a group of people came to the area in the Residency Kedu to find out more about the legend associated with a hill near the village of Boro. After clearing bushes and digging and clearing mounds of volcanic ash, they found a large number of boulders berpahatkan strange images. Raffles then ordered Cornelius, a Dutchman, to clean the stones. Cleaning the stones and the surrounding environment was followed by Resident Kedu named Hartman.

Barabudhur temple stands on a hill that extends east-west direction. The temple was built from blocks of andesite as much as 47.500 m3, neatly organized without the glue, and coated with a layer of putuh 'vajralepa', as contained in Kalasan and Sari Temple. Barabudhur ancient pyramid-shaped building compound with stairs on all four sides, namely the east, south, west, and north. It is said that on the east side, at the foot of the temple, never found the way up into the hills. It is the underlying assumption that Barabudhur temple faces east and the main entrance is located on the east side.

Temple Barabudhur not have room for a place of worship or worship because this temple was built for pilgrimage and deepen the knowledge of the Buddha. Wall area totaled 1500 m2, decorated with 1460 relief panels, each 2 m wide.

The number of Buddha statues, including a broken, reaching 504 units. Buddha statues depicts the Buddha in various attitudes.

The temple consists of 5 levels, the upward decreasing, with a sketch of the square. At each level there is a fairly wide corridor surrounding the temple. The edge of the hall were decorated with panels of wall-relief panels. The temple is called Rupadhatu, which means the world way. In this world man is still bound by worldly life, but have started trying to control desire and lust.

In some places there is a drainage called Jaladwara. The walls above the level I was decorated with reliefs of the story is taken from the Book of Lalitawistara, which tells the history of the Buddha since Tusita down from heaven to earth, when receiving a sermon in the Deer Park near Benares, till the time it reaches perfection.

The walls are decorated with reliefs under Jatakamala, Jataka and Avadana life story, which is manifested as a Bodhisattva for good behavior in a previous life. Another part of the book Jatakamala adorned along the top and bottom of the fence corridor level I and level II. The temple walls are decorated with level II of the book Gandawyuha. Even so the hall wall and fence at level III and level IV. Story Sudhana who in his quest for knowledge and truth have met Gandawyuha who teaches about policies to attain perfection in life.

The roof of the temple which consists of 3 levels called Arupadhatu, which means a world without form (form). At the level of human life has been freed from desire and lust. The roof of the temple in the form of three tiered shelf with a circular plan form 3 tiered circle with the same center with stupas containing a Buddha statue. In the circle there are 32 stupas level I, level II, there are 24 stupas with diamond shaped holes, flat-sided horizontal and vertical sloping sides. Diamond-shaped hole symbolizes the passion that remains. At the third level there are 16 stupas with square-shaped ornament hole, flat-sided horizontal and the vertical upright. This square-shaped hole symbolizes passion that has gone no trace. Peak of the roof is a very large stupa. It is said that the stupa was once contained statues of the Adhi Buddha, the highest Dhyani Buddhas in Buddhism Mahayana.

Barabudhur temple has undergone several restoration. The first restoration was done in the reign of the Netherlands, namely in 1907 - 191, led by Van Erp. In this restoration the third priority is to restore the terrace roof of the temple and stupa at the center. The second restoration took place over the past ten years, the years 1973 to 1983. In this restoration Barabudhur temple demolished, foundations and walls were reinforced concrete reinforcement, and the rocks examined, cleaned, given a preservative waterproof and rearranged according to their original.