A beautiful table top book entitled Borobudur: A Prayer in Stone welcomes us to our room at Manohara Hotel. We are in Central Java at an ancient Buddhist temple that dates back 1000 years. Our hotel is at the base of the temple and gives us unlimited entry. The room is pretty scarce but the grounds are beautiful. We enjoy a wonderful view of Borobudur from our table in the restaurant. We watch a movie about this Buddhist temple made up of 2 million stone blocks and shaped as a symmetrical stupa. There are 6 square terraces and 3 circular ones. Bella is especially interested in all the animal fables from the Buddhist tales, like the turtle who flies with the doves while holding on to a branch with his mouth. He starts to brag to friends below about being so high in the skies. Upon opening his mouth, he falls to his death. There's also the 8 legged deer who never tires. The king chases him on the royal hunt but cannot catch him. The king himself tires out. The deer forgives his predator and carries him back to the palace. Or the double headed bird who shares the same body. The top head does not share and eats the best berries. Jealous, the bottom head eats poisonous mushrooms and together they die. We head up the steep stone steps of the temple to look for these stories in stone.There are not many visitors here today and we have the temple pretty much to ourselves. We enjoy the amazing stone frescos which tell the story of the Buddha's life and lessons of karma. We are excited to spot the animals in the stories. The panels (1460 narrative panels and 1212 decorative panels to be exact) surround us as we walk the narrow corridors. The detail is amazing to think they date back so many years. The temple wasn't always like this. It was forgotten and lost in the growth of the jungles until Sir Stamford Raffles stumbled upon it in his travels in 1815. Over the years it has been restored and is now is a World UNESCO Heritage site. We see that the restoration work continues to this day.We watch workers meticulously cleaning the stone with single bamboo straws. In each direction, there are stone buddhas sitting serenely gazing across the lush green plains. In each direction, the buddhas sit with a chosen mudra, a symbolic hand gesture. There's five mudras in all for north, south, east, west and the zenith. Unfortunately, many of the buddhas have been beheaded due to thieves. The Kedu Plains which surround the temple are lush from the fertile volcanic soils. To the northeast towers Gunung Merapi, Fire Mountain, towering 2911 metres. It exploded recently this past January killing over 300 people. We witness the destruction in a village close by on our drive to Borobudur. The lava flows have taken out a section of the town. Ashes from the volcanic eruption also caused some drainage problems at Borobudur. In our visit, workers can be seen removing the bricks at the top three levels. At the upper levels of the temple, the square angles become round. There are 72 small latticed stupas containing smaller stone Buddhas within. The first level of stupas have diamond shape holes while the upper ones have square ones. The square ones symbolize the calm before enlightment. These stupas were believed to be laden with golden leaves in the past. In fact, the grey stone of the Borobudur is believed to be once washed in colour. A large stone stupa crowns the summit. It is empty to symbolize enlightment. From an aerial view, the temple is a masterpiece tantric mandala with perfect symmetry.Tantric Buddhists used the temple in their walking meditations as they ascend from the bottom levels of the everyday world to the never ending nirvana on top. Borobudur is indeed a prayer in stone as our table top book suggests. However, most of Java is Muslim now and all we hear are the prayers from the many mosques surrounding this 'Buddhist Monastery on the Hill' (Sanskrit translation for Borobudur).
In the early morning light, we ascend the temple again. Bella and I take our sketch pad. In the sweet light, we enjoy the stone stupas at the top. They are bell shaped and look like they are floating on stone lotuses. We see one stupa without its top. The buddha within sits peacefully in meditation. Bella decides to sketch it. I turn my gaze to Mt. Merapi which is not shrouded by clouds this morning. Stunning.
We return to our hotel for a nice breakfast buffet. Mark and Bella race in the gardens. I return to the temple wanting to retrace the steps of the pilgrams. They actually visit two smaller temples and cross two rivers before reaching Borobudur. I enter at the eastern gate and begin my silent walking meditation. Working clockwise, I observe the lower panels on the inner wall, then the upper panels. In the lower levels, the walls surround me on both sides with the light only coming from above. The frescos depict the world of illusions with beautiful dancing ladies and riches. Ascending each level, the stories speak more of knowledge and the path to enlightment. With the heat of the day and the tour groups, I get sweaty and claustrophobic. I cheat and miss a few laps here and there. I am glad to reach the 7th floor. It is amazing the feeling of freedom when I reach the round level of the stupas. The view is broad and I feel an ease of breath. The final ascent to the 10th level and the enlightened stupa is closed for renovations from the recent eruption. I guess enlightment will have to wait.
" I pay homage to the Cosmic Mountain of the Perfect Buddhas...endowed with the awe inspiring power of wisdom,- who profound caves are knowledge, whose rock is excellent tradition, whose brillance is owing to its relic: the Good Word whose streams are love, whose forests are meditation,- truly the Mount of Few Desires, which is not shaken by the eight horrible winds: the worldly qualities"
(the Raku Boko inscription, 792 AD, Central Java)
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