The architectural features of Borobudur Temple

As for the content of the reliefs, the themes on the main wall of the first corridor are Jataka, Buddhist biographies, parables and sayings, depicting the process of Sakyamuni from descending to earth to becoming enlightened. The theme of the main wall of the second corridor is the picture of the Good Fortune Boy in the Avatamsaka Sutra: Entering the Dharma Realm; the third corridor is its continuation; the fourth corridor is not yet clear, but it may be the Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's Journey in the Avatamsaka Sutra. Like to wait.

The bottom of the tower of Borobudur, usually called the Hidden Foot, has a protective wall built around it with a large number of stones, thus blocking people's sight. This was probably to make the unfinished tower The pagoda will not collapse because the foundation is not hidden. Decorating the base of the tower are 160 extraordinary reliefs, which were only discovered in 1885. After being exhibited for a while, they were all covered up again except for the southeast corner. The theme of the relief is based on the six reincarnations of heaven, man, animal, and hell in the Buddhist scriptures, illustrating the role of karma, that is, the law of cause and effect, and combines meridian changes and secular figures with tropical flowers, plants, birds and beasts.

On the railings of the square layers, there are 432 outward-facing Buddhist niches at regular intervals, and a large sitting Buddha is placed in each niche. There are five kinds of gestures of the Buddha statue, which may be the five Buddhas in the Vajra Realm.

There are small lattice-shaped hollow towers juxtaposed on each floor of the circular floor. There are 32 towers on the lower floor, 24 towers on the middle floor, 16 towers on the upper floor, and 72 towers on the upper floor. They are like stars arching over the moon, surrounding the central tower. Block the wave. There is also a Buddha statue inside the small pagoda. The Buddha statues have different names according to the different directions of east, south, west and north, and the facial expressions and parts of the arms, palms and fingers of the Buddha statues are also different, making the image vivid.

Borobudur has 505 Buddha statues in total, including the Buddha statues in the square-tiered niches and small round pagodas, plus the Buddha statues in the large stupa in the center. The reliefs and seated Buddha statues are characterized by their elegant expressions. It partly inherits the Indian carving tradition, but it also reveals images of ancient Indonesian civilization at every turn, such as secular figures dressing up locals in the reliefs. It can be called a masterpiece of Indo-Javanese art.

The overall design and decoration of each layer of Borobudur reflect the Buddhist tantric mandala principles. Buddhism divides heaven and earth into three realms. The lowest is the desire realm. At this stage, people cannot get rid of all kinds of desires. The second is the form realm. Although people have given up all kinds of desires, they still have names and forms. The highest is the colorless realm. At this point, people no longer have a name or form, and are forever freed from all the shackles of the world. The base of the Borobudur Tower represents the desire realm, the 4-story square platform and the relief corridor represent the form realm, and the 3-story circular platform and the large stupa represent the formless realm.

Borobudur is a world-famous historical site. From 1907 to 1911, Theodore van Erp carried out the first restoration and rebuilt the three-story round platform and the stupa. From 1975 to 1987, after UNESCO issued an appeal to the world to save Borobudur, a second restoration was carried out, with the participation of 27 countries and a total cost of 20 million US dollars. At the end of 1991, Borobudur was included in UNESCO's World Heritage List. The renovated Borobudur is full of ancient interest and retains its original style. It has been expanded by the Indonesian government into an 85-hectare tourist attraction, attracting hundreds of thousands of Buddhists and tourists from all over the world to worship or sightsee here every year.