Festive night at Jogja...

Continued from The level of creatures in the scheme of things at Borobudur.

Once we're done in Borobudur we immediately looked for transport to the city of Jogjakarta, fondly called Jogja or Yogya.

We managed to catch the last bus just before dusk. So we arrived in Jogja which is situated about 45 km from Borobudur at night.

Next we immediately got a bus to city centre.

The city was brimming with people.

Ah. We forgot it was Saturday night.

Jogja is not only a big city with million of inhabitants and famous to tourists... they were then having a night festival so people kept pouring in from afar. For the record this is the 989th article in this blogspot.

The level of creatures in the scheme of things at Borobudur

Continued from The 'Buddha-level' of Borobudur.

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The three highest levels or rather platforms form concentric circles. Go a level down and you'll find the platform forming a square.

Here is where one starts to see corners...

This is how it looks in relation to the higher circular platforms.

Go a further one level down and you can see myriad depictions of creatures on the walls.

These seem to reflect the world or rather many worlds where creatures exist carrying out many task and adventures from the mundane and on...

The 'Buddha-level' of Borobudur

Continued from Views from the top of Borobudur.

OK. This whole monument called Candi Borobudur was built to reflect the Buddhist faith.

So someone might ask - Why oh why then there is no statue of Buddha seen like that in most temples?

The reason is simply this. Borobudur was built to reflect whole cosmological systems as taught by Buddha. The highest level here is to reflect a state of existence which has no form. So that is why you can't find any statue.

But go down a level and look around and you'll find one.

The Buddha is said to be the highest level of existence achievable by a mortal. So do note the position of the statue in relation to highest level of no form and the highest stupa which reflects ultimate oneness.

Views from the top of Borobudur

Continued from Views from the top of Borobudur.

The highest point is obviously on top the pointed end of this structure called a stupa.

But no one is allowed to climb it up. So the highest visitors can get is on this level at the base of the top stupa.

Still the view is superb.

Do notice that you can't see a single statue at this level.

In fact I couldn't see any statue anywhere down there.

Climbing Borobudur to the top

Continued from Walking to Borobudur.

So now you can at least see what it is all about.

But in order to truly appreciate it you must climb all the way to the top.

Mind you it could take some energy to do that. This look back shows how far we have to walk and then climb up just to get to this point. And the entrance to this world heritage site is much further in the horizon.

We still have quite a distance to climb.

Taking a breather. For the record this place is called Candi (temple of) Borobudur.

Built some time in the 8th century AD it is believe to be a place of ritual for Buddha practitioners.

At this juncture we should be halfway up.

A look down...

And yeay, finally we have reached the top.

Walking to Borobudur

Continued from Looking for the tomb of a Hassani Sheikh in Kebumen.

After Kebumen we went to the place called Borobudur, further east in Central Jawa or Java.

Borobudur is very famous for a certain world heritage site.

The name itself is already enough to rouse the interest of many.

Notice the 'thing' looming behind the green?

Just in case you don't have any idea what Borobudur is all about just follow the pictures and look closely.

For to see what's it all about you have to walk quite far from the entrance.

There. Brace yourself for an adventure. Look out for the next article here...