A corridor on the Rupadhatu layer of the Borobudur Temple
The Borobudur Temple has three distinct layers, each of which reflects the Buddhist concept of a realm that a human being needs to go through to attain enlightenment. These rare, Arupadhatu, Rupadhatu, and Kamadhatu.
Representing Arupadhatu is the topmost layer comprising of three circular terraces, Rupadhatu is the middle layer comprising of five square terraces, and Kamadhatu is the lowest layer, which is at the courtyard level.
Check Details of the Borobudur Temple Layers for an explanation on all the layers of the Borobudur Temple.
The Rupadatu layer has five squarish terraces, each with the corridors similar to the one shown in the image. The inner and balustrade walls of these corridors are covered with bas-reliefs depicting stories based on ancient Buddhist texts.
The type of stories covered in the Rupadatu layer are:
– Lalitavistara: Life of Buddha in Tushita heaven
– Jataka: Stories of Bodhisattva in his previous lives
– Avadana: Similar stories as Jataka but people are not Bodhisattvas
– Gandavyuha: Stories of Sudhana, a boy from India, moving from teacher to teacher in search of wisdom and enlightenment
Check Details of the Borobudur Temple Layers for an explanation on all the layers of the Borobudur Temple.
Borobudur, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is located about 30 miles north of Yogyakarta on the island of Java, Indonesia. It is the largest and one of the most beautiful Buddhist monuments in the world.
Related Pages
– Borobudur, Prambanan, Bali, Indonesia
– Angkor Wat, Angkor Wat Bas-Reliefs, Banteay Srei, Cambodia
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