Barabudur Temple is located in Borobudur Village, Magelang, Central Java.
Built during the reign of the Shailendra Dynasty around the 8th century AD, until now Borobudur Temple is visited not only by domestic but also foreign tourists.
Depicting the universe, this temple with an area of about 2,500 square meters has the shape of a structure resembling a stepped terrace that shrinks more and more towards the top. It is said that Borobudur Temple was built using two million pieces of andesite rock that came from the rivers around Borobudur.
There are 10 tiers in this temple consisting of six square-shaped tiers, three circular tiers, and one main stupa at the top. Borobudur Temple is also equipped with four staircases located at the four corners of the cardinal points, namely East, South, West, and North.
Mura Aristina, pemandu wisata resmi Candi Borobudur
“The ten levels describe the stage of human life to achieve the highest enlightenment,” said Mura Aristina, official tour guide at Borobudur Temple who often guides government officials from both home and abroad.
These stages are divided into three images of life, says Mura again.
“The first is Kamadhatu,” said the man who has worked at Borobudur Temple for more than 25 years.
Kamadhatu, covering the first and second floors, is the lowest level where man is depicted still being filled with desire and lust.
The next tier is Rupadhatu, which starts from the third to the sixth floor. At this level, man is depicted as beginning to learn to control his passions and turn his earthly desires into a positive energy, the light of Muri.
After passing through Kamadhatu and Rupadhatu, humans arrive at the upper level of the round terrace with rows of bell-shaped stupas containing a Buddha figure symbolizing Arupadhatu, the realm of the formless.
“ 'A' means 'no', while 'rupadhatu' means 'face'. So arupadhatu means there is no face or likeness, and that's why there is no sculpture at this level anymore,” Mura said.
Arupadhatu describes the stage at which enlightenment has been reached, so that whatever happens to the human being is accepted and considered a provision of the Almighty, said Mura.
Stupa with Budha in it at the top level of Candi Borobudur
Having started working at Borobudur Temple at the age of 16 as a broommaster, Mura is now known as a tour guide who has accompanied famous figures when visiting.
Among them are Prince Charles, President Barack Obama, as well as Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
—--- Ade Mardiyati
