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Eduvest � Journal
of Universal Studies Volume 3 Number 1, January, 2023 p- ISSN
2775-3735- e-ISSN 2775-3727 |
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THE MEANING OF BUDDHIST STATUE
SYMBOLS IN BOROBUDUR, MENDUT AND PLAOSAN TEMPLES BASED ON BUDDHIST LITERATURE |
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Santacitto Sentot,
Uun Triya Tribuce, Aryanto Firnadi Sekolah Tinggi Agama Buddha (STAB) Kertarajasa
Batu, Indonesia |
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ABSTRACT |
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Borobudur, Mendut, and Plaosan�� temples��
are representative temples in Buddhist�� temple architecture in Indonesia. These
three temples were built with different backgrounds in their time but have a
common function as places of worship. One of the main characteristics in
the�� building of this�� temple is the presence of�� Buddha statues with their spiritual
function in the religious activities of Buddhists.� This research uses qualitative research
methods with a phenomenological approach. Data is processed and analyzed with
several stages, namely data condensation, data presentation, and drawing
conclusions. The results of the study show that the�� Buddha statue is interpreted as an
important main symbol in temple buildings.�
This symbol is related to��
the�� sacred meaning of the
temple and puja activities carried out by the community.� The Buddha statue is the most important
symbol because it�� directly represents
the Buddha. These Buddha statues are found in all three temples with
different names but as Buddhist symbols, have the same characteristics. All
three stand out because they are in the middle and tend to be larger in size
than other objects, and without a doubt that Buddha statues symbolizing
Buddha itself are certainly discussed in Buddhist literature. Although in
making Buddhist�� statues in the three
temples look different such as the sitting��
position of the statues, the shape of the�� mudras, and the ornaments that adorn them,
there are similarities in the components of the statues based on
Buddhist�� literature. The similarity�� of��
these components is contained in one sermon (sutta) that explains the
characteristics or signs of a Buddha is the��
Lakkhaṇa Sutta in Dīghanikāya.
It is said in the literature� that�
Buddha had 32 signs of the body as�
a great man |
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KEYWORDS |
Symbols,
Buddhist Statues, Buddhist Literature, Borobudur Temple, Mendut
Temple, and Plaosan Temple |
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This
work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike
4.0 International |
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INTRODUCTION
The temple is one of the cultural
products of ancient peoples that has an influence from India. (Wirasanti, 2016)
This influence can be seen from the structure of the building, the purpose of
the construction and the basic technical construction.� In general, the philosophical foundation of
temple construction in Indonesia adopts the philosophical foundation of temples
from India.� However, some components of
temple architecture in Indonesia have characteristics that temples from other
countries, especially in India, do not have, such as antefixes with their
triangular shapes that found in almost all temple buildings in Indonesia as a
symbol of Mount Meru (Sarjanawati, 2010).
In general ways the architecture of his Buddhist and Hindu temple buildings
is not much different.� The architectural
components and ornaments that adorn the temple have similarities (Sirumapea
et al., 2019). �In the context of Hindu temples, the temple
building symbolizes the concept of the universe known as the Triloka concept (Taim,
2017). In the
concept of dividing the temple into three parts, namely k aki
temple symbolizes bhurloka or the world on which
humans stand, the body of the temple symbolizes bhuwarloka
or a world where humans have achieved chastity or perfection and therefore can
deal with gods or ancestors who are worshipped. The roof of the temple
symbolizes the swarloka or the world of the gods and
spirits of the ancestors (Handriyotopo, 2022)
(Istanto, 2018).� �This concept seems to have been adopted by the
Buddhist temple building with the same concept.�
This is because the construction of the temple is based on the same
belief in the community that the temple is a building of worship intended for
the gods. ��(Soekmono,
2017)
However, the concept of dividing the temple building into three parts in
the Triloka concept does not seem to apply in the
building of Borobudur Temple (Nurlatifah
& Suhartini, 2021). �The understanding that develops in the
community tends to use the old concept that divides the part of Borobudur
Temple also into three levels, namely Kāmadhātu,
R ūpadhātu, and A rūpadhātu.� Padahal the
concept�� is considered inconsistent with
the concept taught in Buddhism. Through research conducted by (Marissa et al., 2017)
Title, "Reinterpretation of the Levels of Borobudur Temple (Criticism of
the Interpretation of Three Levels in Borobudur Temple: Kāmadhātu,
Rūpadhātu, and Arūpadhātu)"
divides the levels of Borobudur Temple into 4 the levels are Saṃsara, Magga, Phala, and Parinibbāna (Florisan
& Jordan, 2009). ��This is based on�� the understanding that (1) at the� very base of the� temple contains reliefs depicting� the law of�
cause and effect (the law of��
karma) for the creatures� that are
still� bertumimbal
lahir (saṃsara),
(2)� the first terrace to the fifth porch
decorated with reliefs of Jātaka, Avadana, Lalitavistara, and Gandhavyuha containing��
about the humans who are practicing the�
path (magga) to attain perfection, (3) the
part consisting of 72 stupas with each Buddha statue is a fruit� (phala) for anyone
who practices the road, (4) the main�
stupa of� Borobudur Temple
represents the� parinibbāna
or death of Him who has achieved perfection because in this stupa��� the���
Buddha-shaped physique is no longer found (Idris et al., 2020).
Although the concept of temple architectural construction has
differences it remains philosophical the construction of the temple isunderstood as a place of worship. As a building of
worship, it requires completeness of ornaments as a means of respect for a
revered or respected figure.� The
function of ornaments for people in the past (especially prehistoric and Hindu-Buddhistdha), was as a medium to vent the desire for
devotion, offerings, reverence, and devotion to the spirits of ancestors or
revered gods, including temple ornaments (Santiko, 1995). Therefore, temple ornaments as
cultural products set in Hindu-Buddhist dha were
created not only have aesthetic value but also religious value. The idea of the
aesthetic value of art in each culture has different characteristics. This
aesthetic value refers to an autonomous discourse regarding the good and the
beautiful in the arts. The aesthetic value of an art is also related to the
supporting community. Including the ornamental culture on the temple building
which is closely related to the belief (Hindu-Buddha) (Supriyanto, 2014).
�The bud dhis
temple building has a distinctive and different ornamental completeness from
the completeness of ornaments in Hindu temples (Purhita, 2022). This distinctive feature lies in the
symbol of the Buddha statue in the temple buddhis. While in general these
symbols are understood as part of an ornament with a symbolic function, this
understanding differs from the understanding that Buddhist societies have
supported by sources literature derived from sacred texts.�� Based on a review of Buddhist literature,
the symbol of the Buddha statue has a deep meaning especially if it is placed
in a temple building.� This placement has
a specific purpose regarding the sacred meaning of the symbol (Lelono, 2012).
RESEARCH METHOD
The main focus of this study is to find out the meaning of Arca Buddha,
which is located in Borobudur, Mendut, and Plaosan temples.�
These three temples are puja temples with different symbols of Buddha
Statues. In addition, the philosophical foundations of the construction of the
three temples also have differences. Borobudur Temple was built as a worship
building filled with relief ornaments and other symbols.� The existence of 504 Buddha statues dominates
the symbols in this building.� In mendut temple, there is a statue of Sakyamuni
Buddha with other symbolic ornaments. Architecturally and the placement of
statues in these two temples are clearly different.� Unlike��
the previous two temples which are architecturally clear as Buddhist temples,
Plaosan Temple has a different architecture that is a
combination of Hindu and Buddhist architecture. (Handriyotopo, 2022)
It is characterized by acculturation in this temple as a symbol of the unity of
two leaders of different faiths. In this temple area, you can find perwara buildings with 2 different shapes, namely the shape
of a stupa and a perwara temple in general. While in
the garbha of the mother temple are found six Buddha
Statues although at this time they no longer exist. With a different background
but visually there are similarities in the completeness of the� main symbols of the Buddha� statues in�
these three temples. Therefore, through this article, we� will discuss more deeply the� meaning of the Buddha� Statue symbol based on Buddhist� literature di Borobudur, Mendut,
and Plaosan Temples
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
The creation of the temple as a building of worship is complemented by
parts that have symbols and ornaments as the highest form of respect for the
revered figure. The existence of symbols and ornaments is found in Borobudur
Temple, Mendut Temple and Plaosan
Temple as three Buddhist temples. In determining which parts are symbols and
which parts are ornamented in these three temples, broadly speaking, it is no
different. This is because these three temples are Buddhist temples and were
built in the adjacent era. Broadly speaking the difference between a� symbol and an
ornament can be known from its function, Symbols give signs that reflect a
certain meaning, while ornaments reflect aesthetic functions.� The meaning referred to in symbols is
certainly related to Buddhist values.
In addition to being understood bbased on its
function, the presence of a symbol in the building of the temple can be known
from several characteristics.� First, in terms of location, the object that is the symbol
tends to be in the middle and appears most prominent so that it is easy to
become the center of attention for anyone who is looking. Second, in size, the
object is usually depicted as larger than other objects. This is also done to
make it easier for anyone who visits to find out the significance of the
object. Thirdly, objects that are symbols are commonly found in all Buddhist
sites including those in other countries. That is, a general understanding of
Buddhist values manifested into the art and architectural form in general was
adopted by Buddhist societies in different countries. Fourth, objects that are
symbols are generally found referenced in Buddhist literature.
Based on the above functions and four characteristics, the symbols on the
three temples are found in parts that have important significance in Buddhism,
such as Buddha Statues, Stupas, Bodhisatta Statues,
Reliefs that have stories found in the Scriptures, reliefs of gods, reliefs of
the Kalpataru Tree, jambangan
(nidhikumbhi),
makara, and kirtimukha.� Reliefs depicting ritual practices in
Buddhism can also be categorized as symbols because they depict important
meanings in Buddhism. Among the objects categorized as symbols, Buddha Statues,
Bodhisatta Statues and Stupas can be said to dominate
in Buddhist art and architecture because they are found in almost every country
that has ancient Buddhist sites.
Buddhists building a place of worship certainly has a purpose. Its main
purpose is as a place of worship or as a revered object. Similarly, the
function of Buddhist temples in Indonesia is as a place of puja as well as an
object of puja. The temple became a place of puja because there was a part of
the temple that was used for worship. For example, some� of the passages surrounding the body
of Borobudur Temple and also Mendut Temple are used
to perform pradaksina
(Pāli language: padakkhiṇa or homage by
surrounding the object that is used as a tribute to the right). Similarly, the
temple booths in Mendut Temple and Plaosan Temple are also used as puja places either with
regard to meditation, offering puja objects or recitation of suttas, paritta
or Buddhist sermons. These temples also serve as objects of puja or reverence.
It is said so because many parts of the temple are puja objects that symbolize
Buddha, His teachings and other symbols of Buddhist puja. It can even be said
that the whole part of the temple is the object of reverence, because in fact
the temple with all its beauty symbolizes the majesty of the Buddha and His
teachings.
�Efforts to create symbols representing
the Buddha have actually been made since buddha times. One example, as
mentioned in Vinayapiṭaka,
is the Buddha's hair relic.� This�� relic was given by Buddha himself to two
merchants named Tapussa and Bhallika
who asked for Beliau the object of respect in his
place.� On another occasion, at the
request of a householder named Anāthapiṇḍika,
Buddha asked Bhikkhu Ananda to plant the Bodhi Tree as an object of reverence
representing Himself.� Furthermore, in
the Mahāparinibbānasutta
of the Tipiṭaka scriptures, Buddha also
mentions four types of people including a Buddha worthy of� being awakened to a stupa when he� dies.
�Over time, the objects symbolizing
Buddha have increased.� Even after Buddha
died, important objects pertaining to Him were made objects of worship by His
students.� Some examples are the throne
representing the Buddha's seat (vajrasana), the dhamma wheel (dharmacakra) representing the
Buddha Dhamma, and also the relief of the soles of the Buddha's feet (fināda).�
� Buddhist symbols that have existed
since Buddhist times and some of the aforementioned� �vajrasana, dharmacakra, and fināda were popularly used
as objects of reverence several centuries after Buddha�� passed away.�
However, when Buddhism began to develop in greek
territory in the 1st century AD, due to the��
influence of Greek culture, Buddha statues symbolizing Buddha itself
began to be created.� Since then the representation of Buddha into the Statue of Buddha
has grown to various regions where Buddhism is spread.� As a result, when Buddhism spread and
developed in Indonesia around the end of the 5th century AD, many Buddha
statues were built as Buddhist symbols.�
Looking at the history of the emergence of Buddhist symbols, three temples,
namely Borobudur, Mendut, and Plaosan
which were built around the 7th century AD, certainly have Buddhist symbols
that developed later.� In this case, the
Buddha statue is the main symbol of respect in these three temples, although it
is undeniable that specifically Borobudur Temple there is a stupa with a large
size�� which is also repressesntasikan
Buddha himself.� In Borobudur Temple, the
existence of 504 Buddha statues has been identified, while in Mendut Temple there is although one Buddha statue but the
largest that has been found in Indonesia so far.� While in Plaosan
Temple in�� the building of the two main
temples te ridentifikasi
there are 6 Buddha Statues which although now have been lost. The possibility
of the existence of 6 A rca Buddha is due to the
existence of six empty thrones each flanked by two A rca
Bodhisatta.
The symbol of the
temple here refers to the main object of respect that is the purpose for which
this temple was built. Usually the main object of
respect is located at the very main usually in the middle, or in the middle of
the cubicle if the temple is a house (ghara) such as Mendut Temple and Plaosan Temple. If you look at the parts of these three
temples, it can be found that the objects of puja here are not only Buddha
statues but also Stupa and Bodhisatta statues. These
three things are the main objects. Everyone who visits the temple aims to pay
homage to these three main objects. Nevertheless, among these
three puja objects the Buddha statue remains the foremost symbol because
it directly represents the Buddha.�
Meanwhile, the Bodhisatta Statue although it
is an object of puja but is not the main object because this statue� �only
represents people who are struggling to achieve enlightenment (buddhahood). This is the reason why it is important to
comprehensively review the meaning of the Buddha Statue symbol in three
temples, namely Borobudur Temple, Mendut, and Plaosan.�
It has been mentioned above that the Buddha Statue is the main puja object
in a Buddhist temple which is very important. A RCA Buddha as a symbol of Buddha is an
object that has been agreed upon by all Buddhists since ancient times as an
important object in the world of Buddhist art and architecture. Although this Buddha
statue is found in all three temples with different names, as a Buddhist
symbol, it has the same characteristics. All three stand out because they are
in the middle and tend to be larger in size than other objects, and without a
doubt that the Buddha statue symbolizing the Buddha itself is certainly
discussed in Buddhist literature.
Buddha statues are a symbol of Buddha itself. Buddha statues are found both
in Borobudur Temple, Mendut Temple and Plaosan Temple. In Borobudur Temple, statues depicting
Buddha are found in several temple niches and inside stupas except the main
stupa. The Buddha statues found in this temple are made in a cross-legged
sitting position. Meanwhile, in Mendut Temple, a
Buddha statue was found in the temple cubicle with a sitting position on the
throne with its legs extended downwards and flanked by two other statues
identified as Bodhisatta Statues. Meanwhile, in Plaosan Temple, several Buddha statues were found sitting
cross-legged, but in a damaged condition.�
These Buddha statues are placed in the pendapa
along with several bodhisatta statues. However, it is
a pity that the Buddha statues, which were supposed to be in the two main
buildings, have even been lost. This lost Buddha statue should be located on
each throne in each chamber with each flanked by two bodhisatta
statues. Today, the throne has been vacant and this is where it is possible to
once sit a Buddha Statue.
The way to identify that a particular statue is considered a Buddhist Arca
is to compare it through various statements found in the Buddhist Scriptures
related to the physical characteristics of the Buddha. One of the sermons (suttas) that
explain the characteristics or signs of a Buddha is the Lakkhaṇa Sutta
in Dīghanikāya.
It is said that Buddha had 32 signs of the body as a great human being as
follows:
1.
The soles of the feet
are flat (suppatiṭṭhitapādo).
2.
On the soles of his
feet is a chakra with a thousand ruji, a circle and a
center in perfect form (heṭṭhāpādatalesu
cakkāni jātāni
honti sahassārāni
sanemikāni sanābhikāni
sabbākāraparipūrāni).
3.
Nice heel (āyatapaṇhi).
4.
Long fingers (dīghaṅguli).
5.
Soft and delicate
hands and feet (mudutalunahatthapādo).
6.
Hands and feet are
like nets (jālahatthapādo).
7.
Slightly high ankles
(ussaṅkhapādo).
8.
Legs that are like
the legs of an antelope (eṇijaṅgho).
9.
Both hands can touch
or rub both knees without bending over (ṭhitakova
anonamanto ubhohi pāṇitalehi jaṇṇukāni
parimasati parimajjati).
10.
The pubic is wrapped
in membranes (kosohitavatthaguyho).
11.
The skin is like
gold-colored bronze (suvaṇṇavaṇṇo
hoti ka�canasannibhattaco).
12.
The skin is so soft
and smooth / that no dust can adhering to the skin (sukhumacchavi
hoti, sukhumattā chaviyā rajojallaṃ kāye na upalimpati).
13.
On each pore the skin
is overgrown with a strand of roman fur (ekekalomo
hoti, ekekāni lomāni lomakūpesu jātāni).
14.
The hair that grows
on the pores is blue-black, coiled to the right (uddhaggalomo
hoti, uddhaggāni lomāni jātāni nīlāni a�janavaṇṇāni
kuṇḍalāvaṭṭāni dakkhiṇāvaṭṭakajātāni).
15.
The great body piece
is like a brahma (brahmujugatto).
16.
Seven protrusions (sattussado), namely on both hands, both feet, both
shoulders and torso.
17.
The chest is like the
chest of a lion (sīhapubbaddhakāyo).
18.
On both shoulders
there is no indentation (citantaraṃso).
19.
Height equal to the
length of the span of both hands is like a banyan tree (nigrodhaparimaṇḍalo).
20.
Equally wide chest (samavaṭṭakkhandho).
21.
The senses of the
seasoning are very sensitive (rasaggasaggī).
22.
The jaws are like the
jaws of a lion (sīhahanu).
23.
Forty pieces of teeth
(cattālīsadanto).
24.
Flat dentition (samadanto).
25.
Between the teeth
there is no gap (aviraḷadanto).
26.
Pure white teeth (susukkadāṭho).
27.
Long tongue (pahūtajivho).
28.
Sounds like
brahma-sounds, like the sound of a Karavika bird (brahmassaro hoti karavīkabhāṇī).
29.
Blue eyes (abhinīlanetto).
30.
Eyelashes are
flexible, like cow eyelashes (gopakhumo).
31.
Between the eyebrows
of the eyes grew a fine hair, white as a soft cotton (uṇṇā
bhamukantare jātā).
32.
The head is like a
swarm (uṇhīsasīso).
1 2 3
4
5
Buddha statue in
Borobudur Temple with a display shows the characteristics of a majestic being
as shown by arrows (1) bandaged head (2) hair curled to the right (3) fine hair
between the eyebrows (4) wide chest like a lion's chest and (5) beautiful fingers.
Looking at the Buddha Statue above, you can find some physical signs of
Buddha that can be sculpted. The top of the Buddha's head looks prominent and
splintered. These two things refer to the sixteenth characterisic
sign of sattussado and the thirty-second i.e. �uṇhīsasīso.
If you look closely, the Buddha's hair carved on the statue is also in the form
of a circle that is circular to the right. This is the fourteenth physical
characteristic of the Buddha, namely dakkhiṇāvaṭṭakajātāni.
Buddha's physical signs regarding the bluish-black hair color or golden-colored
skin are certainly not visible in a sculpture. Furthermore, we can also find on
the forehead or between the eyebrows of the Buddha� Statue there is a small bulge. It
actually refers to the characteristics of the forty-first Buddha's body called
uṇṇā bhamukantare
jātā. This is the embodiment of the
white fine hair that grows between the eyebrows. Buddha statues that reveal a
proportional and majestic body can be identified as physical signs of the
fifteenth Buddha's body, namely a majestic body like a brahma (brahmujugatto) and a kesembilas
i.e. a body like the Banyan Tree or Nigrodha. The flattened shoulders are the eighteenth
physical mark of the Buddha, namely citantaraṃso
where the shoulders are flat without any indentation. Meanwhile, the chest also
appears wide. It can be identified as the seventeenth physical sign of Buddha i.e. chest like the chest of a lion (sīhapubbaddhakāyo)
and the twentieth i.e. chest equally wide (samavaṭṭakkhandho).
Meanwhile, the fingers and toes on the Buddha Statue are also so well sculpted
that they reveal well-proportioned fingers. This is important to do because
indeed two of the 32 signs of a great man like Buddha are the fingers of the
Buddha's hand are said to be long (dīghaṅguli)
and beautiful as nets (jālahatthapādo).
Like the flat shoulders, the soles of the Buddha's feet are also flat. On the
Buddha statues at Borobudur and Plaosan Temples,
although it does not reveal a chakra with a thousand ruji
on the soles of the feet as a second physical sign, the flat soles of the feet
or suppatiṭṭhitapādo as the
first great human sign are shown in each Buddha statue.
The physical signs of the Buddha's body seen in picture 1 can be found� in the Buddha
Statue in the following picture 2 taken from Mendut
Temple. The Buddha statue in Mendut Temple which is
buried in the temple chamber is� the largest ancient Buddha statue
found in Indonesia.
Buddha statue in Mendut Temple
In the picture of Buddha Statue above taken from Mendut
Temple, the physical signs of being a Buddha are well visible. The apex of the
head looks protruding and looks like a beserban. Each
strand of his head hair curled to the right. Between the eyebrows, there is a
small bump that is the embodiment of fine strands of white hair. The body is
well-proportioned, majestic and authoritative. Both shoulders are flat without
indentations. His chest was wide, and the fingers of his hand revealing the mudra dharmacakra
(the symbol of the rotation of the dhamma wheel) were proportionate.
The statues identified as Buddha statues in Plaosan
Temple, as mentioned above, are in a state of disrepair, so they are not
clearly visible. However, in general, the Buddha statue in Plaosan
Temple has similarities with that in Borobudur Temple. They are sculpted in a
state of sitting cross-legged. We can see in the following figure 3 where the
head is already damaged, and some are even cut off. Nevertheless, on the part
of the body there is still a visible relativef intact
so that the physical signs of the Buddha look like both shoulders flat, flat
soles of the feet, well-proportioned fingers, and a wide and well-proportioned
chest.
Buddha �statue in Plaosan Temple with a damaged and cut head,
but still visible physical signs of Buddha.
In addition to the aforementioned physical signs of Buddha, in Buddhist
literature, a Buddha also has an aura especially on his head. Atthasalini as the Book of Commentaries of Dhammasaṅgani mentions that the aura emanating from
the Buddha's body has six colors namely, blue, yellow, red, white, orange and a
mixture of the five colors (nīlapītalohitodātama�jiṭṭhapabhassaravasena chabbaṇṇarasmiyo).
The appearance of aura on especially the Buddha's head is sculpted very clearly
both on the Buddha Statue at Borobudur Temple and Mendut
Temple. We can see this in the following figure 4.
1 2
Buddha statue at Borobudur Temple (left
1) and Buddha statue at Mendut Temple (right 2)
showing the radiance of aura surrounding the back of Buddha's head
The picture above on the left is the embodiment of the Buddha Statue from� Borobudur
Temple, while the right one is from Mendut Temple.
Both of them revealed an aura that looked coiled around the back of the head.
The depiction of the aura of the head looks different. In the first, the aura
is depicted as merely round, while the second is in the form of a leaf
(possibly a prototype of the leaves of the Bodhi Tree or the tree on which the
Buddha attained enlightenment). This difference certainly occurs because of the
different imaginative creations of sculptors in representing the aura of the
Buddha's body into a sculpture.
The aura emanating from the Buddha's head is not only seen in the Buddha
Statue both in Borobudur Temple and in Mendut Temple,
but also seen in every Buddhist relief in Borobudur Temple. We can see an
example in figure 5 below taken from the relief of Lalitavistara.
Here, clearly visible, a round aura radiates around the head of the relief
depicting the Buddha.
Buddhist reliefs on
the Lalitavistara relief at Borobudur Temple
depicting the aura surrounding the Buddha's head
Interestingly, the aura emanating on Buddha's body is described by the
sculptors who made Plaosan Temple in a different way.
Not only the aura seemed to surround the Buddha's head, but the whole Buddha's
body. This can be seen in the following figure 6 which is a Buddha statue from Plaosan Temple.
Figure 6
Buddha statue in Plaosan Temple which shows the presence of aura surrounding
the entire Buddha's body as shownn arrows
It should be underlined that the appearance of aura radiating on the entire
body of the Buddha is also seen in one of the reliefs of Lalitavistara
in Borobudur Temple. This can be seen in the following figure 7. The depiction
of the aura that radiates on the Buddha's body in this relief looks very
similar to that of the Buddha Statue in Plaosan. His
aura is decorated with sculptures in the form of licks of flames burning
out.� In addition, there is also a
special aura surrounding the Buddha's head. It is possible that the Buddha
Statue in Plaosan Temple is also the same. It's just
not visible because it's in a broken state.
2 1
Buddhist reliefs on
the Lalitavistara relief at Borobudur Temple showing
a picture of the aura on the back of the head (arrow 1) and the aura
surrounding the Buddha's body in the form of a lick of fire (arrow 2)
It should also be emphasized here that the Buddha statues in Borobudur
Temple, Mendut Temple and Plaosan
Temple should also be distinguished from other statues. In addition to being a
great enlightened human being, Buddha was also an ascetic or monk. As a monk,
like His students who live as monks, Buddha also wears simple robes. The
statues identified as Buddha statues are also seen that Buddha is wearing a
robe. As recorded in the Vinayapitaka of the Tipitaka, it is known that a
monk including the Buddha had three robes, namely the outer robe (uttarasaṅga),
the inner robe (antaravasaka)
and the doubled robe (saṅghati).
These three robes can be seen worn in sculptural Buddha Statues. Of these three
robes, the first two are usually often used. While the doubled robe is used as
a double robe during winter or as a substitute for the outer cloak when the
outer cloak is cleaned. Therefore, usually on Buddha statues, there is a
picture of only two robes, namely the inner robe and the outer robe. This can
be identified one of them from the Buddha statue in Mendut
Temple in the following figure 8. It can be seen that the Buddha statue appears
to be wearing two robes namely the outer robe (uttarasaṅga)
as shown by arrow 1 and the inner robe or sarong (antaravāsaka) as shown by arrow� 2 in the
picture below. The outer robe covers all parts of the body from shoulder to
foot by leaving the right shoulder exposed. Meanwhile, the inner robe is seen
on the legs more and longer than the outer robe. In reality, the inner robe
worn is usually invisible from the outside because it is covered with an outer
cloak. However, in order to show that Buddha as a monk also wore an inner robe,
the sculptors revealed an inner robe longer than the outer robe.
2 1
Buddha statue in Mendut Temple
wearing two robes, namely the outer robe (arrow 1) and the inner robe (arrow 2)
In sculpting Buddha Statues, the sculptors in making statues will combine
aspects of locality and universality. For example, the face of Buddha� statues in
Java represents the face of� Javanese,
the face of Buddha statues in Thailand looks like the face of Thais. Similarly,
wajah Buddha statues in Sri Lanka look like the faces
of� Sri Lankans,
and the faces of Buddha� statues� in India look like the faces of Indians. This
is the locality aspect. However, the aspect of universality is not ignored,
namely that the physical signs of a Buddha are still shown in Buddhist
sculpture. Below are examples of Buddha statues from different countries.
1 2 3 4
����������� �
Figure 9
Images
of Buddha statues from various countries such as: (1) India, (2) Sri Lanka, (3)
Thailand, and (4) Myanmar.
CONCLUSION
The temple as a place and at the same time an object of worship
cannot be separated from the object of��
puja which is a tribute to especially Buddhists.� As a place of puja, a puja symbol is needed
as a means to pay homage to the object being worshipped.� The main object of puja and has a very high
spiritual value for Buddhists is the Buddha Statue. Buddha statues are made as
symbols that represent Buddha himself as an object of reverence. This is
because Buddha was a teacher who discovered and taught His teachings to His
students.� Because Buddha himself had
died a long time ago, Buddhists made symbols that represented the great
qualities of Buddha in a Buddha statue.���
The high spiritual value of the Buddha statue in the temple building can
be known from several characteristics, namely pertama,
in terms of the location of the object which is a symbol tends to be in the
middle and appears most prominent.��
Second, in size, the object is usually depicted as larger than other
objects.� Thirdly, objects that are
symbols are commonly found in all Buddhist sites including those in other
countries. Fourth, objects that are symbols are generally found referenced in
Buddhist literature.
A RCA Buddha as asymbol
of Buddha is an object that has been agreed upon by all Buddhists since ancient
times as an important object in the world of Buddhist art and architecture.
Although this Buddha statue is found in all three temples with different names,
as a Buddhist symbol, it has the same characteristics.� The Buddha statues found in Borobudur Temple
can be found in temple niches and in stupas except in the Main stupa. The
Buddha statues found in this temple are in a cross-legged position with various
mudras.�� Meanwhile, in Mendut Temple, there is a Buddha statue in the�� temple cubicle with the foot position
extending down and flanked by two identified as Bodhisatta
Statues. While in Plaosan Temple, the Buddha statues
found�� are in two different places. First,
in the two main temple buildings�� there
are found six Buddha statues in different places and each Buddha statue is
flanked by two Bodhisatta statues. The existence of
the Buddha's Statue, however, in the main temple building has been lost.� Second, the Buddha statue found in the
mandapa.
Buddha statues found in Borobudur, Mendut
and Plaosan temples have different
characteristics.� Nevertheless
there are similarities in the components of statues Based on Buddhist literatur. The similarity of these components is contained
in one sermon (sutta) that explains the characteristics or signs of a Buddha is
the Lakkhaṇa Sutta in Dīghanikāya.
It is said in the literature that Buddha had 32 signs of the body as a great
man.� The sculptors who made Buddha
statues are certainly guided by the signs of this great human body. However,
not all of these body signs are contained in a sculpture, because not all of
them can be carved, for example the signs of the great man on the tongue
including the voice like brahma, in the eyes including the eyebrows. Some of
the physical signs of a Buddha contained in the sculpture can be seen from his
posture, chest, fingers and part of his head
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