ABSTRACT

Candi Borobudur (Borobudur Temple) is the world’s largest Mahayana-Vajrayana Buddhist temple, which is located in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. It was built by the Sailendra dynasty between the 8th and 9th centuries A.D. The temple was built with 10-step pyramid terraces, which are decorated with 2,672 relief panels, 504 Buddha statues, and 1,537 stupas. In this study, we aim to examine the forms and types of the stupas of Borobudur, which are composed of 1,536 secondary stupas and 1 primary stupa compared to those of other stupas found in Java and Bali islands. The stupas at Borobudur located from the second to ninth terraces are called the secondary stupas, whereas the one located on the tenth terrace is called the primary stupa. They are symbolic stupas, which consist of a base (Prasadha), a bell-shaped body (anda), a top support (harmika), and a top (yashti). The stupas are divided into four types, namely plain stupas, hollow space-square stupas, hollow space-diamond stupas containing the Dhyani Buddha Vairocana that represents the turning wheel of the dharma and the single main stupa that becomes the centre of Borobudur Temple reflecting Sailedra art-style. Here, we use a qualitative method, which is based on field observation and historical sources. The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive description of the stupas in Borobudur from the perspective of historical archaeology.