Java, Indonesia
Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.
—Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha (563–483 B.C.), father of Buddhism
When viewed from above or a distance, Borobudur looks like a lavishly decorated, giant stone multilayer wedding cake whose round edges have been gently squared. This ancient (ca. A.D. 750) Buddhist temple is a nine-step pyramid carved out of a crag of volcanic basalt to form a three-dimensional mandala (diagram of the universe) topped by a Mahayana stupa (bell-shaped tower). Adorning the walls of the massive temple are 2 miles of carved reliefs (1,300 friezes) depicting the Buddha’s journey from Samsara (birth/knowing) to Nirvana (rebirth/enlightenment). In Mahayana tradition, Nirvana is not a Divine end, or heaven, where eternal safekeeping/well-being is bestowed. Rather, safekeeping/well-being is achieved through the infinite/circular journey of Oneness (sacred living).
Whether you would like to see an astonishing sacred structure or to take a step forward in your journey to inner peace, visit Borobudur on the Kedu Plain of eastern Java. Fly from Jakarta or Bali to Yogyakarta Airport; travel by rental car, coach tour, bus, or taxi to the park.
Take a sunrise tour and watch the mist rise from the ruins along with the sun. As you circumambulate your way through the temple, release your fears and feel the peace of faith fill you.
No one knows when or why the temple was abandoned; most likely, it was due to the eruption of one of three surrounding volcanoes. In 1914, a British statesman discovered Borobudur covered in volcanic ash.