THE PILGRIMAGE OF SUDHANA MIRRORS the

IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE OF BORUBUDUR

Dr Uday Dokras Phd Stockholm

One should give up anger, renounce pride, and overcome all fetters. Suffering never befalls
him who clings not to mind and body and is detached.

— Verse 221, the Dhammapada[

Gandavyuha- Sutra: Tells the story of Sudhana a youth from India who was
seeking bodhi (enlightenment). At the behest of the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, Sudhana takes a
pilgrimage on his quest for enlightenment and studies under 53 "good friends", those who direct one
towards the Way to Enlightenment. The 53 Stations of the Tōkaidō are a metaphor for Sudhana's
journey. Avalokiteśvara is the 28th spiritual master Sudhana visits at Mount Potalaka. Sudhana's
quest reaches it climax at when he meets Maitreya, the Future Buddha, who snaps his fingers,
thereby opening the doors to his marvelous tower. Within the tower, Sudhana experiences all
the dharmadhatus (dimensions or worlds) in a fantastic succession of visions. The final master he
visits is Samantabhadra, who teaches Sudhana that wisdom only exists for the sake of putting it into
practice.
_______________________________________________________________________
1.Founded by Emperor Taizu of Song  ending the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. The Song often came
into conflict with the contemporaneous Liao, Western Xia and Jin dynasties in northern China. After decades of

1
armed resistance defending southern China, it was eventually conquered by the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty

The pilgrimage of Sudhana mirrors that of Gautama Buddha and the Gandavyuha sutra becomes very
popular in China during the  Song dynasty which was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960
and lasted until 1279,.when it was adapted and circulated in small amply illustrated booklets, each
page dedicated to one of Sudhana's spiritual teachers. 1
Direct translations from the Sanskrit name Avalokitasvara  in Chinese include Guānyīn  referring
to the Mahāyāna bodhisattva of the same name. Another later name for this bodhisattva
is Guānzìzài. It was initially thought that the Chinese mistransliterated the
word Avalokiteśvara as Avalokitasvara which explained why Xuanzang translated it
as Guānzìzài instead of Guānyīn. However, the original form was indeed Avalokitasvara with the
ending svara ("sound, noise"), which means "sound perceiver", literally "he who looks down
upon sound" (i.e., the cries of sentient beings who need his help). This is the exact equivalent of
the Chinese translation Guānyīn. This etymology was furthered in the Chinese by the tendency
of some Chinese translators, notably Kumārajīva, to use the variant Guānshìyīn, literally "who
perceives the world's lamentations"-wherein lok was read as simultaneously meaning both "to
look" and "world" (Sanskrit loka).

Sudhana was a youth from India who was seeking bodhi (enlightenment). At the behest of the
bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, Sudhana takes a pilgrimage on his quest for enlightenment and studies
under 53 "good friends", those who direct one towards the Way to Enlightenment. The 53
Stations of the Tōkaidō are a metaphor for Sudhana's journey. Avalokiteśvara is the 28th
spiritual master Sudhana visits at Mount Potalaka. Sudhana's quest reaches it climax at when he
meets Maitreya, the Future Buddha, who snaps his fingers, thereby opening the doors to his
marvelous tower. Within the tower, Sudhana experiences all the dharmadhatus (dimensions or
worlds) in a fantastic succession of visions. The final master he visits is Samantabhadra, who
teaches Sudhana that wisdom only exists for the sake of putting it into practice.
The pilgrimage of Sudhana mirrors that of Gautama Buddha and the Gandavyuha sutra
becomes very popular in China during the Song dynasty when it was adapted and circulated in
small amply illustrated booklets, each page dedicated to one of Sudhana's spiritual teachers.

Tale of Guanyin and the Southern Seas : Chapter 18 of the Complete Tale of Guanyin and the
Southern Seas (,a 16th-century Ming dynasty novel, is the first text that established a connection
between Shancai and Guanyin. In the tale, Shancai was a disabled boy from India who was very
interested in studying the Buddha's teachings. At that time, Guanyin had just achieved
enlightenment and had retired to Mount Putuo, an island in the South China Sea. When Shancai
heard that there was a bodhisattva on Mount Putuo, he quickly journeyed there to learn from her
despite his disability.

2
An altar for Guanyin worship.
Guanyin, after having a discussion with Shancai, decided to test his resolve to fully study the
Buddhist Dharma. She transformed the trees and plants into sword-wielding pirates, who ran up
the hill to attack them. Guanyin took off and dashed to the edge of a cliff and jumped off, with
the pirates still in pursuit. Shancai, in his desperation to save Guanyin, jumped off after her.
Shancai and Guanyin managed to reascend the cliff, and at this point, Guanyin asked Shancai to
look down. Shancai saw his mortal remains at the foot of the cliff. Guanyin then asked him to
walk and Shancai found that he could walk normally and that he was no longer crippled. When
he looked into a pool of water, he also discovered that he now had a handsome face. From that
day onwards, Guanyin taught Shancai the entire Buddhist dharma. Guanyin and Shancai later
encountered the third daughter of the Dragon King, and in the process, Guanyin earned Longnü
as a new acolyte.
The Precious Scroll of Shancai and Longnü  or Shàncái Lóngnǚ Bǎozhuàn, an 18th or 19th
century scroll comprising 29 folios, provides a different account on how Shancai and Longnü
became the acolytes of Guanyin. This tale seems to have a Taoist origin. The story is set in the
Qianfu era of the reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang.
A virtuous minister Chen Bao and his wife Lady Han are still childless when they are getting
older. When Chen rejects his wife's recommendation to take a concubine, she suggested that they
pray to the bodhisattva Guanyin for help. Guanyin saw that the couple was destined to not have
any children, so she ordered a Boy Who Brings Wealth, to be born into the family. Lady Han
soon gave birth to a boy, who was named Chen Lian. She died when his son was only five years
old.

3
A Yuan Dynasty  hanging scroll depicting Shancai (walking on waves), the Filial Parrot (above),
Guanyin and Longnü.RIGHT Kṣitigarbha

4
This panorama depicts the penultimate chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra, centering on Sudhana (Shàncáitóngzǐ). In the
chapter, Sudhana, in pursuit of enlightenment, goes on a pilgrimage to 53 different spiritual teachers (ranging from non-
Buddhists to Bhikkhunīs to kings to devas to Bodhisattvas and so on) of which Guanyin is one. The central statue depicts
Guanyin, the one on the right depicts Sudhana, and the rest of the figures depicts the other spiritual teachers.

As a child, Chen Lian was not interested in civil or military pursuits, but rather, in religious
enlightenment, much to his father's disapproval. At the age of seven, his father finally gave in to
his pleas and allowed him to study under the tutelage of the Yellow Dragon Immortal. Chen Lian
was renamed to Shancai and became a dutiful apprentice of the immortal. However, he ignored
all of his father's requests to visit home during his apprenticeship.
When his father's 60th birthday approached, Shancai was once again asked to go home for a
visit. As his master was away, Shancai decided to return home since it was a special occasion.
On his way down a mountain path, he heard a voice crying out for help. Upon investigation, he
saw that it was a snake trapped in a bottle for the last 18 years. The snake begged Shancai to
release her, and after Shancai did so, she revealed her true form as a giant serpent and wanted to
eat him. When Shancai protested at the snake's behaviour, she argued that ēn, (an act of
kindness) should be repaid with a feud, as is the way of nature. However, the snake agreed to
bring the case before three judges.
The first judge was the Golden Water Buffalo Star in human form. He agreed with the snake that
given her past experiences with humans, she was right to repay Shancai's kindness by devouring
1
him. The Buffalo related how he was forced out of Heaven by the bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha  into
the human world to help humans plough the fields. Kṣitigarbha vowed that if the humans did not
repay one's kindness by showing kindness in return, his eyes would fall out. As the Buffalo
landed face first on Earth, he lost all his upper front teeth. He later suffered greatly, and after
years of toiling for his human master, he was butchered and eaten. Because of this, Kṣitigarbha's
eyes fell out and landed on Earth and transformed into snails, which buffaloes trample on when
they plough the fields.

5
The second judge was the Taoist master Zhuang Zhou, who also sided with the snake. He cited
an incident where he resurrected a dead man, who repaid his kindness by bringing him to court
and accusing him of stealing his money.
The third judge was a young girl. The girl told the snake that she could eat her as well if the
snake could show them how it was able to fit into the bottle she was released from. As soon as
the snake wormed itself back into the bottle, it was trapped. The girl then revealed herself as
Guanyin. When the snake begged for mercy, Guanyin told her that if she wanted to be saved she
must engage in religious exercises in the Grotto of the Sounds of the Flood (present-day Fayu
Temple) on Mount Putuo. Around this time, Guanyin also gained a new disciple, the Filial
Parrot.
Three years later, when Guanyin returned to Mount Putuo, she appeared to Shancai in the middle
of the ocean. Shancai joined her in walking across the sea and became her acolyte. With the
confirmation of his faith, Shancai's parents were reborn in Heaven. As for the snake, she
committed herself to seven years of austerity and eventually cleansed itself of venom and
produced a pearl. She transformed into Longnü and joined Shancai as an acolyte of Guanyin.

LEFT Alter of Guanyin// Longnü depicted as a female bodhisattva in China in precious scrools RIGHT

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.Kṣitigarbha - क्षितिगर्भ,  is a bodhisattva primarily revered in East Asian Buddhism and usually depicted as
a Buddhist monk. His name may be translated as "Earth Treasury", "Earth Store", "Earth Matrix", or "Earth Womb".
Kṣitigarbha is known for his vow to take responsibility for the instruction of all beings in the six worlds between the
death of Gautama Buddha and the rise of Maitreya, as well as his vow not to achieve Buddhahood until all hells are
emptied. He is therefore often regarded as the bodhisattva of hell-beings, as well as the guardian of children and
patron deity of deceased children and aborted fetuses in Japanese culture, where he is known as Jizō or Ojizō-
sama.Usually depicted as a monk with a halo around his shaved head, he carries a staff to force open the gates of
hell and a wish-fulfilling jewel to light up the darkness.

6
 Dragon Girl

Painting by Thomas Elliot

Longnü  (or nāgakanyā; is Sanskrit meaning daughter of the Snakes also as Dragon Girl, along
with Sudhana are considered acolytes of the bodhisattva Guanyin (Avalokiteśvara) in Chinese
Buddhism. Her presence in Guanyin's iconography was influenced by tantric sutras celebrating
the esoteric Amoghapāśa and Thousand-armed forms of Guanyin, which mention Longnü
offering Guanyin a priceless pearl in gratitude for the latter visiting the Dragon King's palace at
the bottom of the ocean to teach the inhabitants her salvific dharani.
There are no scriptural sources connecting both Sudhana and Longnü to Avalokiteśvara at the
same time. It has been suggested that the acolytes are representations of the two
major Mahāyāna texts, the Lotus Sūtra and the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, in which Longnü and Sudhana
appear, respectively.
The depiction of Longnü and Sudhana with Avalokiteśvara may have been influenced
by Yunü (Jade Maiden) and Jintong (Golden Youth) who both appear in the iconography of
the Jade Emperor. She is described as being the eight-year-old daughter of the Dragon
King- Lóng Wáng;  which is King of Snakes in Sanskrit:-“ nāgarāja” of the East Sea.

7
Folk Tales -Tale of the Southern Seas
A single chapter in the Complete Tale of Avalokiteśvara and the Southern Seas - Nánhǎi Guānyīn
Quánzhuàn, a sixteenth century Ming Dynasty novel is the first text that connects Longnü and
Sudhana together as being acolytes of Avalokiteśvara. When the Dragon King's third son was out
for swim in the sea in the form of a carp, he was captured by a fisherman. Unable to transform
into his dragon form due to being trapped on land, he was going to be sold and butchered at the
local market. Once Avalokiteśvara learned of his predicament, she gave Shancai all her money and
sent her disciple to buy him from the market and set him free. Because the carp was still alive hours
after it was caught, this drew a large crowd and soon a bidding war started due to people believing
that eating this fish would grant them immortality. Shancai was easily outbid and begged the fish
seller to spare the life of the fish, but to no avail and earning the scorn of the people at the market. It
was then that Avalokiteśvara projected her voice from far away saying, "A life should definitely
belong to one who tries to save it, not one who tries to take it". The crowd realizing their mistake
soon dispersed and Shancai was able to bring the carp back to Avalokiteśvara and return it to the sea.
As a token of gratitude, the Dragon King asked Ao Guang to bring the "Pearl of Light", but his
granddaughter volunteers to go in his father's place instead. After offering the pearl to
Avalokiteśvara, she decides to stay with her and become her disciple to learn the Buddhist Dharma.

The above short discussion is about the legand of the Sudhana and his journey towards
enlightenment. The Borobudur is also built as a BOOK. To read it one has to walk up the
monument. This travel is like a cinema. From start to “THE END”- it relates all the aspects of
Buddhism a novice needs to know so as to not exactly become enlightened but to realize what
enlightenment is- The formula or the concept of enlightenment.

Iconography for the Portrait of the Bodhisattva Guanyin In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is one who has
attained enlightenment but chooses to delay the rewards of nirvana. Instead, he or she helps ordinary
people reach enlightenment more easily and quickly. The wise and compassionate bodhisattva known as
Avalokitesvara in Sanskrit, and Guanyin in China, was frequently prayed to for assistance. Iconography is
the reading of symbols in a painting or sculpture. Be an art detective and use the clues below to read the
picture of Guanyin.

Sudhanakumara  or Sudhana

8
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Sudhanakumāra (सु धनकुमार) is the name of a deity sometimes seen accompanying Mañjuśrī, as
depicted in Buddhist Iconography.—In his simplest form Mañjuśrī carries the sword in his right
hand and the Prajñāpāramitā manuscript in his left. In representations sometimes the two
symbols are placed on lotuses. Sometimes Mañjuśrī is accompanied only by Yamāri, sometimes
only by his Śakti or female counterpart, sometimes by Sudhanakumāra and Yamāri and
sometimes again by the four divinities, Jālinīprabha (also called Sūryaprabha), Candraprabha,
Keśinī and Upakeśinī. Though the last four are required to be present with Arapacana, they are
nevertheless found in others also.

The formula of Enlightenment.

According to UNESCO, the main temple is a stupa built in three tiers around a hill which was a
natural centre: a pyramidal base with five concentric square terraces, the trunk of a cone with
three circular platforms and, at the top, a monumental stupa. The walls and balustrades are
decorated with fine low reliefs, covering a total surface area of 2,520 m 2. Around the circular
platforms are 72 openwork stupas, each containing a statue of the Buddha.

The vertical division of Borobudur Temple into base, body, and superstructure perfectly accords
with the conception of the Universe in Buddhist cosmology. It is believed that the universe is
divided into three superimposing spheres, kamadhatu, rupadhatu, and arupadhatu, representing
respectively the sphere of desires where we are bound to our desires, the sphere of forms where
we abandon our desires but are still bound to name and form, and the sphere of
formlessness where there is no longer either name or form. At Borobudur Temple,
the kamadhatu is represented by the base, the rupadhatu  by the five square terraces, and
the arupadhatu by the three circular platforms as well as the big stupa. The whole structure
shows a unique blending of the very central ideas of ancestor worship, related to the idea of a
terraced mountain, combined with the Buddhist concept of attaining Nirvana.

The Temple should also be seen as an outstanding dynastic monument of the Syailendra Dynasty
that ruled Java for around five centuries until the 10th century.

9
 The Borobudur Temple Compounds consists of three monuments: namely the Borobudur
Temple and  two smaller temples situatued to the east on a straight axis to Borobudur. The two
temples are Mendut Temple, whose depiction of Buddha is represented by a formidable monolith
accompanied by two Bodhisattvas, and Pawon Temple, a smaller temple whose inner space does
not reveal which deity might have been the object of worship. Those three monuments represent
phases in the attainment of Nirvana.
The temple was used as a Buddhist temple from its construction until sometime between the 10th
and 15th centuries when it was abandoned. Since its re-discovery in the 19th century and
restoration in the 20th century, it has been brought back into a Buddhist archaeological site.
Criterion (i): Borobudur Temple Compounds with its stepped, unroofed pyramid consisting of
ten superimposing terraces, crowned by a large bell-shaped dome is a harmonious marriage of
stupas, temple and mountain that is a masterpiece of Buddhist architecture and monumental arts.
Criterion (ii): Borobudur Temple Compounds is an outstanding example of Indonesia’s art and
architecture from between the early 8th and late 9th centuries that exerted considerable influence
on an architectural revival between the mid-13th and early 16th centuries.
Criterion (vi): Laid out in the form of a lotus, the sacred flower of Buddha, Borobudur Temple
Compounds is an exceptional reflection of a blending of the very central idea of indigenous
ancestor worship and the Buddhist concept of attaining Nirvana. The ten mounting terraces of
the entire structure correspond to the successive stages that the Bodhisattva has to achieve before
attaining to Buddhahood.

CREATION of the IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE

Creating an immersive experience is no small endeavor. There are myriad opportunities to
influence your visitors’ perceptions, but they must work together in a seamless manner. Your
purpose and the story you want to tell will help guide the decisions that come after. Today the
use of technology, storytelling, and space to convey a message, educate, or entertain transports
visitors to another time and/or place. It is an opportunity to engage with customers/Visitors/ in a
unique and powerful way.

Today they have 6 Tips for Creating an Immersive Experience

1. Know your purpose. Delivering an immersive experience is exciting. ...
2. Tell a story. ...

10
3. Engage the senses. ...
4. Sum of its parts
5. Personalize the experience. ...
6. Incorporate visitor interaction.

Know your purpose. Delivering an immersive experience is exciting. But to be effective, you

need to know what it is you’re trying to achieve. Are you looking to entertain? Educate? Increase
brand awareness? Understanding why you’re building an immersive experience will help you…

Tell a story. Great content is the foundation for your immersive experience, and it shouldn’t be
taken lightly. This is your opportunity to tell a story in a way that you want it to be told—you
have control over the content as well as its delivery. Remember, a story has a beginning, middle,
and end, as well as a cast of characters. Consider what role your visitors will play in the story,
and the message you want to leave them with.

Engage the senses. The more the better. An immersive experience should evoke emotion and
imagination. The best way to do that is to incorporate the senses through details that bring the
experience to life. Sound, imagery, the temperature of the room, the smell and feel of the air…
Every detail brings visitors deeper into your story.

Sum of its parts: A successful immersive experience is the sum of its parts, and sometimes the
simplest use of technology is the best solution.

Personalize the experience. A responsive environment can help create a personalized

experience for each visitor. For example, when properly integrated, an RFID badge can trigger a
greeting in the guest’s native language while seamlessly granting them access to various areas of
a space, be it an office building, museum, or amusement park.

Incorporate visitor interaction. Involving your guest in the experience through

interaction allows them to engage in a meaningful way. This will help increase the likelihood of
buy-in and continued engagement while creating a longer lasting memory. Visitors will have a
stake in the outcome and feel empowered as an active participant as opposed to a passive viewer.

HOW DOES BOROBUDUR CREATE THIS IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE?

There are almost 1,300 narrative panels illustrating the life of Buddha and Buddhistic texts, the
largest and most complete collection of Buddhist relief in the world. These religious illustrated
texts consists of 6 different Mahayana Buddhist Doctrines:
KARMAVIBHANGHA, LALITAVISTARA, JATAKA, AVADANAS, GANDAVYUHA,
AND BHADRACHARI (SOEKMONO, 1976).

All of these six manuscripts are carved 2,500 meters, long of stone inscriptions on 4 consecutive
galleries walls the very first engraved image of the manuscripts start from east gate on gallery 1
circulating to the left, following round 1,2,3,------ 10, as shown.

11
Table1: For every Buddhist Monks, it is Day (VESAKA DAY), and to walk around the galleries
and terraces always turning to the left & keeping the edifice to the right while either chanting or
meditating. In total, Borobudur temple represent the ten levels of a Boddhisattav’s life which
they must develop to become a perfect and full enlightenment of a Buddha.

TABLE 1: All of 1460 Relief and Manuscript.

ROUND- RELIEF’S LOCATION – NO. OF PANELS- MANUSCRIPTS
- Hidden Basement- 160 – KARMAVIBANGGAS
- Main wall of gallery o – 1212 – DECORATIVE PANELS
1. Gallery 1, upper main wall- 120- LALITAVISTARA
2. Gallery 1, lower main wall- 120- JATAKAS & AYADANAS
3. Gallery 1, Balustrade, upper wall- 372- JATAKAS & AYADANAS
4. Gallery1, Balustrade, lower wall- 128- JATAKAS & AYADANAS
5. Gallery 2, Balustrade,- 100- JATAKAS & AYADANAS
6. Gallery 2, main wall- 128- GANDAVYUHA
7. Gallery 3, main wall- 88- GANDAVYUHA
8. Gallery 3, Balustrade- 84- GANDAVYUHA
9. Gallery 4, Balustrade- 84- GANDAVYUHA
10. Gallery 4, main wall- 72- BHADRACARI

12
On the highest terrace, arupadhatu level has no relief or decoration but has 3 Sub-terraces
(balcony), circular in shape with round walls: circle without beginning or end. Here is the place
of the seventy-two Vajrasattvas or Dhyani Buddha tucked into small stupas. each of the statues
in the temple has a mudra (hand gesture) indicating one of the four directions: east, with the
mudra of calling the earth to witness (Bhumisparca mudra); South, with the hand position
symbolizing of charity and blessings (Vara mudra); west, with the gesture of meditation (Dhyana
mudra); North, the mudra of fearlessness (Abhaya mudra); and the centre/ Zenith
(DHARMACAKRA MUDRA) with land gesture of teaching.

Visitors as participants

KARMAVIBHANGHA is the first manuscript describing the doctrine of cause and effect as well
as good and evil. The pains of hell and pleasure of heaven are illustrated on the karma-vibhanga
manuscript. There are also praiseworthy activities that include charity and pilgrimage to
sanctuaries and there subsequent rewards on this relief. The complete Series of 160 panels on
Karmavibhangga relief is not visible as it is hidden and surrounded by broad base of stone walls.
Only parts of the southeast temple wall were dismantled for visitors, which are represented by

13
panel numbers: 19,20,21& 22.

LALITVISTARA is the second manuscript, & represent the life of Buddha Gautama from His
birth until His first sermon at Banaras. The Relief story of Lalitvistara starts from the glorious
descent of the Lord Buddha from the TWSHITA HEAVEN prior to Gautam’s birth & ends with
his first serman is the Deer Park in Benares. The most famous relief on the Lalitvistara story is
the birth of Buddha as Prince Siddharta, son of king Suddhana and Queen Maya at Lumbini Park
outside the Kapilvastu city. On the full round on the first gallery (upper main gallery) was
dedicated to this manuscript with total number of 120 panels.

The 3rd script, Jatakamala or Garland of Jatakas is a collection of poems consisting of 34 Jatakas.
Based on manuscript written by Aryacara in the 4th century these Jatakas contains stories on great
deeds performed by Buddha in his former lives preparing for Buddhahood. These episodes of
reincarnations serve as example of self-sacrifice. Similar to Jatakas, 4 th script of AVADANAS
narrative is devoted for Buddha, but the main figure is not Bodhisattva (Prince Siddharta)
himself. The sainly deeds in Avadanas are attributed to other legendary persons. Both Jatakas
and Avadanas are treated in one and the same series of 720 relief panels.

The 5th and longest manuscript is described in Gandavyuha: gallery 2,3&4. Gandhavyuha,
Sometimes referred to as a Mahayana pilgrims progress. Describes Sudhana, son of a rich
merchant who meets several Bodhisattvas, in His aim to reach the highest wisdom, two of these
spiritual teachers of Bodhisattvas are Maitreya (future Buddha).

SAMANTABHADRA: The Lord of the truth in Buddhism who represents the practice and
meditation of all Buddhas. A total of 388 panels present the Gandavyuha text.

At last manuscript, Bhadrachari doctrine is represented in the 4th gallery. It comprises panels with
the pledge of Sudhana to follow examples and teachings of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra. The
narrative panels on Bhadrachari and with the Sudhana’s achievement of the Supreme knowledge
and the Ultimate Truth. All 72 panels on main wall of gallery 4 are dedicated for the
Bhadrachari. As a descendent of a noble family, Good wealth started a quest of “Kingliness
without and sageliness within”. This ended up in the pinnacle of the Buddhist experience:
emptiness, to be filled and overflow by the nectar of loving kindness. Apparently, This kind of
seeking by affluent youngmen is an archetypical pattern in the Buddhists lore throughout Asia
during those days.

14
Stone construction details at Borobudur temple, base of platform or level. Candi Borobudur is the largest
Buddhist temple in the world.

15
16
17
 THEMED PERSPECTIVE
From your first step to last experiencing the magic of themed perspective into Borobudur
offers the ultimate vehicle for innovations in storytelling technology and immersive experiences
that keep us all wanting more.

Even in this uncertain era and as the technological landscape reshapes, there is much to celebrate
about the innovative and impactful nature of the Stupa site and the powerful moments and
memories that lie at its core.

Leveraging Powerful Storytelling Technology that Leaves a Lasting Impact

Designers of Borubudur created a masterpiece which they knew will stun the visitor, educate the
wanderer and leave an lasting impression on the minds of all those who look at it closely. It is
great storytelling one can relate to, whether it’s about books they would have read or even
places of religion and worship they have visited.

Finding a reference that resonates with the life of the visitors is Borobudur’s key to success as
an themed entertainment experience. Forgive me for saying so and I an not being disrespectful,

18
but Gunadharma was himself like Sudhama when he took upon himself the cudgels of
transforming an idea that he sahed with the Srivijaya rulers and takng their backing to see it into
fruition. Attraction design, religious experience , awesome size and details, gigantic task to be
overcome all over-whelm the visitor and all play a role, but it’s really leaps in narrative
experiences that has resulted in forging the path forward for Borobudur as No 1 then and still No
1 now!

Narrative is at the heart of human experience, and no amount of thrill will get visitors through
the doors again and again without a story to tie it all together. Whether adapting an existing
story to the themed cinema like entertainment setting or crafting a wholly original narrative,
getting it right and making the way it’s presented has been the success factor for the awe that
Borobudur inspites in all those who visit it closely looking at it. Borobudur has to be immersed
into. If one looks at it from afar and says : “ oh wow. Big thing!” and then goes away-
Borobudur’s knockout shock is not for him because he will not have felt it.

It is only those who climg from the “Ground Floor” to the top watching the cinema of buddhism
–floor through floor will feel authentic and critical.

Visitors climbing the stairs

19
Having climbed the stairs, visitors reach the top but on the way they are displayed the Buddhist scriptures to
enlighten and educate them.

20
21
Here are some strategies that Gunadharma used to create this memorable experience through
storytelling:

 Pan out and display the entirety of the story and setting to bring it to life in a way that
feels holistic.
 Think about the narrative in layers of engagement. From visitors just passing through to
the most obsessive of Buddhism fans, everyone needs to identify with and understand the
story you’re looking to tell.
 Use of carvings, statutes, Balustrades, stairs, passages all technology of those days to
enlighten and entertain but not to become the STAR.
 Consideration of the location and region of the structure. Giving the visitor or
“audience” more information to truly be immersed in the story step by step.

No narrative or memorable experience reaches its full impact without immersion: When
guests take in themed entertainment they want to be transported. They want to be fully
immersed in the world that has been created, not feel like they’re an outsider looking in at the
fun. The quickest way to ensure immersion is to engage and surround the guest with the
experience, not have them simply watch it unfold on a screen or in person before them. At the
same time, however, immersion can also be broken by “technology” that’s too overbearing and
in the guests’ face. The goal should be to integrate technological solutions into the world that
has been created in such a way that the visitor never knows it’s there, yet feels its impact at all
time.

To achieve this, it’s critical to work in delivering end-to-end, holistic strategies and plans that
result in powerful experiences. They did not think it enough to simply throw the “technology”
into a space – it was thoroughly integrated into the very bones of the physical location and
narrative atmosphere.

22
 We are all SUDHANAS
Education as Key to liberation according to Buddhism: Buddhism is an unworldly tradition
and way of life that originated to teach people to appreciate life as it in a more meaningful
way that leads to inner satisfaction and peace. They all follow the basic path and teach
simple tenets that guide mankind to attain perfect enlightement and peace just like Lord
Buddha. It aspires human beings to live in complete harmony with utmost kindness,
sincerity and generosity.

Doing so involves training one’s mind to gain complete control over their thoughts and
actions. Buddhism preaches to rely upon one’s own inner strength than external factors and
it can be done at any moment of time, all a person needs is absolute determination and
strong will to transform any situation good or worst. As, if we wait for better time to come
on their own, we will never begin to find right motivation to practise Dharma. The greatest
purpose of life, as per Lord Buddha was to provide a means of liberation and enlightenment
to fellow human beings. And this can be achieved by gaining control over the mind. Explore
more about the Path of Buddhism and educate yourself with its simple yet powerful wisdom
teachings!
Borobudur is said to have been built by King Samaratungga, one of the kings of the old Mataram
Kingdom, the descendants of the Sailendra dynasty. Based on Kayumwungan inscription, an
Indonesian named Hudaya Kandahjaya had a revelation in which he was told that Borobudur had
once been a place for prayer that was supposed to be completed  on 26 May 824, almost one
hundred years after the construction had started. The name of Borobudur, as some people say,
means a mountain having terraces (budhara), while other says that Borobudur means monastery
on a high place.

The carved panels are all on the walls of the terraces. In order to see them, as I mentioned earlier,
one has to climb the stairs of each of the terraces and then do a pradikshina or circumambulation
in a clockwise direction round it. This is the correct way to discover the beauties of the temple
and also derive maximum spiritual benefit. Each terrace has its own panels showing how skillful
the sculptors were. Some of these panels tell the legendary story of the Ramayana. Besides these,
there are panels depicting the condition of the society at that time.  Some show farmers working
in the fields and some show sailors in boats, thus giving us a glimpse of the advanced state of the
navigation techniques of that age.

The bas-reliefs in Borobudur depicted many scenes of daily life in 8th-century ancient Java, from
the courtly palace life, hermit in the forest, to those of commoners in the village. It also depicted
temple, marketplace, various flora and fauna, and also native vernacular architecture. People
depicted here are the images of king, queen, princes, noblemen, courtier, soldier, servant,
commoners, priest and hermit. The reliefs also depicted mythical spiritual beings in Buddhist
beliefs such as asuras, gods, bodhisattvas, kinnaras, gandharvas and apsaras. The images
depicted on bas-relief often served as reference for historians to research for certain subjects,
such as the study of architecture, weaponry, economy, fashion, and also mode of transportation
of 8th-century Maritime Southeast Asia.

23
Borubudur is a movie in stone. Gunadharma is the director, Sudana is the main character and
Buddha is the real hero. As one walks through each narrow passage in Borobudur with a
competent guide one canl come to know much of the philosophy of Buddhism. Atisha, a
Buddhist monk from India in the tenth century once visited this temple that was built 3 centuries
before Angkor Wat in Cambodia and 4 centuries before the Grand Cathedrals in Europe. After
gathering a lot of information from these reliefs he returned to India and started another sect
known as Vikramashila Buddhism. Later he became the leader of the Vikramashila monastery
and became a teacher in Tibet. Six scripts from Serlingpa were then summarized as the core of
the teaching called "The Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment" known as Bodhipathapradipa. The
function of arts to their culture of Borobudur Temple is that it blends geometry, geomancy, and
theology all instruct adherents toward the ultimate goal of enlightenment. Meticulously carved
relief sculptures mediate a physical and spiritual journey that guides pilgrims progressively
toward higher states of consciousness.

The sculpture of the panels must have left him, just as you and me, spellbound. Buddha’s dictum
was that karma or action alone decides our life both now and in there hereafter. The mystery of
why the temple was constructed in the first place and how it was buried for centuries is still not
clear.

In that sense we, the visitor, the novice, the aspirant, student, fledgling, members of the
sangha, the Buddhist monastic order, traditionally composed of four groups: monks,
nuns, laymen, and laywomen,the explorer, theseeker of entertainment and the seeker of
enlightenment

- We are all SUDHANAS: “The Buddhist way of life as modeled by the Buddha’s life story and
as delineated in the Borobudur’s allegory of good wealth, provide us with an archetypical
template illustrating that leading an affluent life might pave the way to extening a quest for life’s
meaning. Living in relative comfort, or even perhaps in “princely” circumstances, middle class
people all over the world are in principal all Sudhanas who are ready to seek and learn what life
is about, and to start on a profound inner journey of discovering wisdom.

Adhering to the message of the BOROBUDUR, relational Buddhism submits that the wisdom of
sustainable happiness amidst adversity is largely an intrapersonal equilibrating experience of
relationship and an ephiphenomenon of harmonious interpersonal interactivity- of being
genuinely kind, compassionate, and joyful in a mutually balanced togetherness and Individual
don’t exist independently from one another, but rely on interconnectness and interdependence for
this very survival.

24
25