My Country *Indonesia* Blog Hop Party

Hallooooo

*Helloo*

Selamat datang di My Country Blog Hop Party

*Welcome to My Country Blog Hop Party*

This is my second time join Nancy Smith blog party about everything of my country *smile* Well...I'm Indonesian and I am proud to be that. Indonesia in overseas, very famous for its nature beauty. Beside the beautiful nature, we have diversity culture and art. One of our mega-art is BOROBUDUR.

This famous Buddhist temple, dating from the 8th and 9th centuries, located in Central Java. It was built in three tiers, a pyramidal base with five concentric square terraces and at the top, a monumental stupa. The temple itself demonstrates the influences of Gupta art that reflects India's influence, yet there are indigenous scenes and elements incorporated to make Borobudur uniquely Indonesian.

...photo by Isidore van Kinsbergen...

The walls and balustrades are decorated with fine low reliefs, covering a total surface area of 2500 m2. 

Narrative Panels Distribution
section	location	story	#panels
hidden foot	wall	Karmavibhangga	160
first gallery	main wall	Lalitavistara	120
		Jataka/Avadana	120
	balustrade	Jataka/Avadana	372
		Jataka/Avadana	128
second gallery	balustrade	Jataka/Avadana	100
	main wall	Gandavyuha	128
third gallery	main wall	Gandavyuha	88
	balustrade	Gandavyuha	88
fourth gallery	main wall	Gandavyuha	84
	balustrade	Gandavyuha	72
Total			1,460

...wikipedia source...

The law of karma (Karmavibhangga)

The Karmavibangga scene on Borobudur's hidden foot, on the right depicting sinful act of killing and cooking turtles and fishes, on the left those who make living by killing animals will be tortured in hell, by being cooked alive, being cut, or being thrown into burning house.

The 160 hidden panels do not form a continuous story, but each panel provides one complete illustration of cause and effect. There are depictions of blameworthy activities, from gossip to murder, with their corresponding punishments. There are also praiseworthy activities, that include charity and pilgrimage to sanctuaries, and their subsequent rewards. The pains of hell and the pleasure of heaven are also illustrated. There are scenes of daily life, complete with the full panorama of samsara (the endless cycle of birth and death). The encasement base of the Borobudur temple was dissembled to reveal the hidden foot, and the reliefs were photographed by Casijan Chepas in 1890. It is these photographs that are displayed in Borobudur Museum (Karmawibhangga Museum), located just several hundred meters north of the temple. During the restoration, the foot encasement was reinstalled, covering the Karmawibhangga reliefs. Today, only the southeast corner of the hidden foot is revealed and visible for visitors.

The story of Prince Siddhartha and the birth of Buddha (Lalitavistara)

Prince Siddhartha Gautamabecame an ascetic hermit.

Queen Maya riding horse carriage retreating to Lumbini to give birth to Prince Siddhartha Gautama

Main article: The birth of Buddha (Lalitavistara)

The story starts with the descent of the Lord Buddha from the Tushita heaven and ends with his first sermon in the Deer Park near Benares. The relief shows the birth of the Buddha as Prince Siddhartha, son of King Suddhodana and Queen Mayaof Kapilavastu (in present-day Nepal).

The story is preceded by 27 panels showing various preparations, in the heavens and on the earth, to welcome the final incarnation of the Bodhisattva. Before descending from Tushita heaven, the Bodhisattva entrusted his crown to his successor, the future Buddha Maitreya. He descended on earth in the shape of white elephants with six tusks, penetrated to Queen Maya's right womb. Queen Maya had a dream of this event, which was interpreted that his son would become either a sovereign or a Buddha.

While Queen Maya felt that it was the time to give birth, she went to the Lumbini park outside the Kapilavastu city. She stood under a plaksa tree, holding one branch with her right hand, and she gave birth to a son, Prince Siddhartha. The story on the panels continues until the prince becomes the Buddha.

The stories of Buddha's previous life (Jataka) and other legendary persons (Avadana)

Jatakas are stories about the Buddha before he was born as Prince Siddhartha. They are the stories that tell about the previous lives of the Buddha, in both human and animal form. The future Buddha may appear in them as a king, an outcast, a god, an elephant—but, in whatever form, he exhibits some virtue that the tale thereby inculcates. Avadanas are similar to jatakas, but the main figure is not the Bodhisattva himself. The saintly deeds in avadanas are attributed to other legendary persons. Jatakas and avadanas are treated in one and the same series in the reliefs of Borobudur.

The first twenty lower panels in the first gallery on the wall depict the Sudhanakumaravadana, or the saintly deeds of Sudhana. The first 135 upper panels in the same gallery on the balustrades are devoted to the 34 legends of the Jatakamala. The remaining 237 panels depict stories from other sources, as do the lower series and panels in the second gallery. Some jatakas are depicted twice, for example the story of King Sibhi (Rama's forefather).

Sudhana's search for the Ultimate Truth (Gandavyuha)

Gandavyuha is the story told in the final chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra about Sudhana's tireless wandering in search of the Highest Perfect Wisdom. It covers two galleries (third and fourth) and also half of the second gallery, comprising in total of 460 panels. The principal figure of the story, the youth Sudhana, son of an extremely rich merchant, appears on the 16th panel. The preceding 15 panels form a prologue to the story of the miracles during Buddha's samadhi in the Garden of Jeta at Sravasti.

During his search, Sudhana visited no fewer than thirty teachers, but none of them had satisfied him completely. He was then instructed by Manjusri to meet the monk Megasri, where he was given the first doctrine. As his journey continues, Sudhana meets (in the following order) Supratisthita, the physician Megha (Spirit of Knowledge), the banker Muktaka, the monk Saradhvaja, the upasika Asa (Spirit of Supreme Enlightenment), Bhismottaranirghosa, the Brahmin Jayosmayatna, Princess Maitrayani, the monk Sudarsana, a boy called Indriyesvara, the upasika Prabhuta, the banker Ratnachuda, King Anala, the god Siva Mahadeva, Queen Maya, Bodhisattva Maitreya and then back to Manjusri. Each meeting has given Sudhana a specific doctrine, knowledge and wisdom. These meetings are shown in the third gallery.

After the last meeting with Manjusri, Sudhana went to the residence of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, depicted in the fourth gallery. The entire series of the fourth gallery is devoted to the teaching of Samantabhadra. The narrative panels finally end with Sudhana's achievement of the Supreme Knowledge and the Ultimate Truth.

Apart from the story, Borobudur has many statues of various Buddhas. There are 72 openwork stupas, each containing a statue of the Buddha. At first glance, all the Buddha statues appear similar, but there is a difference between them in the position of the hands. 

And I have Buddha head made of real copper handmade by local carveman in Mojokerto. Perfect for the party right *smile* So here my simple keychain for this party...

::: The Garden of Java :::

I want to capture the Buddha as the center of masterpiece and the greeny natural scenery around Borobudur. Borobudur is located in an elevated area, known as Kedu plain. This area has been dubbed by local as The Garden of Java, due to its high agricultural fertility.

This Buddha head is handmade by copper carve-man at Mojokerto. I am using simple macrame for this keychain. I simple strung Gudo traditional glass beads in many different colors and shapes to represent of Kedu plain beauty. All of the materials are made in Indonesia. So it is Indonesia banget *lol* Sooo Indonesia...

Well...

Have your knowledge about my country increased? *smile* I love to read about history of others country. Hope this blog party can help us know little bit about other place on this Earth. So...thank you so much for Nancy *hug* for hosting this kind of challenge. It is a good moment to introduce our living place on this Earth and vice versa, we also get to know other places where other participants live. Are you ready to know more?!? Here they are...

Host: 

Nan Smith  (Canada)
wirednan.blogspot.ca 

1. Ana (Portugal) ==> acbeads.blogspot.ca

2. Rita (Orlando) ==> JewelSchoolFriends.com
3. Dini (The Netherlands) ==> angazabychanges.blogspot.nl
4. Robin Reed (Indiana) ==> willowdragon.blogspot.com
5. Lilik Kristiani (Indonesia ) ==> pcbylik.blogspot.com
6. Karla Morgan  (Texas) ==> texaspepperjams.blogspot.com
7. Karen Mitchell (South Australia) ==> www.overthemoon-design.com
8. Jayne Capps  (Oklahoma) ==> mamasgottodoodle.blogspot.com
9. Melissa Trudinger  (Australia) ==> beadrecipes.wordpress.com
10. Johana Nunez  (Puerto Rico) == > http:artincendi.com
11. Kepi  (Alberta)==> kepirasmussen.blogspot.ca
12. Deb Fortin  (Ontario) ==> studiok24.blogspot.ca  
13. Divya  (India) ==> jewelsofsayuri.com
14. Tammy Adams  (Arizona) ==> paisleylizard.com/blog.html
15. Kay Thomerson  (Texas) ==> kayzkreationz.blogspot.com
16. Bairozan  (Bulgaria) ==> bairozan.blogspot.ca
17. Carolyn's Creations  (           ) ==> carolynscreationswa.blogspot.com
18. Lecia Woessner   (New Orleans) ==> copperroses.blogspot.com
19. Linda A.  (Wash. D.C. ) ==> FromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com
20.Inge Van Roos (California) ==> ingetraud.wordpress.com
21. Natalie   (New Zealand) ==> http://www.northshoredays.com
22. Lori Schneider (              ) ==> beadaddicted.blogspot.com
23.Mary Harding (New York) ==> maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com 
24. Bouchra Rebai (Algeria) ==> bouchrarebai.wordpress.com
25.Michelle McCarthy  (Florida ) ==> Fireflydesignstudio.blogspot.com