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Arts in Southeast Asia Database
ArchitectureCircular base with Stupas at Borobudur
The circular upper plain bases, devoid of any narrative, indicate the realm of formless, Arupabhumi. On these bases there exist the perforated Stupas inside which the statues of Vairochana in Dhamacakra gesture are enshrined. The perforated Stupas indicate the transition between the form and formlessness. The topmost solid Stupa represents the supreme Adi Buddha, the first Buddha of the cosmos, the immortal one, the timeless and the formless one, the original source of the whole Buddha in the universe as well as the world.
ArchitectureCandi Kalasan
Candi Kalasan is one of the first examples of the temple with five sanctum s during the Late Central Javanese Art. This kind of plan would be again repeated at Candi Sewu and Candi Parambanan. The five-sanctum plan had been popularized before in Pala of eastern India. The body of the temple is divided into three parts as before. However, the central offset becomes the projecting porch. The side offsets are decorated by the most beautiful Prasada niches. Though the superstructure is of south Indian fashion, the octagonal miniature tiers are of special character. The miniature towers that decorate the superstructure of the temple are topped by the Stupika, the miniature Stupa which becomes the typical character of this period.
ArchitectureNiche: Candi Kalasan
The corner portion of the body at Candi Kalansan is decorated with the strip of scrollwork and the exquisite bas-relief temple. The bas-relief temple comprises the South-Indian styled of superstructure capped by the North-Indian Amalaka-liked element at the top. Kāla-Makara pediment and the niche are also provided here. The niche is meant for the statue of Bodhisattva, which is already lost.
ArchitectureCandi Sari
Candi Sari is the rectangular temple which is unique to the later phase of Central Javanese art. This type of temple has never been found before in the earlier period. Inside the temple there are three rooms in double storey. The wooden floor of the second tier does not survive nowadays. This kind of temple seems to be the indigenous type, possible to be the temple for 1 Buddha image and 2 Bodhisattva attendants in the central and the side chambers respectively. Another example of the rectangular temple is Candi Plaosan.
ArchitectureInterior: Candi Sari
Candi Sari is the rectangular temple which is unique to the later phase of Central Javanese art. This type of temple has never been found before in the earlier period. Inside the temple there are three rooms in double storey. The wooden floor of the second tier does not survive nowadays. This kind of temple seems to be the indigenous type, possible to be the temple for 1 Buddha image and 2 Bodhisattva attendants in the central and the side chambers respectively. This picture shows the trace of the already-vanished wooden floor of the second storey. This testifies that this temple was the double-storeyed temple.
ArchitectureCandi Plaosan
Candi Plaosan, same as Candi Sari, is the rectangular temple which is unique to the later phase of Central Javanese art. This type of temple has never been found before in the earlier period. Inside the temple there are three rooms in double storey. The wooden floor of the second tier does not survive nowadays. This kind of temple seems to be the indigenous type, possible to be the temple for 1 Buddha image and 2 Bodhisattva attendants in the central and the side chambers respectively. Candi Plaosan comprises twin temples of the similar style, different form the single temple of Candi Sari. Moreover, the temple is surrounded by the numerous subsidiary temples arranged in diagram-liked complex. The latter character is comparable to Candi Sewu.
ArchitectureCandi Sewu
The main temple of Candi Sewu is laid in cruciform plan, similar to Candi Kalasan and Candi Parambanan. The main temple composes of five chambers, with the central sanctum and the other ones at the cardinal directions. This reminds us of Paharpur temple in India, Early Pala art. This kind of plan , extremely popular during the later phase of Central Javanese art, was designed for enshrining Dhyāni Buddha in accordance with the iconographic program. There is an archaeological report yield the data that there was a curly hair discovered from the temple. This testifies that the temple used to be the temple for huge Buddha image, now lost. The superstructure of the temple comprises several miniature stupas, typical to Central Javanese art.
ArchitectureBody of the main Tower: Candi Sewu
During the later period of Central Javanese art, the house of Śailendra still patronized several Buddhist temples. These temples locate at Klaten, between Yogyakarta and Solo.
