The 3rd publication from the new photographs at Borobudur is really an update of an existing page, with around twice as many photographs; the main difference is the inclusion of an extensive set of photos of the Buddha Statues that sit in niches around the monument.
It was only after returning from the photoshoot in 2009 that I realised that the Buddhas facing in different directions, are also in different poses, and I had inadequate coverage of these variations.
This time I took great care to get good representative shots of the statues, who are associated with different Buddhas, and face the four directions; they are identified as follows:
1. East (bottom 4 niches), Bhumisparsamudra, which is the pose associated with Buddha Aksobhya
2. South (bottom 4 niches), those in Varamudra, associated with Buddha Ratnasambhava
3. West (bottom 4 niches), those in Dhyanimudra, associated with Buddha Amitabha
4. North (bottom 4 niches), those in Abhayamudra, associated with Buddha Amoghasiddhi
5. in the fifth row of niches, all round, those in Vitarkamudra, associated with Buddha Vairochana
6. in the 72 open Chaitiyas of the three circular terraces, those in Dharmacakramudra, again associated with Buddha Vairochana
7. the single image found under the great central Chaitiya, in Bhumisparsamudra associated with Buddha Aksobhya
The page also includes part of an essay on the statues by the great French art historian A. Foucher for further reading and understanding; and a time-lapse video I made in 2009 showing the sunrise over Mt. Merapi.
You can visit the page by clicking on the link:
The Buddha Statues and Chaitiyas at Borobudur
Buddha Aksobhya
Possibly Related Posts:
- Publication of Old Javanese Metres
- New Album: Buddhas and Bodhisattvas on Level 1 at Borobudur
- Update of the Gaṇḍavyūha Reliefs at Borobudur
- Text and Translation of the Bhadra-cari-praṇidhānam
- Publication of Romesh Dutt’s Condensed Translations of the Indian Epics
