It's A New Dawn

Mount Sumbing is located to the northwest of Magelang District. Views of the stratovolcano peak can be enjoyed through the district as well as from the top of Candi Borobudur. At peak altitude of 3,371m and last recorded eruption in 1730, Mt Sumbing is neither the tallest volcano or the most active one. Nonetheless, this mountain is pleasing in its graceful gradient and somewhat mystical when viewed above the morning mist of dawn.

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The Flying Buddha

On the fifth year of his Enlightenment, when the Buddha was dwelling in Kutagarasala in Vaishali, he saw his father on the death-bed by his divine eyes. He felt the urgency of preaching his doctrine to his father for his spiritual evolution, as he was just about to attain the arahatahood. Furthermore, a war had broken out between the Sakiyans of Kapilavatthu and the Koliyans of Kolanagara (also called Vyaghapajja) over the water-dispute of the Rohini river – which demarcated the territories of the two kingdoms. As the Khattiyas of the two neighbouring kingdoms earlier enjoyed pleasant relationship; and intermarried and dined with each other, the Buddha wanted to protect the two countries as well.

The Buddha therefore, flew to Kapilavatthu to visit his father, and preached him to become an arahanta. Soon, Suddhodana became an arahanta and died.

After the death of Suddhodana, he became the peace mediator for the Sakiyans and the Koliyans. He thus averted the bloody feud between the two neighbouring tribes. Both the tribes then encouraged their men to join the Sangha as a token of gratitude for his mediation; and each extended hospitality by inviting him as its guest. The Buddha accepted both the invitations and dwelt alternately in Kapilavatthu and Koliyanagara.

See Samyutta Nikaya iv.341; Majjhima Nikaya i.387; Theragatha Atthakatha i.318.

BOROBUDUR SUNRISE

Admiring the grandeur of Borobudur at day and seeing details of each statue and stones with relief of the constructors is something that people from around the world are longing to do. However, not many people realize that Borobudur also has other unique view, namely the scenery of the beautiful rising sun that blows the statue of Buddha sitting cross-legged at the peak of the temple that was constructed in the ninth century. The rising sun with its bright light will at least encourage you to live the life one year ahead, and for sure it becomes a remembrance that wisdom or nirvana symbolized by the peak of this temple is the main destination of your life. Once the sky in the east begins to shine, you are ready to see the movement of the sunrise. Once the reddish yellow light emerges, it means dawn has come in the peak of Borobudur symbolizing nirvana. (http://www.yogyes.com/en/yogyakarta-tourism-article/borobudur-sunrise/)

I used Canon 30D camera with 70-200 lens.

BOROBUDUR RELIEF

Borobudur is a ninth century Buddist Mahayana monument in Central Java, Indonesia. The monument comprises six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. A main dome is located at the center of the top platform. It is surrounded by seventy-two perforated stupas, each containing one sitting Buddha statue.The monument is both a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The journey for pilgrims begins at the base of the monument and follows a path circumambulating the monument while ascending to the top through the three levels of Buddhist cosmology, namely, Kamadhatu (the world of desire); Rupadhatu (the world of forms); and Arupadhatu (the world of formless). During the journey, the monument guides the pilgrims through a system of stairways and corridors with 1,460 narrative relief panels on the wall and the balustrades. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borobudur)

I used a 6x6 Hasselblad 501C and 50mm zeiss plannar lens with yellow filter. The film was Ilford HP5+ 400, developed in pyrocat, and the print was made on Ilford Multigrade IV FB Glossy paper developed in Dektol and ansco 120.

BOROBUDUR AT WAISAK

A nicely lit Borobudur temple in central Java. During the main celebrations of Waisak here, the temple is decorated with bright light with a big altar in front. Waisak commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha. This celebration is enlivened by religious and social activities in Buddhist temples and centered in Borobudur as the largest Buddhist temple in Indonesia. This event occur exactly on the Full Moon Purnama Sidhi. (http://www.expat.or.id/info/holidays.html)

I used Canon Eos3 Camera, with double exposure, the film is positive slide Fuji Velvia 50