50 Brahma dynasty—which displaced the Sanjayas in 780, though the latter regained power in 850 The monument is made from more than a million blocks of stone, each weighing about 100 kilograms These stones were arduously carried up a hill from a nearby riverbed These blocks of stone were then cut and carved by skilled Javanese craftsmen to form rich artistic depictions of stories familiar to Buddhist pilgrims These bas-relief panels relate ancient fables, fairytales, and the life of Buddha The panel reliefs were based on earlier Tantric designs The complex meaning of Borobudur is found in deciphering the architecture and the reliefs carved into stone Borobudur yields multiple layers of meaning rather than one single concept, although the skilful builders managed to combine different elements into a harmonious whole The impressive structure was built in the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism, which focuses on the personal, solitary, ascetic journey to achieve Nirvana Ancient pilgrims made their way up the stupa to attain spiritual merit Borobudur has a simple structure, consisting of a series of concentric terraces An aerial view reveals that the Borobudur temple is actually a large mandala, often employed to initiate Buddhists into higher levels of consciousness and spiritual power As Buddhist pilgrims progress upwards, they are moving through increasingly higher planes of consciousness, with the aim of ultimately attaining Nirvana In order to achieve enlightenment, pilgrims had to make 10 rounds in the monument At the summit, there is a large stupa surrounded by 72 smaller stupas Built to visually stimulate, Borobudur enables pilgrims to forget the outside world, as the visitor walks through enclosed galleries On the round terraces the pilgrim witnesses a view of surrounding green fields, feeling a sense of elation symbolizing enlightenment, the ultimate aim of such a pilgrimage The awesome structure of Borobudur provides Buddhist pilgrims with physical space to achieve spiritual enlightenment as they pass through 10 stages of development It was a place to achieve the practical end of becoming a bodhisattva, an exalted being who is actively seeking enlightenment Brahma Brahma is one of the three major gods of the Hindu religion, together with Shiva and Vishnu Worship of Brahma began in the Vedic Age of Indian history and its importance was gradually outweighed by the worship of Shiva and Vishnu over time Brahma the god should be distinguished from Brahman the embodiment of the universal spirit—the two words derive from a common source, but have been attached to separate concepts subsequently Temples dedicated to either Shiva or Vishnu must contain a representation of Brahma, but temples specifically dedicated to him are rare, with only two still active in modern India He is often remembered in rites for other deities Brahma is the creator god of the Hindu Trimurti (a triune of gods) He is commonly identified with the Vedic deity Prajapati, and the two share similar features Brahma is most commonly represented with four faces and arms Each face speaks one of the four Vedas, which are the most sacred of the Indian scriptures and is further redolent of the four ages of the world and the four classes in Indian society His consort Saraswati, a female deity associated with learning, frequently accompanies him His mount is a swan, which represents a spirit of discrimination and of justice Brahma is also considered the lord of sacrifices and, by reference to the Puranas, to have been self-creating; without parents The Vedic deity Prajapati had become identified as the lord of creation and all of the creatures within it, through the performance of ascetic rites and feats known as tapas The worship of Brahma eventually saw that god supersede the role of Prajapati, who became identified with a series of 10 children born from the mind of Brahma Brahma is represented in the great Sanskrit epics of Indian literature, although his role in intervening within the realms of humanity or the gods is limited Once he created something, Brahma tended to permit the preservative force of Vishnu and the destructive force of Shiva to take the foreground Modern scientists have used this conception as a metaphor for the nature of the universe, which exists according to particle physics in a form of stasis in which creative and destructive forces contend Further reading: Demarcay, Jacques Borobudur Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1985; Forman, Bedrich Borobudur: The Buddhist Legend in Stone London: Octopus, 1980; Miksic, John The Mysteries of Borobudur Berkeley, CA: Periplus, 1999; Miksic, John Golden Tales of the Buddha Berkeley, CA: Periplus, 1990 See also Hindu epic literature Further reading: Bailey, Greg M The Mythology of Brahma Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1983; Daniélou, Alain The Myths and Gods of India Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions, 1991 Nurfadzilah Yahaya John Walsh