Candi Sari
Encyclopedia
Sari is an 8th century Buddhist temple located at Dusun (hamlet) Bendan, Tirtomartani village, Kalasan, Sleman regency, Yogyakarta.
It is located about 130 meters north east from Kalasan
temple. This temple was a two story building with wooden beams, floors, stairs completed with windows and doors; all from organic materials which now are decayed and gone. It is strongly suggested that the original function of this building was a vihara
(Buddhist monastery
), a dwelling place for monks. The temple's name Sari or Saré translated as "to sleep" in Javanese
also confirmed the habitation nature of the building.
dated 778 AD, pranagari script written in sanskrit
, mentioned about the temple was erected by the will of Guru Sang Raja Sailendravamçatilaka (the Jewel of Sailendra
family) that succeed to persuade Maharaja Tejapurnapana Panangkaran
(in other part of the inscription also called as Kariyana Panangkaran) to construct a holy building for the goddess (boddhisattvadevi) Tara
and also build a vihara
(monastery
) for Buddhist monks from Sailendra family's realm. Panangkaran awarded the Kalaça village to sangha
(Buddhist monastic community). Based from this inscription, candi Sari probably served as monastery for monks served the Buddhist temple dedicated for Tara (Kalasan temple) nearby.
The ruins were discovered in early 20's, and in 1929, the effort to reconstruct the temple began and finished in 1930. However it was incomplete because many parts are missing including outer base that surrounds the temple, also the extended front room and front stairs that once projected from the east wall of the temple.
The interior was consist of three rooms; north room, central room, and south room, each measures 3 meters x 5.8 meters. These three rooms are connected with doorways on eastern side of the room according to north-south axis. On the wall of each room founds rows of extruding stone blocks which used to support wooden beams and wooden floor separated upper and lower floor. At some parts of this extrude stones there is diagonal ones which probably the place where wooden stairs once installed upon.
The upper level was probably used by monks for meditation or worship. Some suggest upper rooms were used as the place for monks to stay, rest, or sleep, while the lower rooms was the place for worship. On lower rooms, there is some elevated parts where statues once inhabited the inner sanctuary was placed, but now the statues are gone. On side walls found niches, probably to place oil lamps. In the inner part of each window founds holes to install wooden window bars.
These rooms were topped with three horse-shoe arched niches adorned with Kala-makara and crowned with three rows of stupas. Between these arched niches founds rain water drainage and "jaladwara" water spouts took form of a giant sitting on a snake.
The outer wall is richly decorated with Buddhist deity figures. External decoration includes Tara
with flowers and Bodhisattvas with musical instruments. These figures is arranged in two upper and lower rows placed on each sides of windows consists of 36 figures of Boddhisattvas and Taras; 8 in east side, 8 in north side, 8 in south side, and 12 in west side of the outer wall. This Buddhist figures are usually founds holding red or blue lotus with graceful rested pose known as "tribhangga" with peaceful and serene facial expressions. Also founds the images of Kinnara-Kinnari
adorned the walls. However unlike the common image of Kinnara as heavenly creature with upper part of human and lower part of bird, the unusual image of kinnara is founds on northern wall, depicted as winged deity figures similar to common depiction of angels.
On the outer wall of the temple found the traces of plaster called vajralepa (lit: diamond plaster). The same substance also founds in nearby Kalasan temple. The white-yellowish plaster was applied to protect the temple wall, but now the plaster has worn off.
It is located about 130 meters north east from Kalasan
Candi Kalasan
Kalasan , also known as Candi Kalibening, is an 8th century Buddhist temple in Indonesia. It is located 13 km east of Yogyakarta on the way to Prambanan temple, on the south side of the main road 'Jalan Solo' between Yogyakarta and Surakarta....
temple. This temple was a two story building with wooden beams, floors, stairs completed with windows and doors; all from organic materials which now are decayed and gone. It is strongly suggested that the original function of this building was a vihara
Vihara
Vihara is the Sanskrit and Pali term for a Buddhist monastery. It originally meant "a secluded place in which to walk", and referred to "dwellings" or "refuges" used by wandering monks during the rainy season....
(Buddhist monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
), a dwelling place for monks. The temple's name Sari or Saré translated as "to sleep" in Javanese
Javanese language
Javanese language is the language of the Javanese people from the central and eastern parts of the island of Java, in Indonesia. In addition, there are also some pockets of Javanese speakers in the northern coast of western Java...
also confirmed the habitation nature of the building.
History
Historians suggested that this temple built around the same time with Kalasan temple. The Kalasan inscriptionKalasan inscription
The Kalasan inscription is an inscription dated 700 Saka , discovered in Kalasan village, Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The inscription was written in Sanskrit with Pranagari script .-Contents:...
dated 778 AD, pranagari script written in sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
, mentioned about the temple was erected by the will of Guru Sang Raja Sailendravamçatilaka (the Jewel of Sailendra
Sailendra
Sailendra is the name of an influential Indonesian dynasty that emerged in 8th century Java.The Sailendras were active promoters of Mahayana Buddhism and covered the Kedu Plain of Central Java with Buddhist monuments, including the world famous Borobudur.The Sailendras are considered to be a...
family) that succeed to persuade Maharaja Tejapurnapana Panangkaran
Panangkaran
Panangkaran was the ruler of Mataram Kingdom between AD 760—780, the kingdom of which its power centralized on Java island of Indonesia. Crowned as Rakai Panangkaran, he was the immediate successor of Sri Sanjaya, the founder of Sanjaya Dynasty...
(in other part of the inscription also called as Kariyana Panangkaran) to construct a holy building for the goddess (boddhisattvadevi) Tara
Tara (Buddhism)
Tara or Ārya Tārā, also known as Jetsun Dolma in Tibetan Buddhism, is a female Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism who appears as a female Buddha in Vajrayana Buddhism. She is known as the "mother of liberation", and represents the virtues of success in work and achievements...
and also build a vihara
Vihara
Vihara is the Sanskrit and Pali term for a Buddhist monastery. It originally meant "a secluded place in which to walk", and referred to "dwellings" or "refuges" used by wandering monks during the rainy season....
(monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
) for Buddhist monks from Sailendra family's realm. Panangkaran awarded the Kalaça village to sangha
Sangha
Sangha is a word in Pali or Sanskrit that can be translated roughly as "association" or "assembly," "company" or "community" with common goal, vision or purpose...
(Buddhist monastic community). Based from this inscription, candi Sari probably served as monastery for monks served the Buddhist temple dedicated for Tara (Kalasan temple) nearby.
The ruins were discovered in early 20's, and in 1929, the effort to reconstruct the temple began and finished in 1930. However it was incomplete because many parts are missing including outer base that surrounds the temple, also the extended front room and front stairs that once projected from the east wall of the temple.
Architecture
The temple is consist of three parts; the base, the body, and the roof. The temple took rectangular plan with the size 17.30 meters north-south, and 10 meters west-east, and soaring 17 meters in height. Only some parts of base remains, the outer base stoneblocks is missing. The entrance door is located at the eastern side with gate adorned with Kala and elephant carving. The windows are surrounds the walls and consist of lower and upper rows, also founds a horizontal middle "belt" lines around the wall, suggesting that it was a two story building.The interior was consist of three rooms; north room, central room, and south room, each measures 3 meters x 5.8 meters. These three rooms are connected with doorways on eastern side of the room according to north-south axis. On the wall of each room founds rows of extruding stone blocks which used to support wooden beams and wooden floor separated upper and lower floor. At some parts of this extrude stones there is diagonal ones which probably the place where wooden stairs once installed upon.
The upper level was probably used by monks for meditation or worship. Some suggest upper rooms were used as the place for monks to stay, rest, or sleep, while the lower rooms was the place for worship. On lower rooms, there is some elevated parts where statues once inhabited the inner sanctuary was placed, but now the statues are gone. On side walls found niches, probably to place oil lamps. In the inner part of each window founds holes to install wooden window bars.
These rooms were topped with three horse-shoe arched niches adorned with Kala-makara and crowned with three rows of stupas. Between these arched niches founds rain water drainage and "jaladwara" water spouts took form of a giant sitting on a snake.
The outer wall is richly decorated with Buddhist deity figures. External decoration includes Tara
Tara (Buddhism)
Tara or Ārya Tārā, also known as Jetsun Dolma in Tibetan Buddhism, is a female Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism who appears as a female Buddha in Vajrayana Buddhism. She is known as the "mother of liberation", and represents the virtues of success in work and achievements...
with flowers and Bodhisattvas with musical instruments. These figures is arranged in two upper and lower rows placed on each sides of windows consists of 36 figures of Boddhisattvas and Taras; 8 in east side, 8 in north side, 8 in south side, and 12 in west side of the outer wall. This Buddhist figures are usually founds holding red or blue lotus with graceful rested pose known as "tribhangga" with peaceful and serene facial expressions. Also founds the images of Kinnara-Kinnari
Kinnara
In Buddhist mythology and Hindu mythology, a kinnara is a paradigmatic lover, a celestial musician, half-human and half-horse or half-bird...
adorned the walls. However unlike the common image of Kinnara as heavenly creature with upper part of human and lower part of bird, the unusual image of kinnara is founds on northern wall, depicted as winged deity figures similar to common depiction of angels.
On the outer wall of the temple found the traces of plaster called vajralepa (lit: diamond plaster). The same substance also founds in nearby Kalasan temple. The white-yellowish plaster was applied to protect the temple wall, but now the plaster has worn off.
External links
- Sari Temple
- location on wikimapia.
- Official site
- Article with photos from borobudur.tv