印尼记遊（十七）
Travelogue in Indonesia 17

午餐用过后，我登上这座浮屠，仔细地去欣赏每层的雕刻，注意各部份的结构。只⻅每处入口的地方都砌有石级，⻔旁有石狮，⻔顶有鬼头一座，整个建筑完全是印度⻛格的表现！这是一座实心的佛塔，全由一块块的火成岩，紧密地嵌筑而成，沒有一根木料。塔凡九层：从第一层至第六层，均为方形之回廊，从第七层起部是圆形之回廊，最顶端是一座昂然矗直的佛塔，大可四抱。我们爬上这尖塔的边缘，佇立在最高处，仰望天心的时候，自有一种不可言喻的幽古庄严之感，相伴而來的，却是对佛的一种敬畏之情！

每层回廊设置神龛，每座神龛上安置一座佛像，各层回廊的石壁，雕着佛祖释迦牟尼的全部史迹。此外还有热带动物，果品，与人民生活的浮雕图案。自第一层至第四层，回廊壁上计有佛像九十二座，佛像的姿态各具其妙，不尽相同：凡向东者，右手置膝前，背向前曲。向南者，右手置膝下，背向后曲。向⻄者，双手皆置膝上，向北者，举手掌反向。第五层的佛像均举右手，大拇指与食指向上。在第六、七、八这三层內，共有七十二座的钟形石塔。塔內的佛像，兩手置於胸前，前右手向下，额上均有隆起的小结。不过这石钟內的佛像，有的头部已失，有的則全尊被盜移。每座佛像的雕刻都圓满浑含，神采如活，工致自然，已达纯熟之境 ，够令人徘徊的！在这里就有一个神妙的玩意儿，据说游人若能从佛塔的方格，伸手入內摸到佛像，那么此人必交好运，前途定必大吉。我们一连试摸了好几座，手臂都伸收到酸累不堪了，结果谁也无法摸到。难道我们都是同等命运嗎？这固属无稽之谈，但是这种迷信的传说，有时也可以增加游人一些兴趣的。每一种的古迹，大概都会有一个神话，婆罗浮屠是世界有名的佛教余迹，所以每一个佛像，每一座雕刻，都有一则神话流传下来。我们若要探迹索隐，深入去瞭解其表现之意义，那么恐怕就是花一年的时间还未能详尽呢！

婆罗浮屠可说是婆罗⻔文化，在爪哇的登峰造极之作。远在八世纪的时候，佛教在爪哇是全盛时期。当时中爪哇为夏连特刺 Shailendra 王朝所征服，这王朝的兴盛期约持续了兩百余年。据说夏连特刺国王，为了要保藏佛祖释迦牟尼的一小部分骨灰，竟动用了十余万的奴隶，花了十余年的时间， 才完成这座世界七大奇迹之一的婆罗浮屠佛塔。到了十六世纪初期，中爪哇又被回教国⻢塔兰 Matalam 所统治。藉政治上的优势，推行伊⻄兰的教义。並恃武力強迫人民信仰回教，到处建筑回教寺院 Masdjit 。因此，回教兴盛，佛教衰落。佛教徒有鉴於此，深恐佛迹被毀，即用土將全塔埋沒地下。至英国统治印尼时，英人副总督莱佛士，乃於公元一八一一年开始发掘，並调查研究。此佛塔的浩大工程，精罕的雕工，是全世界的美术家，都公认为举世无匹的杰作！

可惜我们沒有充裕的时间，可资仔细流连，又恨自己少⻓了一双眼睛，以致不能详尽地去赏鉴，所以很难深得其真正的意味。因为观览这伟大的古迹，是不能像看实琅干瀑布那样，一目就能览尽万斛之水的倾泻与奔腾！不过，我觉得佛教虽口说破除色相、但是从艺术的观点上看來，它的色相味十足， 有种感官形式的要求，由此可⻅佛教並沒有教凡人忘情於「美」啊！

我们由这座气魄非凡，大观庄严的婆罗浮屠佛塔，就可以知道印度尼⻄亞的文化与艺术是有着悠久的历史与⻓远的传统，它象征着印尼人民的高度智慧与伟大的创造力。 (十七)

After lunch, I ascended this magnificent Borobudur temple, meticulously admiring the carvings on each level and paying attention to the structure of each part. At each entrance, stone steps were laid, stone lions stood beside the door, and a demonic head adorned the door's top—everything about the structure exuded an Indian influence. This solid stupa was built entirely from interlocking volcanic stones, without the use of a single piece of wood. The stupa had nine levels: from the first to the sixth, they were square-shaped galleries, and from the seventh level upwards, it became a circular gallery. At the very top was a towering, majestic stupa, large enough for four people to embrace. We climbed up to the edge of this pinnacle and stood at the highest point, gazing up at the sky. It evoked an indescribable sense of ancient solemnity, accompanied by a deep reverence for the Buddha!

Each level had niches containing a Buddha statue, and the stone walls of the galleries were carved with the entire life story of Lord Buddha Siddhartha Gautama. Additionally, there were reliefs depicting tropical animals, fruits, and scenes from daily life. From the first to the fourth levels, there were a total of ninety-two Buddha statues, each with its own unique pose: those facing east had their right hand placed in front of their knee with their back slightly bent forward, those facing south had their right hand placed below their knee with their back bent backward, those facing west had both hands resting on their knees, and those facing north had their raised hands with palms facing outward. On the fifth level, all the Buddha statues had their right hands raised, with their thumbs and forefingers pointing upward. In the sixth, seventh, and eighth levels, there were a total of seventy-two bell-shaped stupas, each containing a Buddha statue with hands resting on their chest and the right hand pointing downward, with a small protrusion on their foreheads. However, many of these statues were damaged or stolen. The sculptures of each Buddha statue were exquisite, lifelike, and demonstrated remarkable craftsmanship, truly captivating to behold! Here, there was an interesting superstition: it was believed that if a visitor could reach into the square holes and touch the Buddha statue inside, they would be blessed with good luck. Many visitors tried, but none of us succeeded in reaching the statues. Perhaps we all share the same fate? This is obviously a baseless superstition, but such legends can add a bit of intrigue to the visitor's experience. Every historical site seems to have its own legends, and Borobudur, as one of the world's most famous Buddhist relics, has legends and myths that accompany each Buddha statue and carving. If one were to truly explore and understand the significance of each artistic representation here, it would likely take a year or more! Borobudur is the pinnacle of Javanese Buddhist culture. In the eighth century, Buddhism thrived in Java, and the island was ruled by the Shailendra dynasty. The Shailendras reached their zenith during this period, which lasted for more than two centuries. According to historical accounts, it took more than ten years and over a hundred thousand slaves to build Borobudur, all in an effort to preserve a small portion of the relics of Lord Buddha Siddhartha Gautama. However, in the early 16th century, Central Java was ruled by the Islamic Mataram Kingdom, which, through its political dominance, sought to spread Islamic teachings and forcibly convert the population. Many Islamic religious buildings were constructed, and Islam began to flourish while Buddhism declined. Fearing the destruction of Borobudur, Buddhists allegedly buried it under layers of soil. During the British colonial period in Indonesia, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles began excavations and research in 1811. The extensive project, the rare craftsmanship, and the profound artistry behind this iconic stupa make it a masterpiece unrivaled in the world of art! Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to thoroughly explore and savor every detail, and I regretted not having an extra pair of eyes to fully appreciate it. Observing this great relic was not like gazing at the majestic Sragen waterfall, where you could take in the cascading and rushing waters at a single glance. However, I believe that Buddhism, despite advocating the renunciation of worldly desires, still has a sense of aesthetics and an appreciation for beauty when viewed from an artistic perspective. Visiting this awe-inspiring Borobudur temple, you can see that Indonesian culture and art have a rich history and a long tradition. It symbolizes the Indonesian people's profound wisdom and magnificent creativity.