Hinduism and Buddhism, An Historical Sketch, Vol. 3Eliot, Charles
Religion
Hinduism and Buddhism, An Historical Sketch, Vol. 3
Eliot, Charles
Asia -- Religion; Buddhism; Hinduism
The temples on the Dieng plateau are also purely Brahmanic and
probably older, for though we have no record of their foundation, an
inscribed stone dated 800 A.D. has been found in this district. The
plateau which is 6500 feet high was approached by paved roads or
flights of stairs on one of which about 4000 steps still remain.
Originally there seem to have been about 40 buildings on the plateau
but of these only eight now exist besides several stone foundations
which supported wooden structures. The place may have been a temple
city analogous to Girnar or Śatrunjaya, but it appears to have been
deserted in the thirteenth century, perhaps in consequence of volcanic
activity. The Dieng temples are named after the heroes of the
Mahabharata (Tjandi Ardjuno, Tjandi Bimo, etc.), but these appear to
be late designations. They are rectangular towerlike shrines with
porches and a single cellule within. Figures of Brahma, Śiva and
Vishṇu have been discovered, as well as spouts to carry off the
libation water.
Before leaving mid Java I should perhaps mention the relatively modern
(1435-1440 A.D.) temples of Suku. I have not seen these buildings, but
they are said to be coarse in execution and to indicate that they were
used by a debased sect of Vishṇuites. Their interest lies in the
extraordinary resemblance which they bear to the temples of Mexico and
Yucatan, a resemblance "which no one can fail to observe, though no
one has yet suggested any hypothesis to account for it[413]."
The best known and probably the most important monuments of eastern
Java are Panataran, Tjandi Djago and Tjandi Singasari[414].
The first is considered to date from about 1150 A.D. It is practically
a three-storied pyramid with a flat top. The sides of the lowest
storey are ornamented with a series of reliefs illustrating portions
of the Ramayana, local legends and perhaps the exploits of Krishna,
but this last point is doubtful[415]. This temple seems to indicate
the same stage of belief as Prambanam. It shows no trace of Buddhism
and though Śiva was probably the principal deity, the scenes
represented in its sculptures are chiefly Vishṇuite.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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