BIODIVER SITAS ISSN: 1412-033X Volume 21, Number 5, May 2020 E-ISSN: 2085-4722 Pages: 2206-2215 DOI: 10.13057/biodiv/d210549 The identification of plant reliefs in the Lalitavistara story of Borobudur temple, Central Java, Indonesia DESTARIO METUSALA1,, FAUZIAH1,♥♥, DEWI AYU LESTARI1,♥♥♥, JANIS DAMAIYANI1, SHOFIYATUL MAS’UDAH1, HARI SETYAWAN2 1Purwodadi Botanic Gardens, Research Center for Plant Conservation and Botanic Gardens, Indonesian Institute of Sciences. Jl. Surabaya-Malang Km. 65, Purwodadi, Pasuruan 67163, East Java, Indonesia. Tel./fax.: +62-341-426046, email: [email protected], ♥♥ [email protected], ♥♥♥[email protected] 2Borobudur Conservation Office. Jl. Badrawati, Borobudur, Magelang 56553, Central Java, Indonesia Manuscript received: 26 February 2020. Revision accepted: 25 April 2020. Abstract. Metusala D, Fauziah, Lestari DA, Damaiyani J, Mas’udah S, Setyawan H. 2020. The identification of plant reliefs in the Lalitavistara story of Borobudur temple, Central Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 2206-2215. The Lalitavistara sutra is one of the central texts in the Mahayana tradition and it describes the life of the Buddha. This sutra has been carved in a good detail into 120 relief panels. These reliefs showed many plant figures that have often been carved in proper shape, so that made it possible for identification. The identification results showed that there were at least 63 species of plants in the Lalitavistara relief at Borobudur and these more various than species mentioned in the Lalitavistara sutra. Some species even only be found on reliefs but not in the text. These findings have indicated several important points; (i). the ancient Javanese community at that time already had a high awareness of the plant diversity, (ii). the plant figures as component in building atmosphere/background have been used by the carver as an opportunity for improvisation, (iii). the plant reliefs in Borobudur can be seen to reflect the surrounding plant diversity at the time, and (iv). the identification of plant reliefs in Borobudur can be used as an approach to understand the perspective of an ancient Javanese community on the importance of plant diversity. Keywords: Borobudur, Lalitavistara, plant diversity, relief INTRODUCTION to human life (Rohyani 2004; Istari 2015). Plant diversity usually provides benefits as cultural and important values The Borobudur Temple is the largest Buddhist temple to people’s communities (Helida et al. 2015). The other in the world and one of the important cultural achievements studies showed that the relief of the Borobudur temple in ancient Javanese period. The stone wall reliefs of this depicts the daily activities of the ancient Javanese community temple illustrate some of the most important stories in the (Kempers et al. 1974; Setyawan and Kasatriyanto 2019). Buddhist tradition that cannot be found anywhere else Therefore, identifying and analyzing the plant figures that except in Borobudur (Anandadjoti 2017). appeared in relief could provide important information The monument was built by the Syailendra Dynasty about the relationship between plants and local community between 778 to 824 AD, located in Magelang, in the at that time. southern part of Central Java-Indonesia (Gunarto 2011). There are several previous studies that have observed Borobudur was put on the UNESCO World Heritage list in the plant and animal figures appeared in Borobudur reliefs 1991 with serial number 592 (Susilo and Suroso 2014). The (Cammerloher 1931; Brink 1931; Steinman 1934; Sunaryo Borobudur temple is used as the main source of history and 2010; Setyawan and Kasatriyanto 2019). However, most of culture in Indonesia and is valued as an extraordinary those previous studies are only pick some of relief figures cultural heritage nowadays (Miksic and Tranchini 1990; as few purposive samples and without comparison analysis Hermawan et al. 2016). The decoration of Borobudur to the religious text as the source of inspiration. Perhaps, temple has 2,672 relief panels consisting of decorative and there is still no comprehensive identification study narrative relief which narrate the story of the Buddha. In covering all plant figures appeared in every relief story in addition, also there are 504 Buddha statues and various Borobudur. A total of 1460 story relief panels of stupas. The Borobudur temple was built consisting of five Borobudur temple range from Kamadhatu to Rupadhatu square terraces on a pyramidal base, three circular (from the foot of the temple until the body of the temple). platforms in the middle part, and on the top with a dome as These 1460 relief panels are divided into five, based on the the highest point (Setyawan 2017). texts that are their source, namely Karmawibhangga, Relief of Borobudur is rich in human anatomical forms, Lalitavistara, Jataka, Avadana, and Gandavyuha. Among plant and animal figures, also form of environmental these five stories in Borobudur, Lalitavistara is containing components such as water, cloud, and stones (Hidayanto the fewest number of reliefs (120 panels). Lalitavistara 2014; Anandadjoti 2017). The tree or plant figures in relief reliefs depict the life of the Buddha, from his life in Tusita have been carved specifically because they may be related heaven up to his awakening and first teachings (Gunarto METUSALA et al. – Plant reliefs in the Lalitavistara story of Borobudur temple, Indonesia 2207 2011; Leouw 2012; Anandadjoti 2017). Therefore, Procedures Lalitavistara can be an ideal preliminary model in studying Inventory and documentation of plant figures in plant relief in Borobudur. Therefore, the aim of this study Lalitavistara relief, Borobudur temple was to identify the diversity of plant figures carved on all The inventory of plant figures in Lalitavistara relief, 120 panels of Lalitavistara reliefs. Borobudur temple used direct observation of the reliefs to document the details of flora species encountered (Figure 2.A). The data documentation technique was carried out by MATERIALS AND METHODS direct photography of the Lalitavistara relief panel (Figure Study area 2.B). The Lalitavistara relief consists of 120 panels carved This research is a part of National Priority Program in starting from the east side around the temple and can be the International Biodiversity, Strategic and Action Plan read by circling the gallery in a clockwise direction or (IBSAP) for biodiversity utilization component. This research pradaksina (Soekmono 1973), beginning from the main was conducted in Borobudur temple area, Magelang, wall, hallway I, top row (Figure 2.C). Central Java, Indonesia (Figure 1) on June 23-30, 2019. Figure 1. Location of Borobudur temple, Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia A B C Figure 2. Documentation of plant figures in Lalitavistara relief, Borobudur temple; A. Documentation of the plant shape detail, B. Documentation of Lalitavistara relief panel, C. Location of Lalitavistara relief panel in Borobudur temple (blue arrow) 2208 BIODIVERSITAS 21 (5): 2206-2215, May 2020 Identifying the plant figures in Lalitavistara section based ancient Javanese community then recognized the Bodhi on its morphological characters tree as a sacred tree (Walujo 2011). It is even said that the The identification was done by comparing the outline shape of the stupa in Borobudur has been inspired morphological shapes (habitus, root, stem, leaves, flower, to the shape of Bodhi tree’s leaf. and fruit) of plant figures on the reliefs with the most The name of the Ashoka tree means "without grief" or possible plant species (morphological approach). If needed, "one who gives no grief" (Bhalerao et al. 2014; Borokar plant figures on the relief would be sketched to ease the and Pansare 2017). In the Lalitavistara story, Mayadevi species identification process. Results of identification then Queen takes a rest in the Ashoka tree forest where she adjusted with related references to plant species at the level sends a message to Suddhodana King to meet with her of species, genus or family. (Dharmachakra 2013). It is also thought that Buddha was born under an Ashoka tree and therefore it is often planted Comparative study with literature in Buddhist monasteries (Roth 2016). The list of flora species in Lalitavistara relief panel was The sacred Lotus may be the most frequent species compared with the Lalitavistara Sutra in English translation mentioned in the Lalitavistara sutra. The Lotus flower by the Dharmachakra Translator Committee (2013) and the symbolizes purity, rebirth, and resurrection (Hong 2017). book of Lalitavistara, The Life of Gautama Budha on The In Buddhist iconography, Buddha is often depicted over an Reliefs of Borobudur Temple (Anandadjoti 2017). This immaculate Lotus and this plant represents bodily and comparison aims to determine the importance of plants that mental purity floating above the muddy waters of were carved in reliefs, whether plants on the reliefs were attachment to earthly desires (Tresidder 2004). In the subjects in their own right or important objects in the Lalitavistara reliefs, the Buddha is very often depicted stories; whether they were components of building an sitting on a Lotus flower, which symbolizes a person who atmosphere or just employed as symbols. overcomes the pain that exists in the material world and becomes enlightened, just like the Lotus flower that starts Data analysis to grow from the dirty and muddy water, but can rise from Identified plant figures have been analyzed and grouped the water and produce a