XVIII. Antiquarian Notes in Java

Abstract

The religion of Buddha was introduced into Java as early as the beginning of the fifth century a.d. Fāh-Hiān, who resided in that country from a.d. 412 to 414, says that it then existed, though only in embryo—it was not much known—“ various forms of error and Brahmanism are flourishing.” The well-known inscription at Menangkābu in Sumatra, which is dated in a.d. 656, relates that a Buddhist sovereign, whose name is pure Sanskṛit, “ Mahārājādhirāja Ādityadharma,” had previously to that date erected in Java a great seven-storied vihāra. So it may be assumed that, during the 250 years following the date of Fāh-Hiān, Buddhism, i.e. the Buddhism then prevalent in India and greatly altered from its original form, had firmly established itself as the religion of the Javanese. This seven-storied vihāra is generally supposed to be Boro-Būdūr; and certainly the architecturẹ of that great monument appears to be of that age, the general scheme of the four great terraces being very similar to that of the early Pallava-Choḷa temples about and in Kāñchī, as well as of the great Rath at Mahāvalipura in Southern India, which was carved out of the rock at the beginning of the seventh century. But in the opinion of the late Dr. Brandes, of the Archæological Survey of Java, the period of the building lies between Śaka 700 and 850 (a.d. 778–928).