Kalasan Buddhist Temple, Indonesia

Address

Kalasan Buddhist Temple, Jl. Raya Yogya – Solo, Suryatmajan, Danurejan, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Diety

Buddha

Introduction

Kalasan Temple is believed as the oldest Buddhist temple in Central Java and Yogyakarta, even predating the colossal Borobudur Temple. It is located on the southern main road between the cities of Yogyakarta and Solo, approximately 2 Km from the Prambanan Temple compound. The temple stands on a 45×45 meters rectangular base. Kalasan also known as Candi Kalibening, is an 8th-century Buddhist temple. It is located 13 kilometers (8.1 mi) east of Yogyakarta on the way to Prambanan temple, on the south side of the main road Jalan Solo between Yogyakarta and Surakarta. Administratively, it is located in the Kalasan District of Sleman Regency.

Puranic Significance

According to the Kalasan inscription dated 778 AD, written in Sanskrit using Pranagari script, the temple was erected by the will of Guru Sang Raja Sailendravamçatilaka (the Jewel of Sailendra family) who succeeded in persuading Maharaja Tejapurnapana Panangkaran (in another part of the inscription also called Kariyana Panangkaran) to construct Tarabhavanam, a holy building for the goddess (boddhisattvadevi). In addition, a vihara (monastery) was built for buddhist monks from the Sailendra family’s realm. Panangkaran awarded the Kalaça village to sangha (buddhist monastic community). According to the date of this inscription, Kalasan temple is the oldest of the temples built in the Prambanan Plain. Despite being renovated and partially rebuilt during the Dutch colonial era, the temple currently is in poor condition. Compared to other temples nearby such as Prambanan, Sewu, and Sambisari the temple is not well maintained.