In central Java resides the world's largest Buddhist temple where you can take stairs that spiral upward from the everyday world to the nirvanic state of absolute nothingness. Borobudur is visited by Buddhists from all over the world, especially at Waisak, a time commemorating Buddha's birth, death, and ultimate enlightenment on the full moon of the fourth month—usually in May. On the lower levels of the monument, the pilgrim walks through 2,000 pictorial and decorative relief panels depicting human life, beginning with the lower forms and progressing through higher states of being. Get closer to Nirvana as you spiral to the top levels called stupas, each containing sculptures of the meditating Buddha. On the tenth and final level an empty stoop awaits, symbolizing Nirvana. Borobudur's initial construction was planned and executed by Hindu builders around 775 A.D. and not too long after a Buddhist dynasty continued and finally completed the great stoop. During the 10th and 11th centuries there was a transfer of power from central Java to the east, and the great stoop fell into decline. For centuries the site lay forgotten, buried under layers of volcanic ash and jungle growth. In 1815, Europeans cleared the site, and in the early 1900s the Dutch began its restoration, and a U.S. project begun in 1973 completed the work.
Sukhothai
Thailand
Sukhothai, Thailand
Sukhothai, meaning the "Dawn of Happiness" was the first free Thai capital founded in 1238. The years that this kingdom thrived are viewed as the Golden Age of Thai civilization and the religious art and architecture are considered to be the most classic of Thai styles. Sukhothai features plenty of ruins spread over 27 square miles, including the largest wat in the city, Mahathat. Built in the 13th century, it is surrounded by brick walls and a moat. There is also a much-photographed 11-metre seated Buddha in Wat Si Chum. Before venturing to other wats, make a stop at the museum where you can view a great sampling of Sukhothai artifacts.
Angkor Wat
Cambodia
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
The celebrated temples of Angkor are Cambodia's greatest tourist attraction. The largest religious monument ever constructed, Angkor Wat's 100 or so temples are the sacred remains of what was once a much larger administrative and religious center. The temples were built between the 9th and 13th centuries to glorify a succession of Khmer kings. Most of Angkor was abandoned in the 15th century and the temples became cloaked by forest. Unknown to the world until French naturalist Henry Mahout wrote about their discovery in the 19th century, the central wat is surrounded by four smaller towers, standing in a rectangle of about 2,800 by 3,800 feet and surrounded by a moat. The towers which seem to jut from the jungle's undergrowth feature mesmerizing carvings depicting the customs and culture of the Khmer people, Hindu epics, and the life of King Suryavarman. Fashioned in a bold, curvaceous style, these figures seem to leap off the stone wall. Passageways, moats, and palaces also remain, representing centuries of building in the Angkor complex. Apart from Angkor Wat, two other magnificent temples to visit are the Bayon and Ta Prohm. Another worthwhile side-trip is to the Tonle Sap, the great lake in central Cambodia.
Bagan
Myanmar
Bagan, Myanmar
One of the most amazing sights in Myanmar is Bagan, a small town with an important past. Bagan rose to prominence in 1044 AD when King Anawratha ascended to the throne and shortly thereafter converted to Buddhism. After being denied Buddhist scripts from a Mon monk, King Anawratha went to war against King Manuba and the Mon town of Bago. Manuba surrendered, the town of Bago was destroyed, and the holy scripts, the Tripataka, were transferred to Bagan. Some of the pagoda ruins that remain today were built by Mon craftsmen and artisans who were taken to the city as prisoners after the war. About 200 years later, in 1287 AD, the feared Kublai Khan and his Mongolian horsemen stormed and conquered Bagan, destroying many of the town's wooden buildings. Bagan never recovered its former glory. Although not as widely known or as popular as Cambodia's Angkor Wat, the distinct architectural styles of Bagan's 2,000 pagodas and temples are a testament to a strong religious and cultural civilization.
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