In Indonesia, Watching the Sun Rise with 504 Buddhas

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES
By Susan Spano, Special to the Los Angeles Times

Mt. Merapi rises in the distance behind the forest of stupas at Borobudur,… (Susan Spano / For The Times)

INDONESIA - Borobudur could be the keyhole to nirvana, one intrepid American traveler figures, as she contemplates the state of being from atop the majestic ancient temple. Reporting from Yogyakarta, Indonesia — — Four a.m. is a terrible time of day, too late for night owls, too early for early risers. The exception is 4 a.m. at Borobudur, waiting for the sun to rise over the Kedu Plain in central Java with 504 figures of Buddha. The temple is one of three great religious sites in Southeast Asia, but it's older and more esoteric than Bagan in Myanmar and Angkor Wat in Cambodia. It was begun in the 8th century by the Sailendras, a dynasty of Buddhist kings who ruled central Java for almost 200 years until their power waned and the temple was abandoned. [link]