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The mysterious Unfinished Buddha statue originates from Borobudur, the world’s largest Buddhist temple

Brad Smithfield

One of Java’s most fascinating cultural relics, The Unfinished Buddha (or the Bhatara Buddha) of Magelang, is an awe-inspiring Buddhist statue.

Shrouded in mystery, there are many disputes and theories about the origins of the statue and why it was left abandoned.

It is called “unfinished” because of its incomplete look, with the statue’s hands being partly carved out with the smooth surfaces left untouched. The statue and the sacred grounds have been a place of wonder and are a popular attraction for tourists.

The Unfinished Buddha of Borobudur. Photo Credit
The Unfinished Buddha of Borobudur. Photo Credit

It is believed that the statue originates from the largest stupa of Borobudur, the 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist temple. A stupa, meaning “heap” in Sanskrit, is a mound-like place of meditation on which Buddhist relics are placed.

The main stupa that crowns the Borobudur temple has a hollow chamber. When it was first opened during the monument’s restoration, an unfinished Buddha sculpture was found within.

The Borobudur Temple, viewed from the northwest. Photo Credit
The Borobudur Temple, viewed from the northwest. Photo Credit

With three circular and six square platforms, and a central dome on top, The Borobudur Temple is the largest Buddhist temple in the world. The Borobudur Temple (Indonesian: Candi Borobudur) is decorated with over 2,500 relief panels and 504 statues, and the central dome is adorned by 72 Buddha statues, all of which are placed inside a stupa.

According to W.F. Stutterheim, a Dutch researcher and archaeologist, the Borobudur temple had 505 Buddha statues, but the most important one is the Bhatara Buddha. Somehow, Stutterheim was convinced that the unfinished statue is the Bhatara Buddha.

Borobudur Temple is surrounded by nearby mountains. Photo Credit
Borobudur Temple is surrounded by nearby mountains. Photo Credit

The Unfinished Buddha is now located in Karmawibhangga Museum which is near the Borobudur temple. The foundations of the temple are made of stone blocks which are carved out of volcanic matter, keeping them together.

The Karmawibhangga Museum is full of amazing relics and archeological objects which glorify the Buddha. There are two rooms: the Restoration room and the Karmawibhangga Room.

The Unfinished Buddha of the main stupa of Borobudur, transferred to the Karmawibhangga Museum. Behind it is a three-leveled parasol from Borobudur’s main stupa which was broken apart by a lightning strike. Photo Credit
The Unfinished Buddha of the main stupa of Borobudur, transferred to the Karmawibhangga Museum. Behind it is a three-leveled parasol from Borobudur’s main stupa which was broken apart by a lightning strike. Photo Credit

The restoration room contains maps and pictures of the restoration of the temple and depicts how the stone blocks are interlocked, and it also displays some Hindu artifacts which were excavated. The Karmawibhangga Room has 160 reliefs of Karmawibhangga on display, carved at the foot of Borobudur temple.

The museum is situated within the Borobudur Archaeological Park, which was formally opened in 1983. Containing the biggest collection of stone Buddha heads and relics in Indonesia, the museum is a sight to behold.

The Pendopo (pavilion) and the pool of Karmawibhangga Museum near Borobudur. Pendopo is a traditional Javanese style of open pavilion with a joglo roof. Photo Credit
The Pendopo (pavilion) and the pool of Karmawibhangga Museum near Borobudur. Pendopo is a traditional Javanese style of open pavilion with a joglo roof. Photo Credit

Additionally, the museum also has the Borobudur architecture blueprint and plans on display. It also has the documents of the restoration projects which were conducted by UNESCO during the 70s.

Regarding the origins of the Unfinished Buddha, it was strongly believed to have been discovered in the central stupa in the early 20th century, during the restoration efforts. However, this opinion is highly doubted today, as researchers discover new clues about the statue’s origins.

Borobudur’s main stupa in mid 19th-century, a wooden deck had been installed above the main stupa. Photo Credit
Borobudur’s main stupa in mid 19th-century, a wooden deck had been installed above the main stupa. Photo Credit

It is argued that the imperfect Buddha statue was brought from elsewhere and that it was not meant to be placed within the main stupa. Historians suggest an interesting theory that the inner chamber of the stupa was supposed to be empty, explaining the stupa’s deliberate design which symbolizes the Buddha’s perfect form through the concept of Sunyata or “nothingness”.

That is one theory, and even though the original location of the Unfinished Buddha is hotly disputed, more and more research suggests that the statue was indeed supposed to be within the stupa, putting the statue’s true significance into question.

Archeologists argue that the Buddha was abandoned mid-carving because it was deemed flawed and uneven. So, instead of going for extreme (and absolutely unacceptable) measures of destroying a highly sacrilegious object like the Buddha, the carver may have placed it within the stupa just to put it out of the way.

Bell-shaped stupas in Borobudur. Photo credit
Bell-shaped stupas in Borobudur. Photo credit

But that is unlikely to be the case. It is generally accepted that the Borobudur temple was constructed in the 9th century and was abandoned in the 14th century following the decline of the Hindu kingdoms in Java and the Javanese conversion to Islam.

The British colonialist Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles shed some light on the historical wonders of the temple and its beauty. In 1814, the local natives advised him of its location and from then on, it has been preserved through several restoration projects.

Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (6 July 1781 – 5 July 1826), British statesman, Lieutenant-Governor of British Java, best known for his founding of Singapore.
Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (6 July 1781 – 5 July 1826), British statesman, Lieutenant-Governor of British Java, best known for his founding of Singapore.

The general supervisor for one of the first restoration projects of the temple and the man who discovered the statue was Theodor Van Erp. From 1907 to 1911, during the restoration process, he found the Unfinished Buddha, not on the main stupa but buried in the dirt inside it.

There was absolutely no clue as to its origin, so Van Erp assumed that the statue’s designated position was the stupa. He believed that the statue, in its disfigured form, had simply been abandoned and thrown away. Oddly enough, the statue was never mentioned in the documents of Raffles’s recovery of the temple in 1814.

Borobudur after Van Erp’s restoration in 1911. The reconstructed chhatra pinnacle on top of the main stupa is now dismantled and is located in the museum. Photo Credit
Borobudur after Van Erp’s restoration in 1911. The reconstructed chhatra pinnacle on top of the main stupa is now dismantled and is located in the museum. Photo Credit

Nevertheless, the Borobudur temple remains one of Indonesia’s most extraordinary wonders and its most visited tourist attraction. The blissful tranquility and quiet the temple grounds offer is enticing to many.

Read another story from us: In 1955, workers installing a Buddha statue discovered the plaster was actually covering a solid gold statue

The temple is a popular spot for adventurers and it’s still a destination religious pilgrims. Every year, the Indonesian Buddhists celebrate the many religious holidays at the monument.

Brad Smithfield

Brad Smithfield is one of the authors writing for The Vintage News