Sailendra

This installment of my tripartite study of Esoteric Buddhism in the Sri Lanka of the late 7th through late 10th centuries focuses on two subjects.  The longest section addresses the Abhayagiri's 'Mahanetraprasada' arama and its relationship to the mysterious Eye Relic during both the Esoteric Buddhist period as well as the Shravakayana restoration under the primacy of the Mahavihara.  There is also an accounting of the vatadage sites, with particular emphasis on the vatadages at the Lankarama, the Ambasthala, and at Medirigiriya.  Finally, there is an attempt to provide a conspectus on the present state of understanding of the practice and influence of Esoteric Buddhism at the Abhayagirivihara and affiliated monasteries, as well as an assessment of the role of Buddha Relics in the 'state protection Buddhism' of the Vajrayana as practiced by such figures as Amoghavajra and, apparently, the Abhayagirivasins.  The Appendices are devoted to a close reading of the curious biography of Aggabodhi V and his association with padhanagharas and pamshukulika monks; a history of 80-year conflict between Rajarattha and the Cholas over the Pandya  that serves as background for understanding the Abhayagiri regulatory inscriptions of Kassapa V and Mahinda IV; and a short chronology of the significant events during the last century and a half of the Anuradhapura period.

This is a rather long paper (c. 270 pages) and the reader might benefit from the independent Table of Contents provided elsewhere on this site.

The paper focuses on an aspect of the ancient history of Java, Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula, namely the role of the Śailendra dynasty. It analyses the main sources mentioning this clan, i.e. Central Javanese and Indian inscriptions, and contemporary debates on the number of dynasties on Central Java in the eighth-to-ninth centuries and the relations between the Śailendras and Srivijaya. There are three main questions: What role did the Śailendras play in Central Java; what were their relations with Srivijaya; and what was the origin of this dynasty?
The paper argues that the dynasty of Śailendras was of Javanese origin and the first ruler who was undoubtedly a Śailendra was Panankarana. In fact, there was no difference between the so-called “Sañjaya dynasty” and the Śailendras. The expansion of Panankarana’s power reached the Malay Peninsula where he left the famous inscription from Chaiya (also known as the Ligor stele). The relatives of the Śailendras also held sway over Kedah in Malaysia in the later tenth-to-early eleventh centuries.
http://nsc.iseas.edu.sg/documents/working_papers/nscwps012.pdf

Abstrak:

Dalam satu periode yang berlangsung sekitar satu abad lamanya (abad ke-8-9 Masehi), satu dinasti yang dikenal dengan nama Śailendra berkuasa di Jawa. Pengaruh dalam bidang politik, seni, dan ajaran (Buddha) cukup luas. Berdasarkan data arkeologi yang sampai kepada kita, bukti-bukti pengaruh dinasti ini ditemukan sampai di Sumatra, Semenanjung Tanah Melayu, dan Thailand Selatan. Sumber-sumber prasasti mengindikasikan bahwa dinasti ini telah menjalin kerjasama di bidang politik dan agama dengan kerajaan di Sumatra, Semenanjung Tanah Melayu, dan India Utara (Nālanda). Implikasi dari kerjasama tersebut tercermin dalam langgam arca-arca yang ditemukan. Makalah ini menguraikan tentang langgam arca-arca yang ditemukan di luar tempat asalnya dengan sampel arca-arca dari Sumatra dan Semenanjung Tanah Melayu. Sebagai data bantu untuk interpretasi adalah prasasti-prasasti dan ornamen dalam sebuah bangunan.


Abstract. The Style of Śailendra Statues Beyond the Jawa Island.

A dynasty by the name Śailendra was known as a ruler dynasty in Jawa for about a century long (8th—9th CE). Its influence in politic, art, and religion (Buddha) was quite remarkable. From archaeological data, evidences of the dynasty's influence are found in Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, and southern Thailand. Inscription evidences indicate the dynasty developed cooperation with the ruling kingdoms in Sumatra, Malay Peninsula, and North India (Nālanda) in politics and religion matters. The implications of this cooperation are reflected on statues' art style. This paper is about the style of statues found outside their origin: the statues from Sumatra and Malay Peninsula. Information from inscriptions and monument ornamentations are used as supporting data.

Ce volume 5 est consacré aux grands temples bouddhiques de Java centre depuis le trio Borobudur, Pawon, Mendut, à l'ouest de Jogjakarta, jusqu'à la série de temples majeurs autour de Prambanan. Les révélations qui ressortent de cette étude axée sur la datation de ces édifices prestigieux, changent considérablement l'histoire de cette région, entre le VIIIe et le Xe siècle.

This is the fifth article I made about the javanese temples (candi). A new study and new datations of these mysterious constructions.
This vol. 5 is consecrated to the great Buddhist temples from the Borobudur complex to the one’s of the Prambanan area : candi Borobudur, candi Pawon, candi Mendut, candi Kalasan, candi Sari, candi Sojiwan, candi Banyunibo, candi Dawangsari, candi Plaosan, candi Sewu, candi Bubrah, candi Lumbung, candi Gana, candi Lor, candi Kulon and the site of Ratu Boko.
The study of these temples brings many revelations that, litteraly, change the story of the Javanese history of the last centuries of the first millenium.

This is the second article I made about the javanese temples (candi). A new study and new datations of these mysterious constructions.
In this vol. 2, I speak about the  temples of Dieng in central java.
I t is a new study with new datations and many revelations for a better comprehension for the story of this very important site of the Javanese history.

Mots clés : Indonesia, Java, candi Risan, Situs Kunden, candi Merak, situs Karangnongko, candi Lawang, candi Sari, situs Cabean Kunti, situs Sumur Songo, candi Klero, candi Sukuh, situs Planggatan, candi Cetho, candi Kethek, gunung Lawuh, Shiva, Durga, Agastya, Ganesha, Bhima, Mojopahit.

Résumé : Ce septième et dernier volume de cette série consacrée à la datation précise et détaillée des temples de Java se concentre sur les sites hindouistes à l’est de Prambanan, jusqu’au gunung Lawuh et les célèbres temples « érotiques » de Sukuh et Cetho.

Abstracks : This is the seventh and last article I made about the javanese temples (candi). A new study and new datations of these mysterious constructions.
This vol. 7 is consecrated to the temples situated at the east of Prambanan, near Klaten, Boyolali and the famous temples of the Gunung Lawuh : candi Risan, Situs Kunden, candi Merak, situs Karangnongko, candi Lawang, candi Sari, situs Cabean Kunti, situs Sumur Songo, candi Klero, candi Sukuh, situs Planggatan, candi Cetho, candi Kethek.

The study of datations of these temples brings many revelations that shed light on the story of the Javanese history of the last centuries of the first millenium.

Dans ce volume 4, je me suis penché sur les datations de 25 candi situés entre Magelang et Jogjakarta et autour de Jogja comme les candi Retno, Ngawen, Gunung Wukir, Losari, Gebang, etc. Et je date aussi les célèbres statues du candi Banon.

This is the fourth article I made about the javanese temples (candi). A new study and new datations of these mysterious constructions.
In this vol. 4, I speak about a serie of temples along a line since Magelang to Yogyakarta and around Yogya in central java. Among them candi Retno, candi Ngawen, candi Sendi, candi Gunung Wukir, candi Losari, candi Gebang, candi Kimpulan, candi Mantup, candi Gembirowati and many others.
The study of these temples brings many revelations for a better comprehension for the story of the Javanese history.