Sudhana

Borobudur temple

Sudhana is a young merchant's son as he travels the world in search of wisdom at Borobudur’s Gandavyuha reliefs portrays on third until forth terrace level of Borobudur temple. Borobudur is Buddhism temple located in Central Java, Indonesia. Reliefs portrays at wall of the temple narrating the story of historical Budha called the Sakyamuni.

During his many journeys, the young man Sudhana encounters a total of fifty-five spiritual teachers who share their spiritual knowledge and experiences with the young man.           In the ancient Sanskrit language of India, Sudhana means "good wealth." The use of this particular name for the hero suggests that the riches that one accumulates in life should be applied to good use for the benefit of others. The young noblemen of Java undoubtedly saw their own reflections in these reliefs.

Like Sudhana, these Buddhist princes likely had traveled the world on the ships of the Sailendra fleet in their search for wisdom and knowledge. For this reason other have suggested that the Gandavyuha reliefs may contain elements that pertain to Javanese missions to the Holy Land of India and elsewhere. 

Sudhana's relief on Gandavyuha terrace at Borobudur temple

 Borobudur's Gandavyuha reliefs often portray Sudhana with an umbrella over his head to his status as a nobleman or prince. In the text itself, however, Sudhana is merely identified as the son of a merchant. And yet the Gandavyuha reliefs at Borobudur reliefs portray Sudhana with an entourage that is equipped with elephants and other accoutrement’s that were associated with royalty.

During his travels from guru to guru, Sudhana contemplates what he has just learned and then integrates each new-found piece of knowledge into his spiritual practice. The underlying message of the text is that the spiritual practice of enlightening beings is not to be found in any one place or embodied in any single individual.

Sudhana says, "Bodhisattvas are navigators showing the way on the ocean of truth; bodhisattvas are bridges conveying all sentient beings across the sea of mundane life; enlightening beings are a pathway to the holy for all sentient beings."

Sudhana's relief

Among Sudhana's other teachers is the Hindu god Mahadeva, eight night goddesses, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, and a host of other saints, monks, and sages. At each stage of the journey, the young man is shown inconceivable miracles, vast treasures, a multiplicity of worlds, visions of innumerable Buddhas and bodhisattvas, incomparable magical powers, and the infinity of space and time itself. But perhaps the most important revelation is that the ultimate truth is not only to be found in heaven, but also in meetings with ordinary people from all walks of life. In the Gandavyuha, the mundane world of everyday life is transformed into a luminous existence that consists of one continuous and miraculous teaching.

"From a fisherman he learned the lore of the sea. From a doctor he learned compassion toward sick people in their suffering. From a wealthy man he learned that saving pennies was the secret of his fortune and thought how necessary it was to conserve every trifling gained on the path to Enlightenment.

"From a meditating monk he learned that the pure and peaceful mind had a miraculous power to purify and tranquilize other minds. Once he met a woman of exceptional personality and was impressed by her benevolent spirit, and from her he learned a lesson that charity was the fruit of wisdom. Once he met an aged wanderer who told him that, to reach a certain place, he had to scale a mountain of swords and pass through a valley of fire. Thus Sudhana learned from his experiences that there was a true teaching to be gained from everything that he saw or heard.

"He learned patience from a poor, cripple woman, he learned a lesson of simple happiness from watching children playing in the street; and from some gentle and humble people, who never thought of wanting anything that anybody else wanted, he learned the secret of living at peace with the world. He learned a lesson of harmony from watching the blending of the elements of incense, and a lesson of thanksgiving from the arrangement of flowers. 

"One day, passing through a forest, he took a rest under a noble tree and noticed a tiny seedling growing nearby out of a fallen and decaying tree and it taught him a lesson of the uncertainty of life. Sunlight by day and the twinkling stars by night constantly refreshed his spirit. Thus Sudhana profited by the experiences of his long journey.

"Indeed, those who seek for Enlightenment must think of their minds as castles and decorate them. They must open wide the gates of their minds for Buddha, and respectfully and humbly invite Him to enter the innermost chamber, there to offer Him the fragrant incense of faith and the flowers of gratitude and gladness.

Sudhana on tapestry