Mendut

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title: "Mendut" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["9th-century-buddhist-temples", "archaeological-sites-in-indonesia", "buddhist-temples-in-indonesia", "borobudur", "shailendra-dynasty", "cultural-properties-of-indonesia-in-central-java", "religious-buildings-and-structures-in-central-java"] description: "9th-century Buddhist site in Indonesia" topic_path: "philosophy" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mendut" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 9th-century Buddhist site in Indonesia ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox historic site"]

Field	Value
name	Mendut
native_name
native_language	jv
image	Candi_Mendut_-facade_north(2025)_-_img_01.jpg
caption	Northen view of Candi Mendut
locmapin	Indonesia Java#Indonesia
map_caption	Location within Java
coordinates
location	Magelang, Central Java
built	Originally built in the 9th century during the reign of the Sailendra Dynasty
restored	1925
restored_by
architect	Gunadharma
designation1	WHS
designation1_type	Cultural
designation1_criteria	i, ii, vi
designation1_date	1991 (15th session)
designation1_partof	Borobudur Temple Compounds
designation1_number	592
designation1_free1name	Region
designation1_free1value	Southeast Asia
::

|name=Mendut |native_name= |native_language=jv |image=Candi_Mendut_-facade_north(2025)_-_img_01.jpg | caption = Northen view of Candi Mendut |locmapin=Indonesia Java#Indonesia |map_caption=Location within Java |coordinates= |location=Magelang, Central Java |built=Originally built in the 9th century during the reign of the Sailendra Dynasty |restored=1925 |restored_by= |architect=Gunadharma |designation1=WHS |designation1_type=Cultural |designation1_criteria=i, ii, vi |designation1_date=1991 (15th session) |designation1_partof=Borobudur Temple Compounds |designation1_number=592 |designation1_free1name=Region |designation1_free1value=Southeast Asia Mendut is a ninth-century Buddhist temple, located in Mendut village, Mungkid sub-district, Magelang Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. It is located about 3 km east of another temple, Borobudur, and along with Pawon forms a straight line of three temples. There is a mutual religious relationship between the three temples, although the exact ritual process is unknown.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_De_Candi_Mendut_TMnr_10015974.jpg" caption="The ruins of Mendut temple before restoration, 1880."] ::

Built around the early ninth century AD, Mendut is the oldest of the three temples including Pawon and Borobudur. According to the Karangtengah inscription, the temple was built and finished during the reign of King Indra of the Shailendra dynasty. The inscription, dated 824 AD, mention that he constructed a sacred building named Venuvana, which means "bamboo forest". The Dutch archaeologist JG de Casparis has connected this description with Mendut.{{Cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=wiUTOanLClcC&q=Venuvana+Mendut&pg=PA125 | title = Hindu-Buddhist architecture in Southeast Asia | author = Daigorō Chihara | date = 1996 | work = | publisher = | pages = 125 | isbn = 9004105123 | format = | quote =

In 1836 it was discovered as a ruins covered with bushes. The temple's restoration began in 1897 and was finished in 1925. The archaeologists who researched the temple included JG de Casparis, , and Arisatya Yogaswara.

Architecture

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Buddha_Mendut.jpg" caption="The statue of Dhyani Buddha [[Vairocana]], [[Avalokitesvara]], and [[Vajrapani]] inside the Mendut temple"] ::

The plan of the temple's base is square, and measures 13.7 m on each side, with the base level 3.7 m above the ground. The 26.4 m tall temple faces northwest. The stairs projecting from the northwest side square elevated base are adorned with a Makara statue on each side. The side of the stairwell is carved with a bas-relief of a Jataka fable narrating the animal story of Buddhist teaching. The square terrace surrounding the body of the temple was meant for pradakshina, a circumambulation ritual that involves walking clockwise around the temple. The outer walls are adorned with bas-reliefs of Boddhisattvas (Buddhist divinities), including Avalokiteśvara, Maitreya, Cunda, Kṣitigarbha, Samantabhadra, Mahakarunika Avalokitesvara, Vajrapani, Manjushri, Ākāśagarbha, and Boddhisattvadevi Prajnaparamita.

Originally the temple had two chambers: a small chamber in the front, and a large main chamber in the center. The roof and some parts of the front chamber walls are missing. The uppermost part of the roof is missing; it is supposed to have a stupa pinnacle of a size and style probably similar to the one in Sojiwan temple. The inner wall of the front chamber is adorned with a bas-relief of Hariti surrounded by children, Atavaka on the other side, Kalpataru, and groups of devata divinities flying in heaven.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Borobudur_Map_en.svg" caption="Location three Buddhist temples, Borobudur-Pawon-Mendut, in one straight line across [[Progo River]]."] ::

The main room has three carved large stone statues. The 3 m tall statue of Dhyani Buddha Vairocana was meant to liberate the devotees from bodily karma. At the left is a statue of Boddhisatva Avalokiteśvara to liberate them from the karma of speech, and at the right is Boddhisatva Vajrapani to liberate from the karma of thought.

Rituals

During the full moon in May or June, Buddhists in Indonesia observe the annual Vesak ritual by walking from Mendut through Pawon to Borobudur. The ritual takes the form of a mass Buddhist prayer and pradakshina (circumambulation) around the temple.

Both Buddhists and followers of traditional Kejawèn (Javanese mysticism) worshipped in the temple, which is believed to be able to fulfil wishes, such as deliverance from sickness. Childless couples, for example, pray at the bas-relief of Hariti for a child, since in traditional Javanese beliefs, Hariti is a symbol of fertility, patroness of motherhood, and protector of children.

Gallery

Candi Mendut - reliefs (2025) - img 16.jpg|Carvings on a side of the stairwell File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Reliëf op de Candi Mendut TMnr 20026894.jpg|The bas-relief of Hariti on the inner northern wall of Mendut Candi Mendut - reliefs (2025) - img 02.jpg | Bas-relief of Kalpataru Candi Mendut - Dharmachakra and Crouching Deers (2025) - img.jpg|Bas-relief of Dharmacakra and Crouching Deers beneath the plinth inside the temple Candi Mendut - Vairocana Buddha (2025) - img 03.jpg|Statue of the Vairocana Buddha Candi Mendut - Padmapani (2025) - img 01.jpg | Statue of the Padmapani (Avalokiteshvara) Bodhisattava Candi Mendut - Vajrapani (2025) - img 01.jpg | Statue of the Vajrapani Bodhisattava Candi Mendut - facade north-east (2025) - img 02.jpg | Northeastern facade Candi_Mendut_-ruins(2025)_-_img_06.jpg | Destroyed temple on the northeast of Mendut Temple Candi Mendut - reliefs (2025) - img 10.jpg | View from the base of the temple Magelang - Mendut Buddhist Monastery (2025) - img 06.jpg | Mendut Buddhist Monastery, a present-day monastery located next to the site Mendut Buddhist Monastery - Candi Sangharājā (2025) - img 01.jpg | Candi Sangharājā in the Mendut Buddhist Monastery, built in the occasion of Vajirañāṇasaṃvara's 100th birthday

References

References

1. J. L. Moens. (1951). "Barabudur, Mendut en Pawon en hun onderlinge samenhang (''Barabudur, Mendut and Pawon and their mutual relationship'')". Het Bataviaasch Genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschappen.
2. "Candi Mendut". Magelang Regency Government.
3. The information board at the Mendut Temple vicinity
4. "The Meaning of Procession". Walubi (Buddhist Council of Indonesia).
5. "Candi Mendut : Sulit Punya Anak Memohon ke Dewi Kesuburan". Pos Metro Balikpapan.

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