The architecture of the Borobudur is based on Buddhist philosophy, religion and cosmology. The temple symbolises the sacred Mount Meru, which in Indian cosmology is situated in the centre of the Universe. The architectural design of the Borobudur is made in such a way that when the visitor or pilgrim follows the spiritual teachings depicted on the temple reliefs in the correct order, then, he or she will ultimately be guided from the one dhātu on to the next.
The stories depicted on the reliefs of the lower terraces tell about ordinary daily situations in the Javanese culture at the time, as you move on to higher terraces the storyline gradually starts to become more complicated in spiritual lessons. Historian discovered that the first two galleries the Jātaka (or Jātakamālā) stories that tell about the previous incarnations of the Bodhisattva. Alos that the Avadānas tell of the life stories of Buddhist saints. Then there are also the Lalitavistāra reliefs, depicting the story of the likewise named text that tells us about the historical Buddha and the miracles people acclaimed to the Buddha. On the third and fourth galleries there are reliefs of the Gaṇḍavyūha text, which, in five hundred panels describe pilgrim Sudhanā’s quest for the realization of ultimate liberation. His quest eventually leads him to taking the vows of theBodhisattva Śamantabhadra, as depicted on the Bhadracari reliefs. The choice is significant, because this particularBodhisattva is rarely seen in the Indian mythology as depicted in the Buddhist iconography. Thus, this demonstrates an unique and characteristic feature of local adaptation of Mahāyāna Buddhism.
The construction time of Borobudur spans out over 70 years, starting in 760 AD to 830 AD. There was plenty of stone needed and it had to be transported over a long distance. Two million stone blocks were first roughly processed at the riverbanks of the Progo River and then transported by ox carts, horses and elephants up the hill and processed there with metal tools.