<p/><br></br><p><b> Book Synopsis </b></p></br></br><b>With vivid photography and insightful commentary, this travel pictorial shines a light on the Buddhist art and architecture of Borobudur.</b> <p/>The glorious ninth-century Buddhist stupa of Borobudur--the largest Buddhist monument in the world--stands in the midst of the lush Kedu Plain of Central Java in Indonesia, where it is visited annually by over a million people. <p/>Borobudur contains more than a thousand exquisitely carved relief panels extending along its many terraces for a total distance of more than a kilometer. These are arranged so as to take the visitor on a spiritual journey to enlightenment, and one ascends the monument past scenes depicting the world of desire, the life story of Buddha, and the heroic deeds of other enlightened beings--finally arriving at the great circular terraces at the top of the structure that symbolizes the formless world of pure knowledge and perfection.<p/><br></br><p><b> About the Author </b></p></br></br><b>John N. Miksic</b>, an archaeologist born in the USA, has lived in Southeast Asia since 1968. He has written numerous books on Indonesian sites and artifacts.