Kalibukbuk: 17th century Buddhist site in Bali

Kalibukbuk: 17th century Buddhist site in Bali

Alit Kertarahardja, Contributor/Singaraja

Buleleng is located in an open area in the northern part of Bali.
It has a flat beach with gentle waves, making it easily
accessible to people from other places.

Among those who came to Buleleng a long time ago were Buddhist
missionaries.

Kalibukbuk, a Buddhist site located in Buleleng district, is
evidence that Buddhism was brought to Bali in the 17th century.

Among the items of archeological interest connected with
Buddhism in Kalibukbuk are artifacts and ruins. The artifacts
consist of stupa, fragments of pottery, clay molds and reliefs.
The ruins are of brick buildings that were used for religious
activities.

North Bali Cultural Studies Center director IGK Simba said
that the influence of Buddhism in Bali became clear following the
finding of a number of molds made from clay, which were of
similar shape and character to those found in Kalibukbuk.

"Given these finds, it may be concluded that Buddhists lived
in Kalibukbuk from the 17th century," he said.

The cultural development process continued in tandem with an
increase in the population of the area. More sacred buildings
were constructed for holding religious ceremonies. The buildings
used bricks measuring 10 cm by 20 cm by 40 cm -- like the
buildings constructed during the golden era of the Majapahit
kingdom between the 14th and 15th centuries.

There are three sites of archeological interest in this area.
The first was discovered in 1991 in Angsoka, where stupa, molds
and clay reliefs of the Buddha were found. The second site is
located on a plantation owned by I Gusti Ngutah Sentanu. Three
brick buildings used for Buddhist religious worship and a number
of clay stupa were found. At the third location, fragments of
pottery were discovered. However, the finds have yet to be
thoroughly studied.

Based on the finds, it is believed that the people used to
live where the pottery fragments were found while the location
where the stupa was found was the center of their religious
activities.

The design of the buildings and the stupa was based on the
concept of Buddha Tri Ratna, which involves the elements of
Buddha, Dharma and Sangga. In Tri Ratna teaching, Buddha is the
holiest one who must be followed in life in order to get to
nirvana, Dharma means the teachings that should be obeyed to
arrive at nirvana, while Sangga means the implementation of these
teachings by the Buddhist community.