Borobudur may also represent a stupa. At the time of the construction of Borobudur the stupa symbolized a reliquary and memorial. Borobudur also seems to represent a mandala. The mandala can be a visual representation of the universe. In Buddhist iconography mandalas include circles, squares and triangles with various divinities in specific places.
People use mandalas in worship to achieve higher spiritual power.
Because the stupa, sacred mountain, mandala, and seat of royal and ancestral power may all be represented, Borobudur is an excellent example of syncretism. Visitors to Borobudur must have been impressed by the spiritual and temporal power and wealth of the Salindra kings as well as the continued influence of important ancestors. By following the three mile path to the summit of Borobudur, pilgrams might grasp the Buddha's teaching by studying and experiencing, not just with the eye and mind, but with the entire body and soul, the truths illustrated in the reliefs. Students should also be able to identify the kingdom of Srivijaya and, if possible, the Salindra kings of Central Java who became leaders of Srivijaya. A timeline of India can be found here .