Theravada(? )Buddhist architecture in the locus of Java- Indonesia Dr Uday Dokras NOTE:There is a paucity of information on Candi or Chaiyas of Indonesia for a variety of reasons 1. No written records or parchments 2. Very few inscriptions 3. Temples in ruins 4. Lack of funding and scholarship 5. Wheter Thervada or Mahayana not certain as flip flop of religions was common. From Hinduism to Buddhism and sometimes back to Buddhism 6. This grey area is therefore a scholar’s paradise since numerous theories can be generated Even though almost all Buddhist sites are mentioned only 1 dozen are discussed in detail because of the lack of information available as well as the limitation of this paper size The word 'candi' (temple) refers to buildings of various shapes and functions, such as a worshipping place, a religious teaching center, a funerary place for keeping ashes of kings, a dwelling place of the divine, a royal bathing place, or a gateway. Although temples once served many functions, they were built mostly to accommodate Buddhism or Hinduism religious activities The existence of temples is inseparable from the history of Javanese kingdoms and the development of Buddhism and Hinduism in Java from 7th century to 14th century. Since Buddhism and Hinduism came from India, the design of most temples adopted Indian style in many aspects, such as the constructing techniques, architectural style, and decorations. However, because of the ample influence of local culture and natural environment, the design of Indonesian temples retains its unique characteristics in the usage of building material, constructing techniques and decoration style. The temple walls are commonly adorned with relief sculpture depicting a story or religious teachings. The Manasara book states that the design of a temple is the basis for the art of designing gates. There are two functions of a gate. Firstly, it marks the boundary of an area. Secondly, it becomes an opening through walls that enclose a building compound. As the outer part of a bigger building structure, a gate plays a significant role since it echoes the grandeur of the main building it encloses. The difference between a gate and a temple lies on the design of the interior. The cella of a temple is a chamber, while the inner part of a gate is a passage that functions as an access way. Some old Indian religious books such as Manasara describe canonic rules, which were firmly held by Indian builders, for constructing a gate. Builders at one time believed that the rules outlined in those religious books were sacred and held a magical property. They maintained that a beautiful building correctly constructed according to such rules would benefit the builder and 1