Kalingga monastery, (towards [a conjecture]) Jepara, Jawa Tengah, ID

Raw data

"In 664 CE, the Chinese monk Hui-neng visited the Javanese port city of Ho-ling, where he translated various Buddhist scriptures into Chinese with the assistance of the Javanese Buddhist monk Jñanabhadra. This report of the existence of a local monk who was competent enough to render assistance with the translation of Buddhist scriptures suggests that, by the middle of the seventh century, the seeds of Buddhism that Gunavarman had previously planted on the island were finally beginning to flourish.
Although Ho-ling’s geographic location is never expressly mentioned in the reports of the pilgrims who had visited the kingdom, there are several reasons that suggest a location on Java’s northwestern coast, which is precisely where the Greek astronomer Claudius Ptolemy said that the main port city of Labadius was located during the first century CE.
According to the Chinese Chronicles, at Ho-ling on the day of the summer (June) solstice, an eight-foot vertical stake would cast a shadow that was two feet long at the time of local noon that fell to the south side of the stake. This information provides us with a mathematical means for determining that Ho-ling had a latitude of 6 degrees, 8 minutes south [= Lat -6.1333 in decimal degrees - tmc, 28 Jul 2010]. The only part of Java that reaches this particular latitude is located on the island’s northwest tip. [12]" (Long 2005a)

Ho-ling - Java island (Austin 1983:40)

"Kha-ling (Ho-ling=訶陵) was formerly Sanjaya in the central Java." Suzuki (2009)

"Between 7th century and the beginning of 8th century AD, there was a Hindu Kingdom in Central Java called Kalingga. By the end of the first half of 8th century, circa AD 732, King Sanjaya changed the name Kalingga into Mataram. Later, Mataram was ruled by the descendants of Sanjaya (Sanjaya Dynasty). During the reign, the dynasty built Shiva temples on Dieng plateau.
By the end of King Sanjaya’s reign, King Syailendra from Sriwijaya Kingdom (in Palembang) came to expand his territory. He succeeded in conquering the southern part of Central Java and drove Hindu Mataram Kingdom to the northern part of Central Java. The sovereignty of King Syailendra, a Buddhist, was succeeded by his offspring, Syailendra Dynasty. Therefore, within a century from AD 750-850, Central Java was controlled by two rulers, Hindu Sanjaya Dynasty and Buddhist Syailendra Dynasty. During this era temples in Central Java were built extensively. As a result of different faith adopted by the dynasties, temples in the northern part of Central Java were the Hindu ones while the ones in the southern part of Central Java were Buddhist. Both dynasties were bound by marriage when Rakai Pikatan (AD 838 - 851) wedded Pramodawardhani, the son of the great King Samarattungga of Syailendra Dynasty."
http://candi.pnri.go.id/jawa_tengah_yogyakarta/index_e.htm

"There were also may Hindu kingdoms in Java from 618 A.D to 906 A.D. Most important was called Ho-Ling. It is considered that Ho-Ling is the Chinese fom of 'Kalinga'. It is inferred that colonists from Kalinga dominated Java or a part of it."
http://www.preservearticles.com/2011090212577/short-essay-on-indias-relation-with-south-east-asia-indian-history.html

"In 644-645 Hui-ning, a Chinese Buddhist priest, together with Yun-ki his assistance studied in a famous Buddhist Centre in Kalingga Kingdom, Central Java. He spent his time there to deepen his knowledge about Buddha teaching. Assisted by Jnanabhadra, a famous professor and priest of the centre, he finalized his translation of Parinirwana, one of the Buddha Holy books.
Apart of Buddha religion and philosophy teaching the centre also taught the basic geometry, art and mathematics. Thousands of students learned in numerous buildings having thick walls. The local people around the campus prepared the food for the students and part of them also participated in the studies. Among the famous products of this university’s graduates were among other Dieng, Plaosan, Kalasan and Borobudur temples.
Kalingga or Keling, spelled as Holing in Chinese was a Hindu-Buddhist Kingdom raised around 618 in Plawangan, Pekalongan, Central Java. founded by Dapunta Selendra c). In 674 he was succeeded by Maharani Shima, a famous iron lady for her strong ruling system and absolute honesty."
http://nusantarahistory.com/tag/holing/

"Kalingga (or Holing according to Chinese spelling) was an Indianized kingdom on the north coast of Central Java, Indonesia. The exact location of kingdom's capital is unknown, it is thought to be somewhere between present-day Pekalongan [Lat -6.883333, Long 109.666667 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pekalongan tmciolek] and Jepara [Lat -6.533333, Long 110.666667 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jepara - tmciolek].
Kalingga existed between the 6th and 7th century, and it was one of the earliest Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms established in Java. The historical record of this kingdom is scarce and vague, and comes mostly from Chinese sources and local traditions.
The Chinese sources come from China and date back to the Tang Dynasty. According to I-tsing, in 664 CE a Chinese Buddhist monk named Hwi-ning had arrived in Holing and stayed there for about three years. During his stay, and with the assistance of Jnanabhadra, a Holing monk, he translateded numerous Buddhist Hinayana scriptures." - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalingga

For more information on Ho-ling see
Meulen, W. J. van der. 1977. In Search of "Ho-Ling". Indonesia, Vol. 23, (Apr., 1977), pp. 86-111
(the article consists of 26 pages)
Published by: Southeast Asia Program Publications at Cornell University
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3350886

Input by: tmciolek, Apr 18, 2012

Final data (and their sources)

Last updated: 31 Jan 2013

Conjectural linkage of the Kalingga monastery with the town of Jepara 

Lat/Long coordinates' accuracy:
The monastery in question is assumed to be situated actually no farther than 20 km from the point defined by the coordinates below.

Location of Kalingga monastery, ID.

General location of the Kalingga monastery, ID.
Lat -6.5924 Long 110.6710
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2012.


Google Map link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=-6.5924+110.6710+(Approx.%20loc.%20of%20the%20Kalingga%20monastery,%20ID)&ll=-6.5924,110.6710&spn=05.0,05.0&t=k&hl=en


Final data - explanatory notes

1. Monastery's name


2. Monastery's modern country & province

  • Indonesia:Propinsi Jawa Tengah

3. Monastery's alternative/historical names


4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates

  • In 664 CE, the Chinese monk Hui-neng visited the Javanese port city of Ho-ling - (Long 2005a)
  • According to the Chinese Chronicles, at Ho-ling on the day of the summer (June) solstice, an eight-foot vertical stake would cast a shadow that was two feet long at the time of local noon that fell to the south side of the stake. This information provides us with a mathematical means for determining that Ho-ling had a latitude of 6 degrees, 8 minutes south [= Lat -6.1333 in decimal degrees - tmc, 28 Jul 2010]. - (Long 2005a)
  • Jepara, a port city - approx. Lat -6.5924 Long 110.6710 - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/ID/07/Jepara2.html

5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries

  • [missing data]

6. Modern name of the known nearest city, town, or village


7. The settlement's alternative/historical names


8. The settlement's coordinates


9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition

  • Theravada?

10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition

  • [missing data]

11. Date-early

  • [missing data]

12. Date-intermediate

  • Monastery was active in 664 AD when the Chinese monk Hui-neng visited it (Long 2005a)
  • MBM chrono-tag: 0600-32p 0633-66c 0667-99p - tmciolek 31 Jan 2013
  • 0600-32p 0633-66c 0667-99p dated-x

13. Date-late

  • [missing data]

14. Details of contacts with other monasteries

  • [missing data]

15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery

  • [missing data]

16. Additional notes

  • "Apart of Buddha religion and philosophy teaching the centre also taught the basic geometry, art and mathematics. Thousands of students learned in numerous buildings having thick walls. The local people around the campus prepared the food for the students and part of them also participated in the studies." http://nusantarahistory.com/tag/holing/

17. Corrections & addenda to this page were kindly provided by

  • [missing data]

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