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The Balinese Living Harmoniously
An
harmonious and peaceful life is the expectation
of everybody. In Bali, you can see how the
harmony of interfaith, ethnical and cultural
life is well worked out. The Hindu, Moslem,
Christian, Buddhist and Catholic can carry
out their own worship without disturbing
others. They sometimes on certain occasions
perform joint prayer at a place to appeal
for world welfare. Therefore, religious
holidays that often fall concurrently can
be celebrated well and run safely.
In March, for instance, Hindu devotees celebrated
Galungan, Nyepi and Kuningan Day. In the
meantime, other devotees celebrate Easter,
the demise of Prophet Jesus the Messiah
and Confucius et cetera. Coinciding with
Nyepi celebration (Friday, 11 March) Moslems
also pay Friday homage at mosques nearby.
On this day, the Hindu carries out ‘Catur
Brata Penyepian’ or four abstinences
in which they are not allowed to go out
and to turn on lights in the evening. They
respect each other so Moslems are permitted
to go to mosque nearby to pay homage without
disturbing Hindu devotees who are performing
Nyepi celebrations. Balinese predecessors,
as a matter of fact, have established tolerance
and religious harmonious life in Bali from
time immemorial.
The concept ‘menyama braya’ or
sense of affinity is the fundamental of
Balinese life that is remarkably renowned
to tighten brotherhood among the fellow
men. The old in Bali highly appreciate and
respect disparity in faith, culture, ethnic
and so forth, so they sometimes advise their
children by giving a Balinese allegory:
“celebingkah di beten biu, belahan
pane belahan paso, gumi linggah ajak liu,
ada kene ada keto” that means we live
together in the world with dissimilar characters,
faiths, culture and so on). Hence, everybody
should be able to live together in diversity.
If we traced back into the past in accordance
with historical data, the development of
Hinduism in Bali on the strategic step to
establish religious harmonious life seems
to have existed since circa the eight century
AD. Up to recent times, there are many archeological
remains in Bali in the form of sanctum building,
inscription and some others that could become
evidence of harmony and mutual respect among
the different religious devotees.
According to I Gusti Gde Ardana quoting
the result of R. Goris’ research (1954)
in his book entitled Sejarah Perkembangan
Hinduisme di Bali (History of Hinduism Development
in Bali), in accordance with the Sukawana
inscription number A1 (882 AD), there were
three religious figures namely the Monk
Siva Kangsita, Sivanirmala and Sivaprajna
who founded a hermitage on the Cintamani
Hill. Seeing the word Monk and Siva, religious
harmonious life is presumed to have existed
and even in later development is believed
that these religions underwent syncretism
into Siva-Buddha as during the period of
King Udayana, both religions, Siva and Buddhism,
were appointed national religion since the
tenth century AD.
In the lontar or palm-leaf manuscripts,
Bhuvana Tattva by Maharishi Markandeya is
mentioned that the Maharishi Markandeya
who practiced Trisakti Paksa came to Bali.
Religious aspects he followed along with
his disciple consisted of three main Gods
namely Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. He first
came to the foot of Mount Agung and is known
as the founding father of the establishment
of Besakih Temple that rises magnificently
up to current time. He implanted ‘panca
datu’ (five kinds of metal comprising
gold, silver, copper, iron and the mixture
of the four) in the ground to appeal for
welfare. Later, they opened an agricultural
land at Taro village, Tegalalang, Gianyar.
In Bali developed some sects that venerated
certain deities like Siva-Siddhanta, Pasupata,
Bhairava, Vaishnavism, Bodha/Sogata, Brahmana,
Rishi, Sora and Ganapatya during the reign
of King Udayana up to the fourteenth century
AD. To cover the entire sects, King Udayana
entrusted the Sage Kuturan to organize the
life of religious systems in Bali. In a
Pesamuhan or assembly was decided that all
sects could coalesce and respect one another.
This togetherness was manifested through
giving forth Tri Murti (trinity) concept
and established three sanctuaries (kahyangan
tiga) at every customary village in Bali.
Such sanctuaries comprise Pura Desa/Bale
Agung (“village temple”), a locus
to venerate the Lord Brahma the Creator;
Pura Puseh (“temple of origin”),
a locus to venerate the Lord Vishnu the
Preserver; and Pura Dalem (“temple
of the mighty one”), a locus to worship
the Lord Siva as Destroyer (the lord leading
to afterlife world).
Among them, the most influential up to recent
time is Siva-Siddhanta sect that practiced
by the Balinese. The fusion of such sects
in Bali cannot only be observed from archeological
remains and establishment of sanctum at
the temples throughout Bali as Penataran
Sasih at Pejeng, Pusering Jagat, Goa Gajah
et cetera, however, but can also be viewed
in terms of religious rite activities. There
are several offerings and mantras having
function and meaning to commemorate the
holy teachings of such sects. In later development
until the arrival of Dang Hyang Dwijendra
in Bali during the reign of Dalem Waturenggong
headquartering in Gelgel, the organization
of religious life in Bali has been resolute.
By means of the capability of adapting the
mutual respect attitude that was established
by their forefathers, the Balinese could
live harmoniously with Moslem, Christian,
Catholic devotees and other faiths that
currently develop in Bali. The Balinese
societal figures also brought forth a universal
concept called Tri Hita Karana to maintain
the life harmony among devotees of other
religions. Similarly, such religious harmony
of life is fecundated by the establishment
of social organization named Interfaith
Concord Forum whose members comprise representatives
of each religion.Ketut
Sumadi
Contributor of Bali Travel News
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