Besakih Temple and Seven Planes

Penataran Agung of Besakih Temple, as has been discussed in the previous edition, conveys seven upper planes (sapta loka) or luhuring ambal-ambal. The seven upper planes are symbolized with seven stairs in the Penataran Agung of Besakih Temple.

Symbolical meaning of pelinggih (shrine) at Penataran Agung is seen on the first and second stair of the biggest temple in Bali. Candi bentar (split gate) and first stair indicate the bhakti (devotional worship) of human to God based on Vedic Scripture, while the second stair signifies the encounter of human bhakti to God and bless of God to human. And how is the process of God to deliver blessing to humans?
The process of God’s blessing to His devotees is symbolized from the seventh stair up to the rendezvous of human bhakti at Padma Tiga (three shrines) at the second stair. At the seventh stair, there is no building at all. It describes that God is so mysterious. The quality of God in that all-mysterious in the Balinese palm-leaf manuscript or lontar is called maha suksma. God is not reachable by human sensual and mind capacity entirely that in the lontar (transcription) is mentioned as tan kagrahita dening manah muang indria. The quality of all-mysterious God is depicted in the form of empty stair/no building. This matter is exceptionally appropriate with Yajurvedic text (XXXII-3) that states natasya pratima asti (indescribable Almighty God). Nevertheless, the God is present all over the universe. God is omnipresent—in the small or spacious room—even he also exists beyond the universe. Such is mentioned in the Mantra of Rgveda (I.64.31).
In the Mantra of Atharvaveda (III.4.20) is stated sa esa eka ekavrd eka eva (God is only one and indeed single in his existence). However, the indescribable God creates sky and earth along with all of its contents and seasons.
The existence of God that is so mysterious is described in the seventh stair of Penataran Agung of the Besakih Temple. In Balinese Hindu tradition, the quality of God in all mysterious is mentioned in many literatures as ‘puyung’ or nothingness or on sunia in Old Javanese. But, what we see concretely is indeed something non-existent because the visible will change at all times and transient. On the contrary, the existence and eternal is God. God is never absent. God is never born or created. The existence of God is immortal is called Sanghyang Sunia Merta—sunia (nothingness), amerta (life), Sanghyang (pronoun for the all-holy). The holiest that is never born and dies is God.
In the tradition and worship system of Hindu devotees in Bali is known ‘sembah puyung’ or worship without medium like flower or flower arrangement (kwangen) that means venerating ‘the nothingness’ in other words, God. In addition, nothingness also means to empty the mind as initial gesture of worship system of Hindu devotees in Bali. By emptying gesture, the dynamic of budhi (intellect), mind and senses will calm down and hegemony of Atmanic (pertaining to soul) holiness will appear. The Atmanic holiness is no other than God’s holiness or Paramaatman that abides within the human self.
So, the meaning of sembah puyung is actually reducing the dynamic of budhi, mind and senses under hegemony of Atmanic holiness. By doing so, the ambience of human self will be nearer to the holiness of God. By the heartiness of Atmanic and Brahmanic (God) hegemony will enable to control over budhi, mind and senses to express holiness.
By the heartiness of holiness expression, human behavior will be getting more vigorous to implement the supreme moral and sturdy mental stamina in facing life dynamic in this world because one of the objectives of worship is to strengthen the holiness as real human identity.
The appearance of deviate behavior from holiness is caused by uneducated and untrained passionate fluctuation following the hegemony of Atmanic holiness. Just like the horse of a chariot that is untrained to follow the guidance rein that controlled by the charioteer. So, the essence of human is sanctified. This holiness will be expressed in behavior when the corporeal body, senses, mind and intellectual awareness are under hegemony or influence of Atmanic holiness.
To establish the influence of Atmanic holiness is one of the objectives of worshipping God for Hindu devotees because God will spread out His holiness to those that present holy attitude in their life. To realize this holy attitude requires continual endeavors. One of the endeavors is performing worship to the divine God through sembah puyung. That’s the meaning of empty stair at the Penataran Agung of Besakih Temple. (BTN/Ketut Wiana)