Here I refer a link that was recorded by Jimbarwana TV. This event was very humiliating and disgusting for such disrespectful performance in front of Jagatnatha Temple. The most ambitious head of regency (bupati) had given a bad example to Hindu community in Jembrana where he used religious area for glamorous party with modern singers and dancings.
You can see in the video, most of the performance was not matching with the function of the temple itself as a religious activities zone. They then change it with improper and impolite performances such as Dangdut Performace (Banyuwangi Singers). "Pesta Rakyat" that what they called. We don't want to judge anyone but such Bupati behaviour was not reflected a leader in a sacred land. He is just like a demon who tried to ruin God's Palace.
What's a pity then, when we know that he had no typical characters of a true leader where Asta Brata should become his guidance of beeing leader.
One thing that I could not accept was why many of Hindus community and leaders were kept silence and did nothing to misuse that sacred temple.
Please give your own comments to this short article. We have to speak louder for intollerance activities hold in Bali. Keep your area holy and sacred. Do not allow any demon spirit cover your daily life.
Satyam Eva Jayate......
Watch this......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EELc5dtt-8
Guardian of Bali
find anything you want here
Monday, September 15, 2008
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Bali Is Like Sky With Ozone Hole
Need Self Awareness of Balinese to Cover It
People who love Bali now are crying. They see Bali with no holiness atmosphere anymore. Island of thousands holy spirit and temples is now changing into modern way of life. But, not all of them like that. It seems still many Balinese love their culture and tradition. No matter what people say, they pledged themselves to guard Bali physically and spiritually. It is not as simple as saying, it needs a deep sight to really reserve, save and protect Balinese culture and of course its identity religion, Hindu Dharma.
It is a strong destiny that born in Bali was a very lucky surprise. Colorful living, great culture, full-of-philosophical concepts, peace-harmony way of life, big tolerance, and so many wonderful proud to be kept.
I am personally proud really proud of being Balinese. I feel exploring my rest of world here in Bali. Not only me, some foreign people who came to Bali, felt the same expression. They, even, want to die in Bali. They changed their name into Balinese. Do you know Ni Ketut Tantri, Wayan Budi, Nyoman Sukra, etc? They left their western names just for Bali. What does it mean? It means that Bali has injected them with glorious joy and wonder. It is fact talking, not kind of exaggeration or over tension expression. How can I describe about my deep feeling about being Balinese?
In contrary, many Balinese now hate to be Balinese. They left their culture identity. They find a new identity they thought will increase their prestige. Tradition and culture just old-fashion living, they make new community by the name of modernity and prestige. Now, they are better choosing becoming a toilet cleaner in five stars hotel better than just an rural farmers. They are all shifted into material living. They sell ricefields and gardens to buy a brand new European-style house in the center of the city. They can live for years by depositing their money in a bank after selling their property to foreign rich investor.
They left tradition of learning Balinese script and letter. They started to left night practice of gamelan, traditional music, for a rock n roll concert in the middle of night in Kuta. They now enjoy the night life in cafes, pubs and discotheques.
Bali, now, is like a sky with the Ozone holes everywhere. It needs Balinese attention to cover it fully with no leaking. As long as Balinese still keep their faith strongly, spirit of their ancestors and holy predecessors would not let the holes wider and wider. They keep watching what we are doing here. Watching from a disctance...........
People who love Bali now are crying. They see Bali with no holiness atmosphere anymore. Island of thousands holy spirit and temples is now changing into modern way of life. But, not all of them like that. It seems still many Balinese love their culture and tradition. No matter what people say, they pledged themselves to guard Bali physically and spiritually. It is not as simple as saying, it needs a deep sight to really reserve, save and protect Balinese culture and of course its identity religion, Hindu Dharma.
It is a strong destiny that born in Bali was a very lucky surprise. Colorful living, great culture, full-of-philosophical concepts, peace-harmony way of life, big tolerance, and so many wonderful proud to be kept.
I am personally proud really proud of being Balinese. I feel exploring my rest of world here in Bali. Not only me, some foreign people who came to Bali, felt the same expression. They, even, want to die in Bali. They changed their name into Balinese. Do you know Ni Ketut Tantri, Wayan Budi, Nyoman Sukra, etc? They left their western names just for Bali. What does it mean? It means that Bali has injected them with glorious joy and wonder. It is fact talking, not kind of exaggeration or over tension expression. How can I describe about my deep feeling about being Balinese?
In contrary, many Balinese now hate to be Balinese. They left their culture identity. They find a new identity they thought will increase their prestige. Tradition and culture just old-fashion living, they make new community by the name of modernity and prestige. Now, they are better choosing becoming a toilet cleaner in five stars hotel better than just an rural farmers. They are all shifted into material living. They sell ricefields and gardens to buy a brand new European-style house in the center of the city. They can live for years by depositing their money in a bank after selling their property to foreign rich investor.
They left tradition of learning Balinese script and letter. They started to left night practice of gamelan, traditional music, for a rock n roll concert in the middle of night in Kuta. They now enjoy the night life in cafes, pubs and discotheques.
Bali, now, is like a sky with the Ozone holes everywhere. It needs Balinese attention to cover it fully with no leaking. As long as Balinese still keep their faith strongly, spirit of their ancestors and holy predecessors would not let the holes wider and wider. They keep watching what we are doing here. Watching from a disctance...........
Friday, January 4, 2008
SILENT DAY, SILENT NIGHT - TO FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING
Silent Day
By Sebastien Blanc
NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AFP) - Hindu priests on the island of Bali, where the world’s nations are gathered to come up with an answer for global warming, think they have one solution — a day of silence.
The proposal harks back to a traditional Balinese festival when everything is switched off and shut down for 24 hours, to try to persuade demons that the island is uninhabited and thus without fresh souls for them to steal. “We learn from our ancestors to respect the
wishes of nature,” said Bhagawandwija, a 63-year-old priest who has been handing out leaflets outside the international climate change conference taking place here. “Imagine if all the countries in the world observed one day of silence!” Indonesia’s Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said many locals on this resort island, which has long attracted visitors from around the globe, believe the world should copy the festival’s silence.
“Many people in Bali propose that if possible the world has a silent day — not working, all electricity off,” he told reporters. “We save one day.” In the island’s rich Hindu heritage, the Nyepi festival is the time when evil spirits return to Earth. To persuade them there are no souls left to haunt, Bali shuts down almost entirely. All restaurants and discos close, to the great annoyance of tourists who do not realise they are being protected from malignant forces.
Airliners are grounded and the roads are deserted. It is forbidden to turn on lights, make a fire — or even make a noise. If that seems too drastic a measure to take, local newspapers have been stressing to conference delegates the concept of “Tri Hita Karana,” or the need for harmony with the environment.
According to another Balinese custom, anyone who cuts down one tree is obliged to re-plant 10, said Ida Pedanda Gede Ketut Sebali Tianyar Arimbawa, president of Indonesia’s highest Hindu authority. He too is convinced that ancestral traditions can provide solutions to the woes of global warming — and points to the subaks or traditional irrigation systems which have watered Bali’s rice terraces for centuries. The 1,200 subaks on Bali allow water, which comes mainly from four high-level lakes, to flow gently downhill between paddy fields laid in terraces and bordered by irrigation channels. “The subak is the best irrigation system in the world,” he says. And even after our lives have ended, we can still make a difference. Cremation, he says, is simply “the best way of returning to nature.
NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AFP) - Hindu priests on the island of Bali, where the world’s nations are gathered to come up with an answer for global warming, think they have one solution — a day of silence.
The proposal harks back to a traditional Balinese festival when everything is switched off and shut down for 24 hours, to try to persuade demons that the island is uninhabited and thus without fresh souls for them to steal. “We learn from our ancestors to respect the
wishes of nature,” said Bhagawandwija, a 63-year-old priest who has been handing out leaflets outside the international climate change conference taking place here. “Imagine if all the countries in the world observed one day of silence!” Indonesia’s Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said many locals on this resort island, which has long attracted visitors from around the globe, believe the world should copy the festival’s silence.“Many people in Bali propose that if possible the world has a silent day — not working, all electricity off,” he told reporters. “We save one day.” In the island’s rich Hindu heritage, the Nyepi festival is the time when evil spirits return to Earth. To persuade them there are no souls left to haunt, Bali shuts down almost entirely. All restaurants and discos close, to the great annoyance of tourists who do not realise they are being protected from malignant forces.
Airliners are grounded and the roads are deserted. It is forbidden to turn on lights, make a fire — or even make a noise. If that seems too drastic a measure to take, local newspapers have been stressing to conference delegates the concept of “Tri Hita Karana,” or the need for harmony with the environment.
According to another Balinese custom, anyone who cuts down one tree is obliged to re-plant 10, said Ida Pedanda Gede Ketut Sebali Tianyar Arimbawa, president of Indonesia’s highest Hindu authority. He too is convinced that ancestral traditions can provide solutions to the woes of global warming — and points to the subaks or traditional irrigation systems which have watered Bali’s rice terraces for centuries. The 1,200 subaks on Bali allow water, which comes mainly from four high-level lakes, to flow gently downhill between paddy fields laid in terraces and bordered by irrigation channels. “The subak is the best irrigation system in the world,” he says. And even after our lives have ended, we can still make a difference. Cremation, he says, is simply “the best way of returning to nature.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Journal Article Excerpt
Erotic literature in nineteenth-century Bali
| by Helen Creese, Laura Bellows
Bali possesses a rich and diverse textual heritage that stretches back more than a millennium, by way of pre-Islamic Java, to the Sanskrit culture of ancient India. Balinese literature covers a wide variety of genres, ranging from folk tales and mythical stories in prose to epic poetry in different styles, from histories to dictionaries, from magic formulae to moral treatises, from divination to agricultural practices, from religious doctrine and philosophy to medicine. Unlike many classical manuscript traditions, Bali's literature has remained integral to its society, and the cultural and religious practices encapsulated in texts of all kinds continue to resonate in contemporary Balinese society. There is a vigorous publishing trade in the reproduction and translation into Indonesian of ancient texts still deemed relevant to Balinese in the twenty-first century. In this article, however, we are concerned with earlier textual practices, those of the nineteenth century. We explore the erotic in two Balinese te xtual genres, tutur and kakawin, by drawing on a selection of nineteenth-century works belonging to each of these genres (see Table 1). (1) Both genres flourished in nineteenth-century Bali. Because Balinese manuscript traditions are largely anonymous and undated, however, the precise historical context of individual works is necessarily rather nebulous. Based on the names of poets and patrons as well as internal textual evidence, the kakawin can be dated with a degree of accuracy. In the case of tutur, there is evidence of ancient origins, although the texts themselves were adapted and remained in use from generation to generation. We can at least be confident that all the texts discussed here were circulating in Bali in the nineteenth century. (2) There is a considerable corpus of literature in the manuscript traditions of both Bali and Java that can be broadly defined as erotic, that is, as primarily concerned with the sensual and the sexual. As Theodore Pigeaud noted in his major catalogue of Javanese manuscripts, almost every important mythic, epic, historical and romantic text contains erotic passages and descriptions. (3) In this article, we confine the discussion to two genres. Tutur are prose texts containing religious instruction and speculation and are often magical and mystical in content. The language of tutur is a mixture of Old Javanese and Balinese, sometimes interspersed with Sanskrit. Tutur deal with a wide range of subjects, those dealing with sexuality forming a sub-genre within the larger context. Kakawin are long epic poems written in the Old Javanese language, in a metrical verse form that is based on Sanskrit kavya metres. Most kakawin relate the adventures of the gods and heroes of the Sanskrit epics Mahabharata and Ramaynna. The choice of these particular genres is a result of the authors' overlapping research interests in gender issues and our individual interests in kakawin (Creese) and tutur (Bellows). At first glance, the connections between these two very different genres might seem obscure: kakawin are epic tales relating the adventures of fictional heroes, while tutur are essentially practical manuals relating to religious and sexual practices. Closer examination, however, reveals strong intertextual links between kakawin and the tutur on sexual yoga. Our aim here is to highlight some of those connections. Framing the erotic in nineteenth-century Bali In spite of the apparent abundance of erotic literature, this aspect of Balinese textuality has had scant attention from scholars. Europeans 'discovered' Old Javanese (or kawi) literature at the beginning of the nineteenth century. (4) The first scholarly publication in this new field occurred in 1817, when Stamford Raffles included an extract from the twelfth-century Old Javanese kakawin Bharatayuddha (War of the Bharatas) in his History of Java. (5) From the outset, scholars recognised the links to Sanskrit literature and, armed with classical philological methodology, set out on a voyage to recover the Javanese adaptations and reworkings of the Mahabharata and Ramayana epics. These they found largely in Bali, where Islam had never gained a foothold, and where generations of scholars and scribes had copied and recopied Old Javanese manuscripts for centuries. Bali was quickly characterised as little more than the museum and copying-house of Hindu-Javanese civilisation, and its own literary creativity remaine d unrecognised. In Western scholarship, this image remained virtually unchanged for over a century. (6) The more well-established European discipline of Sanskrit studies strongly influenced the ways in which scholars approached Javanese and Balinese texts. Dutch colonial definitions of what constituted Old Javanese literature were narrow in the extreme. Few nineteenth-century European observers mention the existence of a literate tradition in Balinese at all. Only 'pure' Old Javanese was acknowledged, and texts that showed evidence of Balinese linguistic influence... Adapted from Questia. | |
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
The Nirartha Legacy in Bali
Adapted from: balirasa.com
The promulgation of Hindu and Buddhist doctrines in Bali is attributed to a number of key historical figures typically Brahman priests from Java and their disciples or descendants. A famous early example is the 11th century reformer Mpu Kuturan (actually more of a Mahayana Buddhist than Hindu Brahman), but perhaps the most renowed of all is 16th century Javanese priest Danghyang Dwijendra, otherwise known as Nirartha. Nirartha came to Bali from Kediri is East Java, in 1537, in the aftermath of the collapse of the Majapahit empire. Legend has it that he made the crossing from Java on leaf of the keluwih tree. Upon landing near Negara in the kingdom of Jembrana he sat down to rest under an ancak tree-the ancak is a relative of the banyan under which the Buddha famously meditated-and his followers subsequently built a temple on the site, the Pura Ancak, today`s Pura Prancak. The Newly Arrived Magically Powerful High Priest Nirartha was invited to settle in Mas by local prince, Mas Wilis, but news of his teachings soon reached the ascendant royal house of Gelgel and an emissary was dispatched to bring the Padanda Sakti Wauh Rauh or ` Newly Arrived Magically Powerfull High Priest`, to court. Once installed at the palace of Gelgel, Nirartha concentrated on matters of ritual practice, especially those connected with marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, death and the post-mortem purification of the soul. He still found time, however, to embark upon several missionary journeys through Bali, Lombok and Sumbawa. During his travels he founded many temples, while the children of his several marriages, both in Java and in Bali, became the progenitors of important Brahman clans, whose descendants still rank among the most important Brahmana families in Bali today. Nirartha`s Temple Building Programme Between 1546 and 1550 Danghyang Nirartha traveled all over Bali, teaching as he went and founding temples along the way. The famous temple of Tanah Lot, in the former kingdom Tabana, is one such sanctuary. It is said that on one of Nirartha`s journeys round Bali, he chose to sleep at this unusual rocky outcrop on the shores of the Kingdom of Tabanan and later recommended that a temple be built there. A Passion for Padmasana As well as founding new temples, Danghyang Nirartha also encouraged the building of Padmasana at many of the existing temples he visited. These he dedicated to Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa, the Supreme Being or Ultimate Godhead. The Padmasana at the Pura Taman Puleh, in Mas rests on top of a stone turtle, representing the mythical earth-supporting chelonian, Bedawang Nala. The two serpents coiled around the latter`s body are said to stand for man`s earthly needs. The last padmasana to be built by Danghyang Nirartha was at Pura Uluwatu on the western most tip of the built Peninsula, and it was here that he achieved his apotheosis, or liberartion (moksa), from the endless cycle of rebirth, to become one with the infinite.
The promulgation of Hindu and Buddhist doctrines in Bali is attributed to a number of key historical figures typically Brahman priests from Java and their disciples or descendants. A famous early example is the 11th century reformer Mpu Kuturan (actually more of a Mahayana Buddhist than Hindu Brahman), but perhaps the most renowed of all is 16th century Javanese priest Danghyang Dwijendra, otherwise known as Nirartha. Nirartha came to Bali from Kediri is East Java, in 1537, in the aftermath of the collapse of the Majapahit empire. Legend has it that he made the crossing from Java on leaf of the keluwih tree. Upon landing near Negara in the kingdom of Jembrana he sat down to rest under an ancak tree-the ancak is a relative of the banyan under which the Buddha famously meditated-and his followers subsequently built a temple on the site, the Pura Ancak, today`s Pura Prancak. The Newly Arrived Magically Powerful High Priest Nirartha was invited to settle in Mas by local prince, Mas Wilis, but news of his teachings soon reached the ascendant royal house of Gelgel and an emissary was dispatched to bring the Padanda Sakti Wauh Rauh or ` Newly Arrived Magically Powerfull High Priest`, to court. Once installed at the palace of Gelgel, Nirartha concentrated on matters of ritual practice, especially those connected with marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, death and the post-mortem purification of the soul. He still found time, however, to embark upon several missionary journeys through Bali, Lombok and Sumbawa. During his travels he founded many temples, while the children of his several marriages, both in Java and in Bali, became the progenitors of important Brahman clans, whose descendants still rank among the most important Brahmana families in Bali today. Nirartha`s Temple Building Programme Between 1546 and 1550 Danghyang Nirartha traveled all over Bali, teaching as he went and founding temples along the way. The famous temple of Tanah Lot, in the former kingdom Tabana, is one such sanctuary. It is said that on one of Nirartha`s journeys round Bali, he chose to sleep at this unusual rocky outcrop on the shores of the Kingdom of Tabanan and later recommended that a temple be built there. A Passion for Padmasana As well as founding new temples, Danghyang Nirartha also encouraged the building of Padmasana at many of the existing temples he visited. These he dedicated to Ida Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa, the Supreme Being or Ultimate Godhead. The Padmasana at the Pura Taman Puleh, in Mas rests on top of a stone turtle, representing the mythical earth-supporting chelonian, Bedawang Nala. The two serpents coiled around the latter`s body are said to stand for man`s earthly needs. The last padmasana to be built by Danghyang Nirartha was at Pura Uluwatu on the western most tip of the built Peninsula, and it was here that he achieved his apotheosis, or liberartion (moksa), from the endless cycle of rebirth, to become one with the infinite.Monday, December 17, 2007
Understanding Bali
Bali is wali means offerings. It has very wide philosophical meaning.
It can be in the context of spiritual strength to be implemented by doing offerings to The Almighty God. That is why, Balinese people are unique with their tradition and culture in sacrificing their whole life with yajna (divine sacrifice). Creating harmony between God as a vertical relation and among human and its environment as a horizontal relation. We called it the three harmonies relation which caused the wealthy, tri hita karana.
Many aspects of Balinese life based on the tri hita karana concept. We can see from their housing structure, every house always has a shrine area, to show their respect to God and their ancestors. This is called Parahyangan mandala. It sites in the upper side of the housing area. Balinese Hindu believes that upper side or luwan is the holy place or head of the body. It is then kept and maintained holy. In the middle, Pawongan Mandala, resides human in the form of family. These housing area is fully habited by the member of the family. The house management is arranged by a rule called Asta Kosala Kosali, managed and ruled according to how much space the family has. Where should be the housing for elders, where should be the kitchen, ceremony area, house for the guests, etc. It is quite the same with Feng Shui in Chinese people.
In the lower part, or Palemahan Mandala, Balinese places green environment such as plantation and 'dirty' components such as wastes, garbages, warehouse, even pet cages or poultry.
The difference and diversity are respected by Balinese as long as they do not interfere the original culture and tradition of Balinese. They have a very high tolerance in religion. The concept of Rwa Bhineda and Tat Twan Asi are globally recognized as humanity and equality concepts. We differ in culture, tradition and religion but having the same rights as a human. Social life is to manage the people living in peace, harmonious, and wealthy.
It can be in the context of spiritual strength to be implemented by doing offerings to The Almighty God. That is why, Balinese people are unique with their tradition and culture in sacrificing their whole life with yajna (divine sacrifice). Creating harmony between God as a vertical relation and among human and its environment as a horizontal relation. We called it the three harmonies relation which caused the wealthy, tri hita karana.Many aspects of Balinese life based on the tri hita karana concept. We can see from their housing structure, every house always has a shrine area, to show their respect to God and their ancestors. This is called Parahyangan mandala. It sites in the upper side of the housing area. Balinese Hindu believes that upper side or luwan is the holy place or head of the body. It is then kept and maintained holy. In the middle, Pawongan Mandala, resides human in the form of family. These housing area is fully habited by the member of the family. The house management is arranged by a rule called Asta Kosala Kosali, managed and ruled according to how much space the family has. Where should be the housing for elders, where should be the kitchen, ceremony area, house for the guests, etc. It is quite the same with Feng Shui in Chinese people.
In the lower part, or Palemahan Mandala, Balinese places green environment such as plantation and 'dirty' components such as wastes, garbages, warehouse, even pet cages or poultry.
The difference and diversity are respected by Balinese as long as they do not interfere the original culture and tradition of Balinese. They have a very high tolerance in religion. The concept of Rwa Bhineda and Tat Twan Asi are globally recognized as humanity and equality concepts. We differ in culture, tradition and religion but having the same rights as a human. Social life is to manage the people living in peace, harmonious, and wealthy.
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