RELIGION & COSTOMS
Hindu religion or Hindu Dharma is help by almost 95% of the populations . Its teaching is to reach peace and a harmony of live guided by the Wedas as Holy Sciptures. Hindu Dharma is a special blend of Hinduism, Budhism, and ancestor worship that has been flourishing over century. They believe in One Supreme God called : Ida Sanghyang Widhi Wasa, with His three manifestations known as : Trisakti, that is : brahma, the Creator, Wisnu the Preserve, and Shiwa the transformer.
Religion is inseparable from the everyday life , from the simple daily rituals to the lavishly semi annually temple festivals. No opportunity is lost to worship God in an unending series of ceremonies that stretches from bird up to after death of the people.
There are three things guiding the spiritual life of the Hindu Balinese people which are :
Tatwa ( philosophy )
Susila ( etiquette / moral codes )
Upacara ( rituals)
Tatwa tells about the Panca crada, the five principle beliefs or cradas which are belief in the existence of :
Brahma : the God head
Atman : The soul
Samsara : reincamation
Karma : the law of cause and effect
Moksha : unity with God / nirwana
Susila , moral codes , put emphasis on three things e.g. :
Positive thinking
Positive talking
Positive action
Known locally as " Trikaya Parisuda " . Related to those moral codes also can be mentioned " Tat Wam Asi ", freely translated into " I am you" or " You are me " which controls and prevents somebody from commiting ( intentional ) wrongdoings.
Upacara , are those religions ceremonies classified into five classification e.g.:
Dewa Yadnya : Ceremonies related to the worship of God.
Rsi Yadnya : related to the prophet, priests, or priest hood
Pitra Yadnya : related to the dead
Manusa Yadnya : ceremonies for human beings
Buta Yadnya : sacrifices to placate the negative (Butas)
As the out - come of the Tattwa among others you can see a lot of temples dedicated to Brahman, God the almighty, and temple dedicated to the ancestors, the souls of the dead relatives. The belief in Samsara creates the opinion that having children is important to give possibility for the soul to reincarnate. Family planning is successful in Bali because there is also a set of rules spiritually controlling the bird of too many children . That is in the "duties of parents" which includes the necessity to look after children well which parent cannot do if they have too many.
Karma law prevents people from doing bad needs because such things will result in negative effect to the doer. While belief in Moksha suggest positive attitude that eventually every body or every soul , after series reincarnations will be able to join the origin, the God head.
Susila prescribes good behaviors and attitudes which are vital in social life, unless one is able to control himself and manage life specially in Balinese societhy where " mental torture" is one of the most feared ,a kind of social punishment, like being declared socially dead an ignored. Upacara manifests it self in innumerable ceremonies , such as the semi annual or annual temple festivals, ordination ceremonies ,cremation, toots filing and wedding ceremonies and sacrifices. An example of such sacrifices is done yearly the day before "Nyepi " , New Year.
Another philosophy of the Balinese is the " Tri Hita Karana " or the three prosperity / happiness supporting clements in the form of harmonious relationship between :
Mand and God
Man and Man
Man and Environment
Man- God relationship can clearly be seen in the religious attitude of the Balinese Hindu people .The religion is not only absorbed though the philosophy but also by actions in the way they make all sort of offerings. It is also obvious in their devotions.
Man - Man relationship is regulated by the Awig -Awig or Adat, traditional laws ,both in written or non written forms.
Man - Environment relation, in common practices, can be seen among others in the traditional calendar. There are "good days" and " bad day". The "Tumpek days" are the days of worship and respect.
For instance :"Tumpek Uduh" is the day when the Balinese people make offerings for trees.
"Tumpek kandang" for animals, and "Tumpek Landep" to respect pointed things like lances, daggers, krises, also for metal articles as gamelan orchestra instruments and recently this metal things also cover motor bikes cars etc. So, if you see cars are ceremonially decorated on a Saturday, that is sure to be a "Tumpek Landep) day.
Tumpek Wayang is for performing asts peshap it carbe said that Tumpeks Suggesb fles Man depends on his thers contess in the sense of his sources of food, fools ad ento fainness so he musk rosspect and treas flose well.
The Environmental to boo days or rather weeks are known as the "Ingkels' which come in turns every year. There are :
Ingkle wong to boo for disrespect to human
Ingkle sato to animals
Ingkle mina to fishes
Ingkle manuk to birds
Ingkle taru to trees
Ingkle buku to canes : bamboo , sugar canes
In short , the Tattwa Susila , Upacara , Tat Wam Asi , Tri Hita Karana are some of the philosophies directing the Balinese in their day to day life. The teachings are given through traditional ways. It is likely that Balinese dot not know the philosophies by ' names' bu they observe them all same.
Those philosophies when properly observe will create an individual who is religious , friendly and has respect toward his follow man and his environment. His object of life is to achieve a balance between material and spiritual life. The ultimate goal is religious purity : Moksha, The Balinese are after this goal.
When meeting Balinese , the formal greeting is done by clasping the palms of your hands , place them in front of your chest , the finger tips under the chain , and say : Om Swasti Astu ( Praying for safety and health). When you leave say : Om Cantih , Cantih, Cantih ( peace , peace , peace).