The Department of Religion and Cross-Cultural Studies (CRCS) at the Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) held another Wednesday Forum with an engaging theme, “Negotiating the Hybrid Religious Identity of the Javanese Buddhist Community in Jatimulyo,” on Wednesday (October 6th) in Classroom 306 of the UGM Graduate School building. This discussion featured speaker Candra Dvi Jayanti from the Syailendra Buddhist College (STAB).
Candra shared her experiences as both a Buddhist and a Javanese, discussing how the people of Jatimulyo began practicing Buddhism and building their own Javanese Buddhist identity. Jatimulyo is a village located in Nanggulan District, Kulon Progo. The people of Jatimulyo still uphold and believe in the Kejawen tradition, a local Javanese spiritual belief. The history of Buddhism’s arrival in Jatimulyo began with Mbah Slamet, who taught the science of spiritual well-being from Banyuwangi. In the 1940s, Mbah Slamet spread this teaching to the people of Jatimulyo, encouraging them to embrace Buddhism.
Candra explained that the teachings of Mbah Slamet became a strong foundation and a cultural way of life for the people of Jatimulyo in her explanation. “The Buddhist community in Jatimulyo reconstructs Javanese religious practices as a space for adaptation and negotiation, such as the ruwahan ritual, which is called pattigana in Buddhism. Pattigana holds the meaning of prayer to commemorate and honor the deeds of ancestors,” Candra explained.
Candra also highlighted the discovery of a new tradition called Tribuana Manggala Bhakti, a concept of Javanese Buddhism in Jatimulyo. This tradition represents respect for the three elements of nature—water, light, and air. “The people of Jatimulyo in Kulon Progo are very close to nature, and according to them, to care for nature must be channeled through religion,” Candra said.
The importance of maintaining cultural diversity and equality in religious life was agreed upon as a social capital that will continue to enrich the identity of the people of Jatimulyo and surrounding areas. The discussion ended with the hope that the process of negotiating this hybrid religious identity could continue to develop and serve as an example for other regions in Indonesia, which also have rich cultural diversity.
Author: Asti Rahmaningrum