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Contemporary Indonesian Buddhism and Monotheism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 August 2009

Iem Brown
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Extract

The philosophical basis of the Indonesian state, first framed in 1945, is the Panca Sila or Five Principles. Since 1985 all political and social organizations including religious ones have had to subscribe to the Panca Sila as their sole philosophical principle (Azas Tunggal). The first of the Five Principles is belief in Tuhan Yang Maha Esa, normally, though not entirely satisfactorily, translated as the One Supreme God. The founders of the state had accepted this principle rather than a more specific statement of belief in the God of Islam, the religion of the majority of the people. Its formulation was clearly a compromise, aimed at stressing the importance of religion in the state, but avoiding declaring Islam as the state religion. As it stood, the principle was generally acceptable to followers of Islam, Christianity and Hinduism, and all religions which did acknowledge the existence of God, in one form or another.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Southeast Asian Studies , Volume 18 , Issue 1 , March 1987 , pp. 108 - 117
Copyright
Copyright © The National University of Singapore 1987

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References

A paper originally titled “Contemporary Indonesian Buddhist Responses to a Monotheistic Framing of Religion”, presented at the Asian Studies Association of Australia, Fifth National Conference,Adelaide University,13–19 May 1984Google Scholar. The author acknowledges the kindness of Dr Robert Cribb, who commented on the draft of this paper.

1 “Buddhism in Indonesia in the 1930's: The Beginnings of Revival”, paper presented at the Third National Conference ASAA,Brisbane,August 1980Google Scholar.

2 Interview with Betty Tjioe, who was studying in the Netherlands at the same time, Brisbane, January 1984.

3 Sang Pengasuh, 30 tahun Pengabdian Suci Y.A. Maha Nayaka Sthavira Ashin Jinarakkhita, n.p., n.d. (January, 1982), p. 39. Also personal interview, October 1981.

4 Star Weekly, 28 Feb. 1953.

5 The history of the pre-war Sam Kauw Hwee is being researched by M.v. Rees, an M.A. candidate from Melbourne University.

6 Tri Budaja 8 (09, 1954): 47Google Scholar.

7 For his travel plan for 1955 see his letter dated 30 November 1954 to Upasika Dayika (Mrs. Tjoa Hien Hoey?) in Tri Budaja 12 (01, 1955): 24Google Scholar. West Java in Jan. 1955, Central Java in Feb., East Java in March, continued to Makassar, in Sulawesi in April.

Head office of SKH: Jakarta (Mangga Besar), branches: Cileungsi, Tanggerang, Bogor, Ciampea, Cirebon, Bandung, Sukabumi, Cianjur, Krawang, Rangkasbitung, Cikarang, Bekasi, Purwakarta, Semarang, Magelang, Temanggung, Muntilan, Mojokerto, Makassar (now Ujung Pandang).

8 By the 1960's Perbuddhi had around 50 branches throughout the archipelago. On Bhikkhu Ashin Jinarakkhita, see Apa & Siapa (Jakarta: Grafiti Pers, 1981), p. 261Google Scholar. See also Willmott, D.E., The Chinese of Semarang (Ithaca: Cornell U.P., 1960), pp. 252–56Google Scholar. Also personal interview, October 1981.

9 Kats, J. (ed.), Sang Hyang Kamahayanikan (The Hague), n.p., 1910CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

10 I Sugriwa, Gusti, Sang Hyang Kamahayanikan (Denpasar: Pustaka Balimas, 1956)Google Scholar.

11 Dhammaviriya, , Ke Tuhanan dalam Agama Buddha (Bogor: PUUI, 1965)Google Scholar.

12 Ibid., p. 4.

13 Ibid., p. 5.

14 Ibid.

15 Jasmin, S. (ed.), Kitab Sutji Sanghyang Kamahayanikan (Djawa Tengah: Madjelis Pimpinan Daerah Perbuddhi, 1971)Google Scholar.

16 Ibid.

17 Dhammavadi, (comp.), Ke Tuhanan dalam Agama Buddha (Patjet: Buddharasmi, Vihara Nagasena, 1972)Google Scholar.

18 Ibid., pp. 12–13.

19 Kitab Suci Sanghyang Kamahayanikan (Jakarta: Departemen Agama, 1973)Google Scholar.

20 Ibid., p. 79.

21 As quoted in Risalah Hasil Penelitian Sekitar Masalah Adi Buddha (Bandung: Pengurus Cabang Budhi, 11 1975), p. 30Google Scholar.

22 Ibid.

23 Stutterheim, W.F., Studies in Indonesian Archaeology (The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, 1956), pp. 48 ffCrossRefGoogle Scholar.

24 Wirjosuparto, Sutjipto, Bunga Rampai Sedjarah Budaja Indonesia (Djakarta: Djambatan, 1964), p. 81Google Scholar. Kempers, A.J. Bernet, Ageless Borobudur (Wassenaar: Servire, 1976), pp. 168–70Google Scholar.

25 von Glasenapp, Helmut described Buddhism as non-theistic religion, Buddhism a Non-Theistic Religion (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1970)Google Scholar (General edition first published in 1956).

26 Interview, Medan, October 1981.

27 There are currently seven schools of Buddhism affiliated with the WALUBI (Perwalian Umat Buddha Indonesia — The Buddhist Council of Indonesia), they are: Theravada, Buddhayana, Mahayana, Tridharma, Kasogatan, Maitreya and Nichiren. However for the purpose of this debate on the issue of ke-Tuhanan Yang Maha Esa I have concentrated on the first two schools, i.e., the Theravada and the Buddhayana, as these are the schools which discussed this issue. My rough estimate of followers of Theravada is 1 million, Buddhayana ½ million, the total Buddhists in Indonesia approximately 2½ million, a big proportion is in the rural Central and East Java. Buddhism, in a way, has gained the numbers from the uncertain situation of Confucianism. Although Confucianism is officially recognized by the government (as Agama Konghucu), however it is not represented in the Department of Religious Affairs. The Maitreya and Nichiren schools are both recently developed sects and have gained followers in most big cities throughout the archipelago.