Reflecting on real source of present day upheavals

By Rusdi Rukmarata

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Buddhists join their brethren around the world tomorrow in marking the enlightenment of Buddha.

Hopefully, the Buddhist faithful of this country -- one percent of a population of 200 million people -- will use the day to contemplate recent events in the country.

The election campaign, which some say has been the most violent ever, is nearing conclusion. Its violence reminds one of the ethnic and religious tensions which surfaced in destructive riots last year.

In Rengasdengklok in West Java, places of worship, including a Buddhist temple, were burned down last year. At Sanggau Ledo ethnic clashes erupted among people of different faiths. These incidents are more than adequate to warrant introspection, especially by religious leaders.

Yet the root of the riots does not lie in differences in religion. If this were so, Indonesia would have crumbled long ago.

One of the problems is that religious leaders tend to equate "having a religion" with identity rather than an actual profession of faith.

Within Buddhism, the ability to measure the level of faith of members is still inadequate. This is important because we can nurture devotion of an adherent if we can ascertain the level of their faith.

We can assess whether a member actually practices maitri karuna (removing another person's suffering and giving him happiness). But we have a tendency to consider somebody a believer merely by the official notation on an identity card, and to think of a community as believers by their regular attendance at places of worship. We do not give serious thought to whether members actually practice religious teachings, even though quality of faith is most important for believers of any religion.

From one perspective, last year's riots could be likened to a building being gutted by fire with no fire extinguishers available. There were no preventive measures in place.

The question is why. Part of the answer is cultural. The practice of Asal Bapak Senang (literally "As Long as Sir is Happy" and commonly known by its acronym ABS) is pervasive, including in religious circles, of reporting only positive matters to superiors.

A religious leader will invariably reply that all is well when asked about the status of his flock.

This aspect of our culture cannot be ascribed to legacies of feudalism. Reliefs on the Borobudur temple attest to a different time.

Buried at the bottom of the foot of the temple are the Karmawibhangga engravings depicting the king, religious leaders and other prominent members of society. These do not gloss over human shortcomings nor detract from their superiority.

In this 1,200 years old monument in which our nation takes pride, an honest depiction of society is presented. There are engravings of abortion, devastation of forests by business interests, abuse of power by high officials, corruption and drug addiction. But there are also the generous, the religious community in prayer, the king and his subjects enjoying an art performance and Buddhist priests in amiable conversation with Hindu ascetics.

It was the diversity of ethnic groups, religions, races and groups which was the strength of the people at the time. An open culture, honest and generous in accepting their own and others' foibles and strengths, formed the society. Togetherness was the Indonesian people's way of life.

Buddha himself came to the world to wipe out hypocrisy, the superficiality of the ABS culture and discrimination. It rests with the Buddhist religious leaders whether they seriously wish to nurture the faith of the religious community.

Last year's riots stemming from rupturing of differences in ethnicity, religion, race and communal group (popularly known as SARA) should be the cue for Buddhists to reflect and contemplate.

Today people tend to put blame on a third party. If one always blames others in matters like abuse of power, reckless lifestyles of young people or the influence of a foreign culture, a solution to the problems is hard to find. If rioters can only protest and complain, precious time to solve the problems is lost while the issues fester.

The riots were also caused by a communication gap. Each side claims to be the sole bearer of truth, and prejudice exacerbates matters. Parents believe the youth is rebellious, anti- establishment, influenced by foreign culture and averse to hard work. Youngsters in turn view their parents as authoritarian, rigid defenders of the status quo and undemocratic.

Religious leaders are not exempt from the responsibility of counseling members who harbor prejudice. Buddhist leaders must go deeper into the source of the problems to find a solution. Buddha left his ancestral palace and led an ascetic life because he saw and felt the sufferings of the people.

Buddha predicted the souls of people would be disturbed in his own and future societies. As was true in Buddha's day, selfish individualism and materialism continue to be the reasons for this spiritual turmoil.

The writer is a Buddhist priest.