Reflecting on real source of present day upheavals

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.