Reflecting on Kejawen: Javanese Esoteric Teachings in Indonesian National Development
Abstract
Kejawen as a concept of spirituality arose out of ancient Javanese society. Many Western scholars have used the term ‘Javanese mysticism’ to refer to Kejawen teachings, which focus on inward rather than outward religious expression and feeling. Kejawen teaching offers an esoteric understanding of religion and spirituality, one that seems to circulate mainly outside formal religious traditions. This paper demonstrates the significance of Kejawen teaching in spiritual, psychological, and social development in Indonesia, suggesting it has especial relevance to issues of peace and violence. Placing Kejawen in its context, this study shows that the national development in Indonesia after independence was influenced by the esoteric ideas of Kejawen, as portrayed in the national motto “unity in diversity”. This expression resembles the post-independence state ideology of Pancasila. Through analysis of key nationalist texts, themes linked to elements of Kejawen teachings are identified and analysed in this study. This is done by analysing key texts, including Soekarno’s independence speech, Pancasila, and other relevant materials from various available sources. The reader will find out more about the need for comprehensive symbolic and resource-based recognition of Kejawen teachings in Indonesian society.
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References
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Government Regulation No. 55 of 2007 concerning Religious Education
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Constitutional Court of the Republic of Indonesian, case No. 97/PUU-XIV/2016.
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Archer, Elizabeth. “Qualitative Data Analysis: A primer on core Approaches.” In Online Readings in Research Methods, edited by S. Kramer, A. Fynn, S. Laher, & H. Janse van Vuuren, 1–23. Johannesburg: Psychological Society of South Africa, 2018.
Chodjim, Achmad. Syekh Siti Jenar Makrifat dan Makna Kehidupan. Jakarta: Serambi, 2007.
Geertz, Clifford. The Religion of Java. Chicago: University Chicago Press, 1976.
Klosko, George. “Plato’s Political Philosophy.” In The Routledge Companion to Social and Political Philosophy, edited by Gerald Gaus and Fred D’Agostino, New York: Routledge, 2012.
Shashangka, Damar. Induk Ilmu Kejawen Wirid Hidayat Jati. Jakarta: Dolphin, 2014.
Sigmund, Paul. “Aquinas .“ In The Routledge Companion to Social and Political Philosophy, edited by Gerald Gaus and Fred D’Agostino, New York: Routledge, 2012.
Ter Haar, Gerrie. Religion and development, what's in two names: symposium on the 10th anniversary of the chair of religion and development. The Hague: International Institute of Social Studies, 2009.
Journal Article
Asmara, Andi. “Dimensi Alam Kehidupan dan Manunggaling Kawula¬gusti Dalam Serat Jatimurti.” Atavisme 16, no. 2 (2013): 154-167.
Chakim, Sulkhan. “Dakwah Islam dan Spiritualitas Kejawen,” Komunika: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi 1, no. 2 (2007): 262.
Harjosatoto, Suhartoyo. “Refleksi Metafisik Atas Pancasila.” Jurnal Filsafat 1, no. 1 (1996): 2-18.
Hidayatullah, Syarif. “Notonagoro dan Religiusitas Pancasila,” Jurnal Filsafat 16, no. 1 (2006): 34-41.
Hilmy, Masdar. “Towards a Religiously Hybrid Identity? The Changing Face of Javanese Islam,” Journal of Indonesian Islam 12, no.1 (2018): 45-68. http://doi.org/10.15642/JIIS.2018.12.1.45-68
Kasdi, Abdurrohman. “Islamic Dialectics and Culture in Establishing Islam Nusantara Paradigm: Variety Model of Islam Nusantara for Indonesia.” Addin 12, no. 2 (2018): 299-324. http://dx.doi.org/10.21043/addin.v12i2.4537
Kurtz, Lester. “Politics of Heresy.” America Journal of Sociology 88, no. 6 (1983): 1085-1115
Lubis, Dahlia. “Religious Education for Aliran Kebatinan Community in Contemporary Indonesia.” Journal of Social Studies Education Research 10, no. 2 (2019): 270-289.
Naim, Ngainun. “Islam dan Pancasila Rekonstruksi Pemikiran Nurcholis Madjid,” Epistemé: Jurnal Pengembangan Ilmu Keislaman 10, no. 2 (2015):436-456. https://doi.org/10.21274/epis.2015.10.2.435-456
Mudhofir, Ali. “Pancasila Sebagai Sistem Kefilsafatan.” Jurnal Filsafat 1, no. 1 (1996): 9-13.
Pranarka, A.M.W. “Epistemologi Pancasila,” Jurnal Filsafat 26 (1996): 14-22.
Salim, Agus. “Javanese religion, Islam or syncretism: comparing Woodward’s Islam in Java and Beatty’s Varieties of Javanese Religion,” Indonesian Journal of Islam and Muslim Societies 3, no. 2 (2013): 223-266.
Sastrapratedja. M. “Filsafat Pancasila Dalam Kehidupan Bangsa,” Jurnal Filsafat 26 (1996): 23-30.
Soeprapto, Sri. “Konsep Muhammad Hatta Tentang Implementasi Pancasila Dalam Perspektif Etika Pancasila,” Jurnal Filsafat 23, no. 2 (2013): 100-116. https://doi.org/10.22146/jf.13194
Sudarsono, Yuwono. “Pokok-Pokok Pikiran Penjabaran Hak Azasi Berdasarkan Pancasila,” Jurnal Filsafat 1, no. 1 (1992): 21-22. https://doi.org/10.22146/jf.31465
Sudharmono. “Pancasila Sebagai Ideologi Terbuka,” Jurnal Filsafat 22 (1995): 1-10. https://doi.org/10.22146/jf.31576
Sudjito, Hendro Muhaimin, and Agung Saras Sri Widodo, “Pancasila and Radicalism: Pancasila Enculturation Strategies as Radical Movement Preventions.” Jurnal Dinamika Hukum 18, no. 1 (2018): 69-77. http://dx.doi.org/10.20884/1.jdh.2018.18.1.1686
Susilo, Sulistiyono and Ibnu Satyo. “Common Identity Framework of Cultural Knowledge and Practices of Javanese Islam,” Indonesian Journal of Islam and Muslim Societies 6, no. 2 (2016): 161-184. https://doi.org/10.18326/ijims.v6i2.161-184
Firro, Tarik. “The Political Context of Early Wahhabi Discourse of Takfir.” Middle Eastern Studies 49, no. 5 (2013): 770-789. https://doi.org/10.1080/00263206.2013.811648
Vatter, Miguel. “Esoteric Writing between Mysticism and Science,” Perspectives on Political Science.” Routledge 44, no. 3 (2015): 183-186. https://doi.org/10.1080/10457097.2015.1038464
Weatherbee, Donald. “Indonesia: The Pancasila State,” Southeast Asian Affairs (1985): 133-151. https://doi.org/10.1355/9789812306753-011
Woodward, Mark et al., “Getting culture: a new path for Indonesia’s Islamist Justice and Prosperity party?.” Contemporary Islam 7, no. 2 (2013): 173-189. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11562-012-0187-x
Saraswati, Retno “Problematika Hukum Undang-Undang No.12 Tahun 2011 tentang Pembentukan Peraturan Perundang-Undangan.” Jurnal Yustisia 2, no. 3 (2013): 97-103. https://doi.org/10.20961/yustisia.v2i3.10164
Legal Documents (Law and Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia)
The 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia
Law No. 20 of 2003 concerning National Education System
Law No. 11 of 2005 concerning Ratification of International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights
Law No. 24 of 2009 concerning National Flag, Language, Emblem, and Anthem
Government Regulation No. 55 of 2007 concerning Religious Education
Presidential Decree No. 1/PNPS/1965 concerning the Prevention of Abuse and/or Blasphemy of Religion
Case Law
Constitutional Court of the Republic of Indonesian, case No. 97/PUU-XIV/2016.
Website Contents
BBC News, “Jakarta governor Ahok found guilty of blasphemy,” https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-39853280.
Eanisme TV, “Mahasiswa S2 Belanda Bertanya Serius Pada Mbah Harjo,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vuXTebmOxM&ab_channel=eanismeTV .
Krishnamurti, J. – Official Channel, “The art of listening, seeing and learning,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ke32Z2KkS6w.
Kompas.com, “Cerita Para Pengajar Penghayat Kepercayaan, Mengajar Tanpa Bayaran: Paling Utama Regenerasi,” https://regional.kompas.com/read/2020/06/21/05450051/cerita-para-pengajar-penghayat-kepercayaan-mengajar-tanpa-bayaran--paling?page=all.
NUOnline, “Kang Said: NU Tidak Radikal, Bukan Pula Liberal,” https://www.nu.or.id/post/read/27923/kang-said-nu-tidak-radikal-bukan-pula-liberal.
Published
2021-07-31
How to Cite
WASISTO, Muhammad Adiz.
Reflecting on Kejawen: Javanese Esoteric Teachings in Indonesian National Development.
Udayana Journal of Law and Culture, [S.l.], v. 5, n. 2, p. 96-118, july 2021.
ISSN 2549-0680.
Available at: <https://ojs.unud.ac.id/index.php/ujlc/article/view/71365>. Date accessed: 26 apr. 2024.
doi: https://doi.org/10.24843/UJLC.2021.v05.i02.p01.
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