|
“The sun of wisdom has set, the
moonlight has become vague, mountain and river also seem faded,
biksu-biksuni and upasaka-upasika are all mourning.”
Jakarta -- The
late Bhante Ashin passed into Nibbanic Bliss on Thursday 18 April 2002
in Pluit Hospital, North Jakarta, and was rested in Ekayana Buddhist
Centre, Duri Kepa, West Jakarta. Since then, hundreds and thousands of
Buddhists from different places went there to pay last homage to the
late Bhante Ashin. Flowers were arranged around the deceased who was
sat in a perfect samadhi posture. The coffin was specially designed
for this particular posture.
Besides Buddhists,
there were also many high-ranked officers and spiritual leaders who
attended the funeral. Among them were: vice-president Mr. Hamzah Haz,
ex-president Mr. Abdurrahman Wahid, Cardinal Leo Suryaatmaja, and
president of MUI/Rois A’am of PBNU Kyai Sahal Mahfudz. Minister of
Religion, Mr. Said Aqil Husin Al Munawar hosted the final deliverance
service for the departure of Bhante Ashin’s cortège for cremation. The
remains of late Bhante Ashin was cremated at Bodhisattva Foundation
Crematorium, Lempasing, Lampung last Sunday (28/4). There were
thousands of relics found in the ashes from the cremation. On Tuesday
(30/4), the ashes and relics were brought back to Sakyavanaram Temple
at Cipendawa Cliff, Pacet, Cianjur, West Java, where Bhante Ashin used
to live when he was alive.
Spiritual Leader –
Intellectual
The late Bhante Ashin
was born in Bogor, West Java on 23 January 1923. He was a spiritual
leader with intellect insight and good organization skill. Since
youth, he had shown his ascetic attitude. In order to help his parent,
he worked as a lopper. He used to share his snack from his hard-earned
money with his playmates. After graduated from primary school in Bogor,
he furthered his study at PHS and HBS B (high school) in Jakarta. Then
he proceeded to THS Bandung (ITB now), which he didn’t finish because
Japan invaded Indonesia. Eventually, in 1946 he furthered his study to
Netherlands, where he studied his favorite science, chemistry, at
Falkuteit Wis en Naturkunde in Universiteit Gronigen.
Since youth, he was
always fascinated by both modern and old philosophy. In Gronigen,
besides taking formal courses, he also learnt philosophy from Prof.
Poleesner, Sankrit and Pali from Dr. Van der Leeuw. During three years
time, he took spiritual courses from Dr. J.E.v.d. Stok, an emeritus
professor of Landbouw Hogeschool Wageningen.
After he returned
from Netherlands, he became teacher in several secondary schools in
Jakarta. However, the fascination of non-mundane life motivated him to
become an anagarika. As the president of Indonesian Sam Kauw Union as
well as the vice-president of the central committee of Indonesian
Theosophy Youth, on 22 May 1953 he organized the first national
celebration of Vesak Day in Borobudur Temple, Central Java. After the
celebration, on 29 July 1953, in coincide with the celebration of
Avalokitesvara Enlightenment Day, he proceeded his holy life by
becoming sramanera (novice monk) by the name of Ti Zheng. The
ordination ceremony was done in Mahayana way by Venerable Mahabiksu
Ben Qing Lau He Shang at Guang Hua Si Temple in Jakarta.
In 1954 he heeded his
first guru's, Ven. Ben Qing, advice and went to Burma (Myanmar now) to
learn more about Buddhism. It was then and there he received full
ordination (upasampada) and became a bhikkhu under guidance of
spiritual Guru (upajjhaya) Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw. It was the Guru who
gave him the name Jinarakkhita that mean “victor in protecting
Buddha’s teaching”.
Integrator
In the history of
Indonesian Buddhism, he was the founder of Sangha Suci Indonesia (The
Holy Sangha Of Indonesia) which developed into Sangha Agung Indonesia
(The Supreme Sangha of Indonesia) now and PUUI (Indonesian Fellowship
of Upasaka-Upasika) in 1954 which developed into MBI (Indonesia
Buddhayana Council) now. MBI is the largest Buddhist organization in
Indonesia with branches in 24 provinces.
He was known for his
speech “The true experience is very different for Indonesian to choose
which tradition to follow, whether it is Theravada, Mahayana, or
Vajrayana. It depends on individual tendency”. His knowledge about
various schools and practices in Buddhism allowed him to guide
followers from different background.
It’s not surprising
if Buddhism followers said, “Dharma has lost a support, human and
heavenly beings are all in grief.”
(Translated from
Indonesian by Chen Zi Hao) |
