|
|
 Pangastuti Pangastuti means to worship Gusti, it is a classical Javanese refined word, its synonims oftenly used in daily life are sembah, sujud or memuji. Pangastuti might be said as the most important essence of Kejawen. Its place is in the middle of the heart, in the true feeling, in the inner self. Hereunder is a concise spiritual analysis of Pangastuti: If you are aware of the existence of God/Gusti and you believe in God and you know God. You should not be worried, be firm at your belief. By looking at the creatures - the servants of God, the human-beings witness the existence of God and they call Him, God. Only wise human through his/her true feeling, deep in heart can feel the reality of Gusti. If you search Gusti, find Gusti through your true feeling (roso sejati), now it can be understood when some wise Javanese say: The unity between servant and master (manunggaling kawulo Gusti). It is merely a parable, the truth is: Gusti is Gusti and Kawulo is Kawulo. But a wise person with true feeling should be in state of harmonious relations with Gusti. He should know everything by the permit from Gusti and his true wishes should be fulfilled by Gusti. Of course the wishes are good and correct ones to glorify the name of Gusti and for the benefit of all mankind, to 'mamayu hayuning bawono' (see related article) In the contrary, evil wishes, bad deeds, dishonesty which are harmful to mankind should never be permitted and fulfilled by Gusti. It is a mistake which must be avoided at all cost. Those who dare to make mistakes consciously, they should have to pay for their own action, one day, sometimes in the future or in the 'after life'. The punishment is due to their own mistakes, bad conduct. Gusti is just and knows everything. Who should be able to use true feeling in order to be in harmonious relation with Gusti? Those having holy hearts who wish to see the reality of life (Kasunyatan). They could be young and old people, men and women, people with low income as well as people with high positions. There is no different. That's why all strata of people should live in harmony (rukun). There is no different between small people with rich people in front of Gusti. The difference between low and high ranking people, common people and people with blue blood are only a worldly rule made by human. For sure, everybody has to follow etiquettes. For those who know true knowledge (ngelmu sejati) and in a state of harmonious relation with Gusti, 'low class' human and 'high class' human is measured by the holiness of heart. Someone is rich and has high position and power, but he/she is dishonest and has bad conduct, he/she belong to the 'low class'. In the contrary, a small people, poor but has sincerity, good heart, he/she belong to the 'high class', in front of Gusti. So, that's why, a wise people, although he/she is materially poor, he/she is always grateful to Gusti. While you live in this world do not always follow the life of body, budi (thinking) and lust. Because the lives of body, budi and lust are not eternal. When the body does not exist anymore (dead), the lives of body, budy and lust also disappeared. It is wise, if you love the life of soul, life in true feeling (urip ing roso jati), life of light (cahyo) and life of atma (place of life) which are eternal. Love all human-beings and other living-beings in this world because all of them receive life from Gusti, same as your physical body. When you are suffering, you must be aware that it is the result of your own deed. You don't need to complain about it. Put aside the various bad feelings you have, do not take them into your heart. Keep in your deepest mind that it is only a trial to your physical body. Have a confidence this is a test to move you to upper level of life i.e. to perfect life (kasampurnan). Most people should do anything to end the suffering. But for those who are aware of true life (urip sejati), the proper solution is to find out the cause of the suffering. If the cause is discovered, then avoid doing mistakes, so you should not suffer. The way to perfect life, is not enough by only mastering knowledge with your brain. You need true feeling (roso sejati) through regular exercises, based upon good morality, good conduct and holy heart. The above spiritual exercises can not be avoided to achieve true knowledge, otherwise you would have knowledge which make your life in the darkness, you would be easily boasting (sesongaran), you should be far away from true life.
A worldly wish of having a good life measured by material wealth A wish of having a good high position. Although you have 'drajad', sometimes you are worried, you don't have peaceful heart. It means, it is not a true wish. This is reality, a true perfectness. When you reach 'kasunyatan'your life is perfect, your life is unseparable with the source of life, Gusti, God the Almighty. Who can bring you to kasunyatan? Your true life! Watch your physical body, command it to be in better and better path by avoiding evil wishes and deeds. Command your thinking and mind to have only good and correct wishes, avoid bad temptations. When you are entirely ready, physically and spiritually, do spiritual exercises. Your body is calm (Heneng), your mind is clean, concentrate thoroughly (Hening), in holiness request a guidance from Gusti, All-loving God. You are meditating by adjusting your breathing peacefully. Calmly, regularly. Be comfortable until you feel in a state of silent peace. When you are in the correct true path, your true life could show you the way, so you should reach true perfectness (kasampurnan sejati) i.e. kasunyatan (reality). The Javanese old men say: "To live as human is easy and difficult". Easy, if the light of true life has dimmed the light of physical body. Difficult, if the light of true life is faded by the light of physical body. The right of life is only one i.e. you are able to unite your life with your true life - the eternal life, which is now imprisoned in your physical body. This is your true duty! A big obstacle in searching perfectness is if you can't control your desire, you can't erase completely your desire as there is no living human without desire. But you should use your desire in positive way. You should be determined to conquer your desire wishing only to please your physical body. After your desire surrenders i.e. could not tempt you anymore, take care well your physical body because physical body is a useful tool to reach your goal of perfect life. You have to reach perfect life when your physical body is still healthy, in good condition otherwise you would be late. The most noble goal is to perfect your life before your physical body is damaged. Where does your life come from? Definitely it comes from holy life. So, it's clear. It is your duty to find a proper way, to return life to where it belong. But do not search a way to die, that's wrong. Instead, find a proper spiritual efforts (laku batin) now, not tomorrow, so you have a true feeling in eternal life (urip langgeng) you are not worried of 'sadness' and 'gladness', you are not worried of any situation you encounter. You should have a true feeling: to live together with the Creator of life, whose gives you life. You should always remember, that your life is eternal, you don't begin and you don't stop it. Once again, always remember until the moment comes: I live. Don't worry about it. Because if you are still worried by having feeling of sad, glad, afraid, regret, joyful etc, it indicates that you do not live, it's the life of your physical body's lusts. Your life does not need that kind of things. Your life needs to be united with eternal life, there is no change (tan owah gingsir) From true knowledge (kawruh sejati) point of view, when a human dies, it means the rough body dies, but life lives. That's why, do not be afraid 'to die' and do not be sad if some of your families die. Have confidence that they live with eternal life, because life never dies. There is no one in the world who can bring you to kasunyatan (perfect life), not even a saint nor a great Guru, except you-yourself guided by your Guru Sejati (True Guru) in your true feeling. The human lives in the world is the wish of Gusti. You should be always grateful and worship (mangastuti) only to Gusti, God the Almighty. Suryo S. Negoro |
|
