Balinese Culture

Brahma - The Creator

Shiwa - The Transformer

Wisnu - The Preserver

God, religion, spirituality, ceremonies, life, art … in fact everything … are inseparable and are all part of the same thing. In Bali you will see daily ceremonies and offerings on street corners, outside houses and offices, at busy junctions, at temples, in gardens, for trees, for statues, for mechanical objects, for books and learning.  It is an unending series of ritual from birth to death resulting in an extremely vibrant and colourful society that any visitor to the island simply can not ignore.

There are three spiritual guides that the Balinese follow, based on Hinduism.  These are: Tattwa (philosophy), Susila (ethic or moral codes) and Upacara (rituals).

• TATTWA (Philosophy)
  Tattwa is about Panca Crada, the five principles or Cradas which are the belief of:
  • Brahman: belief in The One and Supreme God or in Hindu Balinese known as Ida Sang Hyang Widdhi Wasa.
  • Atman: The Soul.
  • Samsara: Reincarnation.
  • Karma: The law of cause and effect.
  • Moksha: Unity with God (Nirvana).
    
    
• SUSILA (Moral Codes)
  Susila is a moral code exemplified through three types of behaviour known as Trikaya Parisuda:
  
  
  • Positive thinking
  • Positive talking
  • Positive action

Related to these moral codes is the concept of Tat Twam Asi, freely translated as "I am you and you are me", which controls and prevents intentional bad behaviour.

• UPACARA (Rituals)
  Upacara are religious ceremonies and rituals classified into five groups:
  
  
  • Dewa Yadnya: Rites related to worship God, the gods and mainly temple festivals.
  • Rsi Yadnya: Rites related to prophets, priests or the priesthood.
  • Pitra Yadnya: Rites related to death.
  • Manusa Yadnya: Rites related to human beings.
  • Buta Yadnya: Sacrifices to placate the negative or demonic forces that surround us (Butas).

These result in semi annual or annual temple festivals, ordination rites, life cycle rites, funeral and cremation rites.