Saturday, April 17, 2010

Dalam Kenangan Abadi

Mbah Sartono
08/1937 - 04/2008

I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the memory of a most honored elder as we near the anniversary of his passing, Mbah Sulieman Sartono. I was blessed to meet him in Central Java in the fall of 2000, and was most fortunate to be able to accompany him on an eventful pilgrimage to several holy sites in Mataram (along with Mas Martin Lubis, Mas Agus Hiriyadi, and Mas Gus Fud). There in Central Java, Mbah Sartono gave me a gift that I will “carry within” for as long as I live. After I returned to the United States, we continued a long correspondence via mail. I’m thinking one day it might be a good idea to publish some of the wisdom that came through those letters (that is if my friend 'Kancil' will help me with some translation).


Mbah Sartono was wise, kind, and soft-spoken, with sincere Javanese nobility. He was a man of keen perception, with the ability to fathom secrets beyond our physical world. He was well known as an expert in the traditional Javanese spiritual disciplines. Even now, so many years later I often find myself listening to the recordings I made of his melodious voice reciting prayers, stories, and history in old Javanese.


I made a promise to his family that I would always remember this great man - and indeed – his memory inspires me until today.


SANGKAN PARANING DUMADI

5 comments:

"Adi" said...

What does the phrase at the end mean?

My people say "Eat well in this world...we do not know if there is eating well in the next world. Do well in this world...we do not know if there is doing well in the next world."

guro jeff davidson said...

Hi Adi,

I will ask my brother Kancil to come and explain the last phrase. He can do it better than me.

Finding The Path said...

I find this particular post, one of honor and inspiration, a fine read.

Thanks for sharing your memories of this fine man.

guro jeff davidson said...

This is from my Brother Kancil:

SANGKAN PARANING DUMADI
which refers to "the origin and final destination of all man".

We were sent by the Creator to fulfill our purpose in this earth and thus shall we return to the Creator.

In other words, we can also say that a man's life revolves around the Creator, the unseen spirit who controls the world, the "sangkan paran", or which we call God.
This life is only a temporary place where we have to learn as much as possible about the wisdom in life, to live a perfect natural life in order to prepare ourselves
for the next life.

We are obliged to study so that our lives become perfect and able to leave the natural world into a perfect death as well.

PGL_WEDnesdy said...

thank you for translating ka kancil. pearl of wisdom, if people can believe that life is a gift and be used to acquire wisdom and prepare for next life , i am sure they develop a true respect for human life.
a respect for life can avoid these sense less crimes that are happening around us.