Not Just Hindu-Buddha? Unload How Religious Struggling Is In The Real Tarumanegara Kingdom!

YOGYAKARTA - Many are curious about how the religious style that is held in the Tarumanegara Kingdom affects ancient Javanese civilization. This kingdom left a number of important inscriptions that became the main clue.

In-depth research shows a unique combination of beliefs. Let's explore historical and archaeological evidence that reveals religious synkretism in Tarumanegara.

The following VOI embeds several important points related to religion during the Tarumanegara Kingdom, based on two main sources, namely; archaeological findings of the Batujaya Complex that indicate the presence of Hinduism and Buddhism by Arip Munawir, and the Language and Literature Education Journal, Volume 23 Issue 2, October 2023.

Tarumanegara's religious character is known to be dominated by Hinduism, especially the Waisnawa sect (Dewa Wisnu singer), especially among the palaces. The strongest evidence comes from a relic in the form of five Palawa characters and Sanskrit.

Well, based on historical records, the official religion in the early days of the Tarumanegara Kingdom (at least what the king adhered to) was Weda Religion which later developed into Hinduism. This is reinforced by the use of the title of king which ended warman (such as Purnawarman).

Then there is the most iconic evidence, namely the Ciaruteun Inscription. The footprints of King Purnawarman on this inscription are likened to the feet of Dewa Wisnu, who shows his praise for the god guarding the universe.

In addition, there is the Tugu inscription which mentions the prize of 1,000 cows to the Brahmins, underlining the important role of Hindu religious caste in the kingdom.

Interestingly, the origin of the name kingdom also leads to the spiritual aspect of Hinduism. The word 'tarum' (main river name, Citarum) comes from the Sanskrit 'taru' (tree) language.

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Later, the 'tarum' is defined as 'which is like a tree,' which is a theological conception and spirituality during the Hindu-Buddha period.

This kind of concept then refers to God or Dharma as a basis for hope, asserting that the foundation of the kingdom is Sanata Dharma or Hindu.

Although Hindus are dominant in the center of the kingdom, Buddhistism has also been present and developed in the Tarumanegara region.

This theory is based on the oldest Chinese news that records the Tarumanegara Kingdom submitted by Fa Shien in 414 AD. He said that Ye-poti (Java Dwipa/Taruma) was very few Buddhists, but many Brahmans were found.

This fact shows that in the 5th century AD, Buddhism was indeed a minority religion. However, archaeological findings at the Batujaya Temple Complex on the northern coast of West Java changed this view.

Research in Batujaya has found many temple, pool, and vitive tablets structures that clearly characterize the influence of Buddhism.

It is estimated that the first phase of Batujaya's construction ( 6th to 7th century AD) occurred during the Tarumanegara Kingdom, which indicated the region may be one of the important Buddhist religious centers.

So, what about the religious style held in the Tarumanegara Kingdom? The answer is a synkretism, namely the combination of three elements: Hinduism (dominant in the palace), Buddhism (growing rapidly in coastal areas such as Batujaya), and local beliefs (animism and dynamicism) that are not completely lost.

Thus, Tarumanegara's religious style is inclusive and adaptive. Where the king upholds Hinduism as the basis of the state, while providing space for Buddhist development.

Interestingly, this combination is an important legacy that affects the kingdoms of Sundanese and Java after that, forming the foundation of a pluralistic Nusantara religious culture.

In conclusion, how the religious styles held in the tarumanegara kingdom are the combination of Hindu Waisnawa, coastal Buddhists, and local beliefs. This inclusiveness forms an adaptive spiritual foundation for ancient Javanese civilizations.