There are literally tens of thousands of temples and shrines on the island of Bali, a proliferation of religious architecture which probably is not equaled anywhere else in the world. Glimpsed through a screen of trees, or across a swathe of verdant rice fields, the Balinese temple seems almost to be a part of natural order of things. Closer the hand, the crumbling statuary convey a sense of considerable antiquity, while the astonishing sculptural repertoire of demonic masks, multi-limbed deities and lurid depictions of sexuality that confront the Western eye, conjure up an exotic other-ness of `lost` civilisations ans licentious natives-the `Mysterious East` of all good Orientalist fantasies.
But Balinese temple need not be quite so mysterious if one takes an informed look at the underlying logic which determines the layout of the sanctuary and the symbolic significance of individual structures in temple precincts.
Balinese Religion
The religion of Bali represents an eclectic blend of Hindu and Buddhist beliefs laid over a much older stratum of indigenous animism, and it is this combination of native and exotic influences which informs so much of Balinese life. The introduction of Indian religious beliefs to Southeast Asia began about the time of Christ and represents not so much a story of conquest and colonization as one of cultural assimilation which followed in the wake of burgeoning trade links with the subcontinent. In the case of Bali, bronze edicts, written in Old Balinese, testify to the existence of an Indian style court by the end of the 9th century, but Balinese Hinduism, as we know it today, owes more to East Javanese influences between the 14th and 16th centuries. The latter have subsequently been shaped by local traditions to create a singular form of Hinduism peculiar to the island.
Reincarnation and a Cosmic Order
Hinduism is founded on the assumption of a cosmic order which extends to every aspect of the universe right down to the very smallest particle. This organizing principle, or dharma, manifests itself in the persona of the gods, while demonic figures represent agents of disorder and chaos. As far as man is concerned he must try to conduct himself in a manner which is in keeping with his own personal dharma, the ultimate aim here being to gain liberation (moksa) from the endless cycle of reincarnation or rebirth to which he is otherwise destined. This objective can only be achieved by establishing a harmonious relationship with the rest of the universe, a beatific state which requires the subjugation of all worldly desires.
Microcosm and Macrocosm
Being in harmony with the rest of the universe requires, among other things, that one be correctly oriented in space. These ideas are represented, on the ground so to speak, in terms of local topographical features and the cardinal directions, which are attributed specific ritual and cosmological significations. In this respect, the island of Bali is conceived as a replica of the universe in miniature – a microcosm of the macrocosm.
Central to this scheme of things, is the idea of a tripartite universe consisting of an underworld (buhr), inhibited by demons and malevolent spirits; the world of men (buwah); and the heavens (swah), where the gods and deified ancestors reside. In Bali, the mountain are conceived as the holiest part of the island while the sea is cast as a region of impurity and malign influences; mankind is sandwiched in between, tending to his rice fields and visiting his temples to pay his obeisances to the gods and placate the forces of evil.
