History and philosophy of Javanese alphabet

Here we will discuss about the philosophical meaning of Javanese alphabet are containing the secret of human life intrinsically of humiliation phase towards perfection. And also about the history of the birth of one corner of the Javanese alphabet as discourse discussion and knowledge.

History and philosophy of Javanese alphabet

The history of the birth Javanese alphabet.

Of the many articles that discuss the history of Javanese alphabet, many of them have been mentioned about the history of the birth of Javanese alphabet Ho-No-Co-Ro-Ko otherwise known as Carakan, while meaning that they mention are not separated from piece of the story of the birth of the Javanese alphabet, is the story of a knight named Aji Saka.

And there is mention century occurrence of such cases around the 4th century masehi, but there is also mention of a different, possibly because of differences in historical research and assumptions about the birth of this Javanese alphabet. Let's review a bit about the history of the birth of Javanese alphabet.

Hindu Buddhist period

There are mentioned that the Javanese alphabet is the Abugida script is derived from Brahmi, or mentioned came from the south Indian region, and one of the script that come from that area it is the Pallawa script.

which comes from a kingdom called Pallawa around the century-4M. And historians said that this Pallawa letter is the parent of all the letters in Java. However, from the shape of the Pallava letters are rectangular (Box head or square head-mark), which is very similar to the letter ho-no-co-ro-ko or letter Carakan.

And the letters Pallawa probably develop according to literary developments from time to time and is influenced by factors of power, religious, social, political and cultural.

Historical evidence that use letters Pallawa that Yupa inscription found in Kutai, East Kalimantan. And also Taruma inscriptions of the kingdom of Taruma Negara 450m, and many other inscriptions that use this Pallawa letter.

Over time the letter Pallawa is growing with the discovery of historical evidence that use letters Kawi Wiwitan that many wrote about inscriptions or Sangsekerta language documents, such as the inscription Plumpang in the area Salatiga, jawa tengah was written around the year 750 M.

Then it was discovered that the inscription of the next era with different languages namely Javanese Kawi and written Kawi Pungkasan script is actually not much different from the Kawi Wiwitan, for example Singasari inscription written around the year 1351M.

Actually, at this time the influence of Islamic literature has begun to affect the style of lettering Jawi Pungkasan especially start kediri power era is a range of years 1100-1200 M and the era of Majapahit is around the year 1250-1450 M. Namely writing style semi calligraphy, as written in papyrus writings relics of that era.

Because the truth since the 7th century M Islamic religion has been included in indonesian archipelego, the Ulama famous have entered this region is Syaih Mohammed Al Uraidi and Syaih Mohammed Annaaqib, who entered in the area Pasai and the Maluku, evidenced both regions are named by Malacca and the Maluku which comes from the word AlMulk (archipelago kings), but the establishment of the first Islamic kingdom that is after century-14M named Samudra Pasai empire. Which indirectly has actually influenced the development of literature and culture in the indonesia archipelago, including ways of communication and dialogue writing by using this Javanese alphabet.

Islam And the Dutch colonial period

In this period the Javanese alphabet is already experiencing a very drastic change without no historical evidence that shows the change. There are no inscriptions found that use Javanese alphabet that it is today. and in the last era of the Majapahit and incoming Mataram era up to the Dutch colonial era to the present Javanese alphabet suddenly was in the form as it is today, is the letter honocoroko modern.

As a relic of that era script is already in the modern honocoroko letter and not in the form of papyrus but many have already written to the paper.

Some relics in this period as an example As fiber suluk wijil and fiber Aji Saka.

In this period are found Colleague letter in Arabic, which is used as the spread of Islam in Java, until the development of Java's letter into the letter modern Javanese.

Philosophical meaning of Javanese alphabet

Of the understanding of the meaning of the Javanese alphabet, very rarely are able to decipher the meaning apart from folklore about Aji Saka that are circulating in the community. Caraka's letter composed as a poem, seen from language the letter of Java does have meaning illustrate a story.

• Ho No Co Ro Ko :there envoys.
• Do To So wo Lo: resist or fight each other.
• Po do jo yo nyo : equally strong
• mo go bo tho ngo : died together.

But here I will give you a deeper understanding of the meaning of this Javanese alphabet and not merely describe the story but it illustrates a lesson mystical or spiritual nature and essential.

Perhaps there is a question, which can be taken from a notion like that? .. And how could it be?

Keep in mind the history of the birth of Javanese alphabet as mentioned above. If the Javanese alphabet was born from a Hindu or Buddhist civilization, the birth of this letters was also influenced by the philosophy of religion. And we know that all religions must have taught about God or monotheism and worship and Muamalat. In addition, heavenly religion certainly teach goodness and perfection of life.

While the intrinsic meaning of Javanese alphabet include:

Ho-no-co-ro-ko

Humans are born on earth is in order to carry out the mandate or as messengers or kholifah this earth. While the man was created by God composed of two elements, namely physically and mentally. the union of these two elements represented by the letters Ho-No-Co-Ro-Ko, namely:

Ho : howo/ hawa life.

No : nafsu / lust./carnal desire

Co : cipto/ thaught

Ro : Roso/ heart / spirit

Ko : karsa/wish

Meanwhile, in performing his duties as a vicegerent on earth, man who has been blessed with some of these elements then it would be more perfect than other creatures.

But man often stunned and floored because elements of his own lust to dominate the other elements, so that the elements of thought, heart taste, and wish are comply his own lust. In the condition that a man collapsed and will always do damage.

So that in life people often never know the authenticity itself, in the sense that he forgot his duties as kholifah or messenger of god, and he should be submissive and obedient to the rules of God.

People assume that all the gifts in him is to satisfy his worldly desires, so that the human race to reach it all even with a cruel way.

On the other hand there are people who in weak condition, full of shortcomings and complained to his fate. They assume it's all because they are not able to optimize existing elements, and always struggled to catch up with the others for the worldly problems.

Indeed, they did not realize that the task of human life is just to keep the gift of God, to serve and surrender. As for the affairs of life and needs is a matter of god.

It is very difficult to understand for most of human thought that he was getting sustenance as he tried (wish), and they do not realize there is no motion and power without the intervention of a god.

DO-TO-SO-WO-LO

Do tan sawolo,Which means that when the time comes, the man can not dodge, When God wills something to man or nature, neither man could dodge.
When God wills disaster, or other natural phenomenon, human beings can not prevent.

While, when God wills in human beings, such as God wills man in sorrow or dying, neither man could avoid it. Or God willed healthy for the sick then anything could be cause for recovery.
Or God willed someone to be rich then effortlessly sort of man is always in luck. 

Or when God willed mislead one's life so as hard as he might try it as she was always in bad luck and never succeeded.

From the description above can be drawn a conclusion that everything that happens in us is the will of God and never actually happen. Because when God have an affair in ourselves then surely it all is just a test for us is in order to carry out the mandate as a caliph in the earth, because behind the hardship there is ease.

Humans are capable of carrying HO-NO-CO-RO-KO is in itself contrary to the will of god then he will be able to easily and applies DO-TO-SO-WO-LO in his life, so he will become a person who is quiet, calm, happy, free and independent.

PO-DO-JO-YO-NYO

Moments his or equal triumph, meaning at a time when humans have been able to educate themselves so that they can recognize itself consisting of the elements hawa, lust, thaught, heart/ spirit, wish this so that it can achieve the mood is more calm because he understands all the will of God, or do-to-so-wo-lo, then surely the intrinsic He will gain a true victory. But winning is not just win a victory.

Which means he probably by the worshipers of the world as if He had lost because he is not in the wealth of treasures that abound, but not so indeed, he had felt different from the other person can not felt it that is sense a happiness, because happiness for him is in a very deep sense that a devotion to God rather than on the other.

MO-GO-BO-TO-NGO

This means that people who have been able to know him He would know who his god. He will devote himself only to God and not to lust, position, wealth or worldly pleasures.

Then all the activities of his world is nothing more than servitude to God, in the sense that He numb worldly desires and live for God. Or so-called Dead in life, melting in the forgotten.

He just wished only from God for help instead of relying on reason and lust or Javanese language mbathang (surrender).

To surrender means then do not do anything at all, the body which has been given the perfection he use it according to the rules are grateful to God and to seek God's blessing and not for his own lusts, or in javanes languange "lamun aurip sak dermo amiradati", or he simply endeavor something that allotted Allah, without him looking for things that are difficult. Because people are entering this phase usually his mind was guiding like he knew what he had to run, because of his clarity in capturing the signals given by Allah.

This is a bit of discussion about the history and meaning of philosophy of javanese alphabet, more or less we are sorry, and if there is the sheer goodness of Allah and if there is a lack of it is because of his lack of knowledge, and apologize if the writing of the English language is not good,

criticism and suggestions are always I expect.


thanks and salam.