In every tradition there is unique characteristic worthy of study. For anyone whose childhood was in Bali, then often ask about religious matters to the elders, the elders then answer with a smile: “Nak Mula Keto”. The simple translation, indeed it is. Implicitly means, everything is perfect as it is. For young generation whose minds are hungry for answers, adult who are thirsty of debating, excited by the fights, this answer is indeed very disappointing. Some even called it stupid.
But the yogis who has cultivated deep inside will smile. Where did elders find such profound answers, if not by way of deep yoga. Even in the present time, when knowledge is plentiful, free in internet, very few teachers who have direct realization of “nak mula keto”.
A disciple once asked about the zen enlightenment. The teacher calmly replied, enlightenment is blue lake and green mountain. Put it simply, in the stage of enlightenment, all is perfect as it is. A holy message which is very similar to “nak mula keto”.
Home of Naturalness
Fatigue, that is one of the important characteristic of civilization. Even developed countries such as the United States and Japan were showing signs of fatigue. War, crime, fights, divorce, suicide is only partial marks. And a very decisive factor behind all of this, people always want to have more and more.
At the top of this fatigue, it is wise to deeply contemplate on the message of Nak Mula Keto. One who is a teacher, learn to find perfection in carrying out educational tasks. One who is a farmer, look at the abundance of available in natural perfection. One who is a civil servant, find growth opportunities in serving the public. One who have children with autism, sick parents, find perfection in deep service of the others. Not only fruits are offering, a series of services is also offering, even deeper offering. Through external offerings
we present things outside, through services we do not only do inner offering, but also return back to home of naturalness.
Note the first song that children learn in the old village of Bali (Eda ngaden awak bisa). It is full of lessons of being humble in serving life. Look at the unique smile of local Balinese. All of this reminding all of us, be kind and humble, that’s the natural home of the Balinese. It is as natural as lake which is blue, as natural as mountain which is green.
For anyone who has experienced to be back home, can see that from the beginning to the end everything is perfect as it is. It is similar to water in nature. Heavy rain does not make the water increases, drought does not make the water decreases. The only thing that left after this, flow that is home.
That’s why in Tantra people know three types of samadhi (concentration): samadhi of suchness, samadhi of illumination, samadhi of seed Syllable. The first concentration occurs when all looks perfect as it is (nak mula keto). Coconut tree is beautiful on the beach, pine is fresh on the mountain. Everything has its own unique place. The second concentration happen when a yogi encounter the inner light. Like the ordinary light, positive is synthesized with negative, then everything is clear as it is. The third concentration is very secret, something to do with inner holy syllable, which is very unique and autentic.
All of these give inspiration, everything (good-bad, right-wrong , holy-dirty ) are the same dancing of the same God. Sorrow and temptation are just brooms that cleaning the inner room of soul. Joy and happiness are like water to the thirsty soul. For students of Buddha, all is Buddha. There is Buddha within mara (evil), there is mara within Buddha.
The True Home
Kehen temple in Bangli saved an old inscription containing an invitation to return back home. To be honest, too many people who have gone too far from home. Some even forget home. And in the midst stress and depression such as rising suicide rate, rising crime, rampant divorce, political conflicts here and there, this might be a good time to remember the message stored in the temple Kehen: mulih De! Son, do not forget to return back home. Returning to the natural home of kindness and humbleness.
The meaning of home is very varied. But as childhood experience, as soon as we return back home, there is a sense of calm and serene at home. And through the message of nak mula keto, Balinese are reminded of the way home. Happy-sad, joy-sorrow, success-failure are all like clouds to the sky, like the waves to the ocean. Clouds never disturb the sky, waves never hurt the ocean. As soon as we arrive home, all know that we are sky not clouds, we are ocean not waves. In Kintamani, Balinese elders called it Pura Jati (The true home).
For high levels of yogis in Bali, the holy message of nak mula keto could be a secret key. The mind of the one who is home is like space. It provides place to anything and anyone to grow. That ‘s why the elders who was home already only have two languages: silent and smile. Silent because whether we explain it or not thing is perfect as it is, smile because whether we agree or not everything is perfect as it is.
In layman ‘s eyes, this achievement can be called negative (passive, not doing anything). But to the enlightened masters, this is awesome. Similar to trees, enlightened master is silent outside, but inside he/she process all carbon dioxide (by which read : negative atmospheres) into oxygen of peace that is needed everywhere.
