W

ith the world experiencing a deep economic crisis and severe human suffering, there is now greater willingness in hearts and in minds to welcome alternatives or at least complements to the highly individualistic and overly consumptive Western lifestyle.

People ask: What kind of system allows one single person to defraud millions of fellow beings by an unimaginable sum of US$65 billion?

What kinds of ethics allow business magnates to bring their mandates to bankruptcy - and the world along with it - and still receive monumental golden handshakes? What kind of people deforests whole regions creating perilous worldwide temperature increases? And how can all these practices still be legal?

All these questions, cried initially in frantic rage by the greater majority of those who have lost a home, savings, pension and their sanity, have increasingly become louder and louder and are culminating into an obsession for a change in the basic principles of conduct, ethics and way of life in the unquenchable materialism of the West that has brought so much misery of late. It therefore seems appropriate at this time to introduce the ancient Balinese cosmology of Tri Hita Karana.

Tri Hita Karana as the fundamental Balinese principle provides a comprehensive set of universal values and practices designed to achieve prosperity, peace and happiness through the harmonious interaction of people with their surrounding world, that is, their relation with fellow humans, with the environment and spiritual companions, respectively called pawongan, palemahan and parahyangan.

Each of those worlds contains a specific body of knowledge, beliefs and practices that must be adhered to if one is to achieve harmony and balance between and within these worlds with the Balinese values of mutual aid, equity and solidarity in community life.

To solidify this aspect, Tri Hita Karana teaches among others, the doctrine of deed and retribution called karma pala. Basically, this means that whatever is sown, reaps a corollary harvest.

Another doctrine is tat twam asi, roughly translated as "I am you and you are me", which teaches one to do unto others as one would like others to do unto them.

This is followed by tri kaya parisuda, an equally important dictum that stresses the need to have consistency between intention, words and deed. And then there is desa kala patra, which points to man being adaptable and flexible in facing the challenges of the moment.

In relation to nature, Tri Hita Karana teaches mankind that humans and nature are governed by the same law called rta. People as the microcosms known as bhuwana alit, are made up of exactly the same materials as nature and the universe, which is the macrocosm known as bhuwana agung. These materials are fire, water, earth, wind and space, which together are called panca maha butha. Therefore humans stand on equal footing with their environment and as such must respect the other. Humans cannot abuse nature and nature must protect its people.

This philosophy is in contrast to the Judaeo Christian teaching that positions humans at the center of everything, which has led to the hegemony of humankind at the expense of nature.

Finally, in relation to God, people are taught that they and the rest of the universe owe their existence to the Almighty. Therefore people throughout their lives must show gratitude through continuous religious rituals, ceremonies, offerings and acts of devotion (bhakti) that manifest in everyday good deeds. Without exception, everyone is subject to this law called rna and only through such good deeds can people achieve balance and harmony and thus sustained happiness or moksa.

While Tri Hita Karana places people in the center of this equilibrium with the spiritual, the natural, other fellow beings, and as the cause of all balance and imbalance, they are governed by various strict cosmological, religious and social guidelines. It directs one to act in propriety in all relations so as to maintain a "sacred balance" of interconnection, reciprocity and harmony, which fosters equality between humans and other elements of society and the universe. These are synonymous with restraint and conservation, which creates a more caring and happy society.

Although Tri Hita Karana is an ancient Balinese cosmological concept, its inherent traits are already prevalent in many societies throughout history. As documented by many studies of distinguished scholars, people worldwide since time immemorial have perceived the universe - and people's role in it - as made up by these same worlds that the Tri Hita Karana expounds.

It is also well known that most ancient religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Confucianism and Taoism, all in their different ways teach the same respect for nature where human beings, while playing a central role, are basically fellow participants together with animals, plants and non-living things in one organic and universal system.

As such, the teachings of the Tri Hita Karana are not unfamiliar and can be applied and practiced universally. What may be needed is only to socialize the concepts into a more current form. The effort is well worth it as it may give humankind a way of life that is more balanced, harmonious and caring and mega problems such as global warming and acute worldwide economic crises can be averted, or at least minimized.