29/01/2023
This video about Jero Mangku Budhi was recorded in Bahasa Indonesia.
The transcript in English:
Om Swastiastu semeton Istina Channel,
In this video we will provide information about the love of a Bule with the Balinese culture. But it’s not just about the love for the Balinese culture. He came as a tourist, even learned about Balinese spirituality, embraced Hinduism, and became a Jero Mangku.
Australian Bule Became a Hindu and a Pemangku in Bali, Here's His Story
Jero Mangku Budhi Dharma, whose birth name is Ian Fiddes, did his pawintenan as a pemangku in Bali.
Walking along the path in the middle of the green rice fields, there is a house built at the end of the road.
Right on the banks of the Pakerisan River, Jero Mangku Budhi Dharma is a Jero Mangku from Australia, who designed his own natural home.
Complete with a pasraman for meditation practice. Jero Mangku Budhi Dharma, whose birth name is Ian Fiddes, made his pawintenan as a pemangku in Bali.
Jero Budhi - his usual nickname - has a house in Banjar Bone Kelod, Bone Village, Blahbatuh District, Gianyar, Bali.
After passing the motorbike road for about 200 metres, we arrived at Jero Budhi's house, which looked like a villa. The buildings are connected by stairs.
It feels natural with the presence of frangipani trees and the sound of birds calling out to each other. But there is something else about this house. As we descend the stairs from the main entrance of the house to the north, we see a bule with blond hair in a bun.
Even though the house is on the cliff of the Pakerisan River, there is no sound of gurgling water, the river is far below.
When Balinese Hindus hold religious ceremonies, they are led by a Jero Mangku.
Jero Mangku is usually identified with the descendants of a Mangku and of course with Hinduism.
Jero Budhi is a Jero Mangku Bule. The owner of the real name Ian Fiddes has migrated to Bali 20 years ago.
"I came to Bali to meet my teacher to learn Shiva Buddha-Buddhist Tantrayana," said Jero Budhi with a bemused look on his face.
When Tribun Bali met with Jero Budhi, he was clearly living every word he said.
It's like pantomime interspersed with jokes.
At that time, in 1994 Jero Budhi studied with the teacher Sri Acarya Ratu Kumara Panji Pandita in Buleleng.
After he learnt and felt at ease, he embraced the Balinese Shiva-Buddhist Hindu Dharma. "From then on, I believed in Hinduism," he said confidently, as seen from his blue eyes.
Before that, Jero Budhi had learnt about all religions. "I didn't understand, I was a little confused, then I read Buddha's story about Shiva Buddha-Buddhist Tantrayana, so I became a Buddhist at the age of 34," said Jero Budhi in mixed English and Indonesian while sipping his black coffee.
Since childhood, Jero Budhi liked to sit alone, stare at the sky and watch the clouds. "Since I was a child in Australia, I liked to look at the sky alone. Thinking, oh, the clouds are in the shape of rabbits, how wonderful this feels," he said, pointing his finger upwards at the blue sky.
He also meditated often, which gave him inner peace.
After Jero Budhi embraced Hinduism, he prayed diligently at the temples. Strangely, every time he met people who had spiritual wisdom, they always advised him to do mewinten.
It was around 2002 when he visited Tirta Ketipat Temple, Buleleng. "He is a Mangku, it is not suitable to go to the temple wearing ordinary traditional clothes. It must be all white," said Jero Budhi, imitating the words of the Jero Mangku of Tirta Ketipat Temple, Buleleng.
With his heavy bule accent, Jero Budhi explained that people saw him already back then as a spiritual person.
Back then Jero Budhi still did not understand, wondered, and thought what they meant. Maybe they were just joking. Finally, Jero Budhi did mewinten based on the advice of his Guru and Pemangkus.
In 2004 Jero Budhi had his first mewinten Saraswati at his home in Banjar Bone Kelod, Bone Village, Blahbatuh, Gianyar.
At that time, Jero Budhi did not understand the meaning of mewinten. In his heart, Jero Budhi did not want to be a pemangku. "Back then I was still emotional, I still didn't want to be a pemangku," Jero Budhi recalled, furrowing his eyebrows and raising his hands to chest level to indicate surprise.
The second Mewinten took place at Grya Budha Batuan, Gianyar by Ida Pedanda Buda Jelantik in 2005. At that occasion Jero Budhi only escorted the group to melukat there. But after the melukat ceremony was over, suddenly Jero Budhi was asked to undress.
"I was surprised, I asked everyone whether to open the pedanda, I joked," quipped Jero Budhi, who was actually asked to do melukat. That's when Jero Budhi officially became Jero Mangku Budhi Dharma.
This second Pewintenan had actually been planned by Ida Pedanda Buda Jelantik and the Bone community without the knowledge of Jero Budhi himself. At that time, a witness from Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia Bali was also present.
"I carried out pewintenan out of respect for the people of Bone," he added. He stated that he received encouragement from the people of Bone Village. Therefore he was willing to do pewinten.
“Not understanding what was going on, I was suddenly asked to undress and do melukat.”
For the third time, Jero Budhi performed mewinten at Panji Temple in November 2008. He was asked to do mekemit at Panji Temple, Panji Village, Banjar District, Buleleng.
Jero Budhi described how suddenly three buses arrived, all of which were Pemangkus and Balians from Bone Village and temples in the north.
Since mewinten, he has been called Jero Mangku Budhi Dharma.
Carrying out pawintenan changes habits, he no longer likes to eat meat. "I can't eat pork, but I can eat a little chicken. I don't know, after mewinten the taste of meat wasn’t delicious anymore," says Jero Budhi, who was born in Melbourne on 21 February 1957.
Jero Mangku Budhi Dharma is not in charge of any particular temple, but often performs religious ceremonies for people performing biakaonan, piodalan, melaspas, otonan, nyambutin and mecaru around Bone Village, Blahbatuh District, Gianyar, Bali.
In December 2014, the blonde-haired Jero Budhi also performed the Galungan Day ceremony at Banjar Mahindra Bali in Melbourne City.
Jero Budhi also runs the Swarna Dwipa Pasraman for his 25 students to learn meditation. "Many of my students are from overseas who live in Ubud," he added.
Meditation classes at the pasraman are open every Thursday and Sunday at 2.00 pm until completion. (Update: Sundays only, at 2:30 pm until around 5 pm)
Once inside this pasraman, there are photos of Jero Budhi's teachers displayed on a long chair on the west side of the room.
If anyone invites Jero Budhi for Dharma discourse, he is ready to speak. "My last Dharma Wacana was at the Bali State Polytechnic in Jimbaran with the students there," explained Jero Budhi, who is still reluctant to write his autobiography.
Living in Bali cannot be separated from the culture. Therefore, Jero Budhi is visiting Sanggar Seni Paripurna, Bone Village. "I don't do anything at the studio, I just come often during rehearsals and performances," said Jero Budhi, who can dance Topeng Tua.
Apart from spiritual activities, Jero Budhi can also heal people. Not only that, he has also expertise in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) background and massage. "I have a TCM kit, so if there are farmers here who are sick, I will gladly massage them," said Jero Budhi, whose house stretches across a vast rice field.
When Jero Budhi embraced Hinduism, his extended family had no objections. "My father and mother were very supportive. My father even asked me if I still had money?" explained Jero Budhi, who has a sister in Adelaide. Jero Budhi also said that his priest at the Australian church supported his decision to convert to Hinduism, too. (Correction: Jero Budhi has a friend in Australia who is a priest at an Australian Christian Church who was happy for him to become Hindu.)
"The point is that all religions teach the same thing, which is loving kindness," he said calmly. "I'm serious about what I do, not serious about myself. I really love Bali, I want to devote myself to Bali, helping people," concluded Jero Budhi with teary eyes.
Semeton istana channel. What do you think why a bule is so deeply involved, determined to embrace Hinduism and even becomes a priest? He left his country to live on the island of Bali and serve Bali. We as Balinese, we should be proud of our culture and traditions that are loved by people from abroad. Why is it that many Balinese themselves often abandon their Balinese traditions?
With this video we can learn the lesson to love yourself before you love others. Love your own culture, love where you come from before you declare your love for other people or other cultures. Because people who cannot love themselves cannot possibly love others.
with me soon Istina channel, see you in the next video
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om
written by Tribun Bali Luh De Dwi Jayanthi
Articles from Tribun Bali, part one 7th September 2015, part two 9th September 2015
MANGKU DARI AUSTRALI PERNAH Beragama Budha Kristen | Jero Mangku Budi
