Kakawin Sutasoma of Mpu Tantular 14th century manuscript of Indonesia

Mpu Tantular (c.

14th century The 14th century lasted from 1 January 1301 (represented by the Roman numerals MCCCI) to 31 December 1400 (MCD). It is estimated that the century witnessed the death of more than 45 million lives from political and natural disasters in both Euro ...

) was a famous Javanese

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...

of Javanese literature who lived in the 14th century, during the reign of king Hayam Wuruk. Tantular was a Buddhist, and was respectful to other religions. This can be seen in two items of

kakawin Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized literary language, rather than the vernacular. Poets ...

poetry Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...

, the Kakawin Arjunawijaya and Kakawin Sutasoma. One of the verses from the Kakawin Sutasoma was later taken as the motto or motto of the Republic of Indonesia: "

Bhinneka Tunggal Ika ''Bhinneka Tunggal Ika'' is the official national motto of Indonesia. It is inscribed in the national emblem of Indonesia, the Garuda Pancasila, written on the scroll gripped by the Garuda's claws. The phrase comes from Old Javanese, meanin ...

" or different but one.

Name

The name Mpu Tantular itself means, tan (not) and tular (affected). Thus, the image of Mpu Tantular as his name implies is that of a mpu (scholar, thinker, poet) who has a firm stand, and is not easily influenced by anyone.

Bhinneka Tunggal Ika

Mpu Tantular's Kakawin Sutasoma was quoted by

Mohammad Yamin Muhammad Yamin (24 August 1903 – 17 October 1962) was an Indonesian poet, politician, historian and national hero who played a key role in the writing of the draft preamble to the 1945 constitution. Early life and education Yamin was born ...

in formulating the nation's motto, namely

. The quote from the phrase Bhinneka Tunggal Ika is found in the canto 139

stanza In poetry, a stanza (; from Italian ''stanza'', ; ) is a group of lines within a poem, usually set off from others by a blank line or indentation. Stanzas can have regular rhyme and metrical schemes, but they are not required to have either. ...

5. Translated word for word, the word ''bhinnêka'' means "variety" and consists of the words ''bhinna'' and ''ika'', which are combined. The ''single'' word means "one." The word ''ika'' means "it". Literally, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika is translated as "The Diversity of One," which means that despite being diverse, the Indonesian people are still one unit. This motto is used to describe the unity and integrity of the Nation and the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia which consists of various cultures, regional languages, races, ethnicities, religions and beliefs. As head of the Faculty of Philosophy of

Gadjah Mada University Gadjah Mada University (; , abbreviated as UGM) is a public research university located in Sleman, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Officially founded on 19 December 1949, Gadjah Mada University is one of the oldest and largest institut ...

, Rizal Mustansyir, writes, "the motto of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika explains clearly that there is diversity in various aspects of life that makes the Indonesian nation a unified and unified nation."

References

Indonesian poets 14th-century poets Indonesian writers Indonesian Buddhist monks Majapahit Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown Indonesian Buddhists {{Indonesia-poet-stub