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Religion in Bali by C. Hooykaas

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The necessarily short remarks on the playful m<strong>in</strong>d <strong>in</strong> Bal<strong>in</strong>ese religion have found their place<br />

here because <strong>in</strong> the ritual for the dead several details are so em<strong>in</strong>ently expressive. Even the lay<br />

relatives of the dead person must hear and understand the padanda when with a boom<strong>in</strong>g voice<br />

he <strong>in</strong>vites the soul of the dead man <strong>in</strong> the build<strong>in</strong>g opposite him to approach, to wash the feet and<br />

r<strong>in</strong>se the mouth, to eat, to dr<strong>in</strong>k and f<strong>in</strong>ally to enjoy a betel quid. In the case of periodical<br />

tarpana, giv<strong>in</strong>g satisfaction to the soul, this is the end and the soul is bound to retake its err<strong>in</strong>g<br />

course after this treat. Only a few hours before cremation the formulas ensur<strong>in</strong>g accession to<br />

heaven, complete redemption and ext<strong>in</strong>ction are added to the ones mentioned above.<br />

The soul does not go empty handed on its long and far way. It is provided with a small stick to<br />

lean on and it is given three feather light writ<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>by</strong> way of passport and safe conduct ; they are<br />

called raca dana, ulantaga or walantaka and pripih, this last one made of sandalwood or even<br />

gold.<br />

In the mantras help<strong>in</strong>g the soul a huge kukupu, butterfly, is mentioned more than once,<br />

assumedly as its conveyance or as its own shape, to make the flight possible, but more often<br />

titiran, a bird with the size of a dove.<br />

Before cremation dur<strong>in</strong>g the night a damar kurung, Ch<strong>in</strong>ese lantern, is hung near the entrance of<br />

the courtyard of the person to be cremated. In the immediate neighborhood of the rema<strong>in</strong>s<br />

another light, angenan or hredaya shows the way to the err<strong>in</strong>g soul, display<strong>in</strong>g a soft light<br />

through an egg shell.<br />

The soul may have been delivered from its earthly bonds but it has not become omniscient, so<br />

that it must be po<strong>in</strong>ted to the dangers on its way. In a long mantra it is told never to take<br />

southwesterly direction, that of krodha, anger, for that leads to hell. Hav<strong>in</strong>g arrived <strong>in</strong> 'Flower<br />

Quarter' it should not pick flowers for then the heavenly nymphs would punish it. It receives<br />

<strong>in</strong>struction how to pass another danger: the wobbl<strong>in</strong>g bridge. And the n<strong>in</strong>e fold gate. And so on.<br />

Another manual tells the soul <strong>in</strong> great detail how the horrors of the hereafter are parts of his own<br />

body: the sharp grasses are his hairs, the wobbl<strong>in</strong>g bridge is his tongue, the huge pieces of rock

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