Mantras keris and empu

[Pusaka]

I have heard that empu will chant mantras over a keris blade to give it life. My question is how could a Muslim empu be chanting mantras of Hindu origin or was this practice changed in Muslim parts, if so what did they supplement the practice with.

Do we have any example of these mantras published ?

More generally the offerings and ritual used by the empu must have changed as the religion changed ?

Would it be right to say then that only Hindu parts are still faithful to the original rituals whilst others have replaced it with Muslim prayers?

[A. G. Maisey]

Pusaka, the questions you have raised here cannot be adequately answered in an online forum. My remarks will be brief.

The domination of Jawa by Islam occurred in three major stages, first there was the establishment of trading enclaves along the north coast, these enclaves were under the control of Muslim traders from the west and from China, they inter-married with the sisters and daughters of the Majapahit nobles, who were also traders, and who controlled the greater area of the north coast.

Then there was a period of warfare whereby the House of Majapahit, which was already in collapse because of internal dispute, was washed away by military means. Following the initial victories by Muslim forces there was ongoing warfare for a number of years to attempt to get rid of the last remnant of Hindu areas in Jawa. This was only partially successful.

In fact, the removal of Majapahit from the political scene was not about religion, it was about power, wealth and control, but the main instigator of military force against Majapahit was Muslim, he was Raden Patah, son of Brawijaya V from a Chinese wife.

The third stage was the on-going Islamisation of the Javanese people.

As Islam began its domination of Jawa it tended not to use force against the common people, but rather to use a gentle , all-inclusive approach, that absorbed both Javanese indigenous beliefs and traditions, as well as Hindu beliefs and traditions. In the 16th - 17th centuries there was a strong Sufic influence in Central Jawa, and this in turn harmonised with Javanese ways and beliefs.

In the royal courts there is a strong under-current of Hindu and Javanese indigenous belief right through until today.

In Hindu Jawa the keris had an entirely different nature to the nature of the keris under Islam, much of what is accepted about the keris today is the result of 500 years of Islamic influence, and this of course penetrates every aspect of keris culture, including its production.

However, even though the nature of the keris has changed from what it was in 14th century Jawa, it is still the essential icon of Jawa, along with the Gunungan, with which it has an indissoluble tie.

With the collapse of Majapahit, the pandes of Majapahit migrated principally to Bali, and the original nature of the keris was preserved for a very lengthy period. It is difficult now to know just how long it was preserved, but it may have been an element of Balinese belief up until the Klungkung Puputan. Regrettably the old Balinese belief systems surrounding the keris seem to have been forgotten. Tattered remnants are all that remain of the beliefs of the classical periods of Javanese history.

As I have remarked, these are very, very brief comments and are only a rough outline of the matter. To gain a better understanding we need to devote ourselves to the study of socio-religious history of both Jawa and Bali from about 900CE through to about 1940CE.

In respect of mantras used for anything. A mantra should only be known to a person who has been empowered to use it.

[Pusaka]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

With the collapse of Majapahit, the pandes of Majapahit migrated principally to Bali, and the original nature of the keris was preserved for a very lengthy period. It is difficult now to know just how long it was preserved, but it may have been an element of Balinese belief up until the Klungkung Puputan. Regrettably the old Balinese belief systems surrounding the keris seem to have been forgotten. Tattered remnants are all that remain of the beliefs of the classical periods of Javanese history.

Interesting, if all that remains is tattered remnants it could be argued that a "real" keris has not been produced for some time?

It would follow that the only "real" keris today are antique ones

[Rick]

Originally Posted by Pusaka

Interesting, if all that remains is tattered remnants it could be argued that a "real" keris has not been produced for some time?

It would follow that the only "real" keris today are antique ones

So, I guess this begs the question:

Can a "Real" Keris be made today?
And.
What exactly is a "Real" Keris?

[Pusaka]

Originally Posted by Rick

So, I guess this begs the question:

Can a "Real" Keris be made today?
And.
What exactly is a "Real" Keris?

A "real" keris must then be a Keris hidup and not real must be a Keris mati

[A. G. Maisey]

A real keris is a keris that is accepted by the culture that owns the artifact.

Real keris are being produced right now, today.

The nature of the keris is not frozen in time, this is the reason that it has survived for over 1000 years.

It is not the place of anybody who is not a part of the owning culture to dictate to people within that culture what is appropriate for the culture.

[Pusaka]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

It is not the place of anybody who is not a part of the owning culture to dictate to people within that culture what is appropriate for the culture.

Thats exactly what my guru used to say however who was Indonesian although I would suspect that there would not be full agreement even among Indonesians as to what a keris is.

[A. G. Maisey]

Of course.

Keris culture is based upon a number of belief systems.

All of the great belief systems, all of the great philosophies, are based upon belief systems.

Do all of the followers of those great religions and great philosophies hold exactly the same views?

[Pusaka]

I think however there are many of the older Indonesians who will not consider a keris maker an empu unless he can give life to a blade, now the method that is followed to do that might have changed. I would imagine a Muslim would use prayers whilst a Hindu would use mantras, fasting and offerings might be carried out by both. "finger tuning" well I guess there is something to that also.

[David]

Originally Posted by Pusaka

I think however there are many of the older Indonesians who will not consider a keris maker an empu unless he can give life to a blade, now the method that is followed to do that might have changed.

Pusaka, are you operating under the impression that only an empu can create a "real" keris. If so you have eliminated a great deal of antique keris from the "real keris" category.

[Pusaka]

Originally Posted by David

Pusaka, are you operating under the impression that only an empu can create a "real" keris. If so you have eliminated a great deal of antique keris from the "real keris" category.

It is impossible to look at an ancient keris and know if the person who made it was an empu or not purely based on physical appearance. The technique to enliven a blade in its details is or was within a few family's and they dont hand that information freely out. Therefor without that knowledge (precise knowledge of the mantras etc) you cannot produce a living blade. You can produce a beautifully looking blade but you cant fill it ie it is a keris mati (a dead keris).

The question is what happens if you change religion can you still practice that ritual or do you have to change it?

There are legends in various silat schools about who the first empu was and who he inherited this knowledge from.

[David]

Originally Posted by Pusaka

There are legends in various silat schools about who the first empu was and who he inherited this knowledge from.

Yes Pusaka, they say a lot of things about keris in the various silat schools.
In response to your question i can only repeat the words which Alan has already written in this thread. Islam in Indonesia is not the same as Islam anywhere else in the world. It has assimilated past practices of the people of the region and traditions both animistic and Hindu in nature continue to this day. Yes, the intent and purpose of the keris certainly changed with the influx of Islam. Perhaps mantras changed, perhaps they stayed the same. As has already been pointed out, these mantras are not for you or i to know. However, it seems highly unlikely to me that there is just one correct mantra or only one way to install "life" into a keris blade.

[Mick]

This discussion is veering into one of the "mystical" properties of beliefs in regard to the keris.

There is a small number of people who profess that they have the ability to determine if a keris has been empowered. They don't look at the workmanship of a piece, but just handle it with the most important portion being the blade.

One of these people told me that an empowered blade will give a tingling feeling to his hands while a regular blade will not. This individual visited me before I left the country about 40 years ago, went through the 20 or so of the kerises that I had on hand and picked out about three or four as having power. I, obviously, don't profess to have this ability, so I didn't feel any difference between these kerises and the rest of the bunch. But this is one of the things that arise when you really study the subject of kerises.

There was a great deal of keris information that was never discussed by the local population as this material was "almost" considered sacred. In addition to this fact, the few real experts on this topic "even if you knew them and were friends" would guard their information fiercely. Trying to obtain information from them was like pulling their teeth. Unfortunately, these few people have since died and, because of this "in western opinion" character flaw their valuable information died with them.

[A. G. Maisey]

Thank you for your post Mick.

Your experience in the home of keris culture was at a time when the nature of the culture was changing forever. Probably the very last people in Jawa whose keris knowledge and experience spanned the period from pre-WWII through into the modern age left us during the 1990's.

Because there was a general perception amongst these people that the younger generations had lost their way, I believe most of them did not accept pupils or followers and so much of the knowledge, experience, belief of the older generations is now lost indeed.

At the present time I fear that history is repeating itself:- those people who truly do have some of the deeper keris knowledge are extremely reluctant to accept pupils or followers because they are unable to find people with both the interest in keris and the mind-set to permit those people to learn the deeper aspects of keris belief.

Perhaps all the knowledge and belief of previous generations is not yet lost, but I feel that it soon will be.

Hidden knowledge is not passed freely to everybody:- that is why we know it as hidden knowledge. Exactly the same thing applies with the hidden knowledge of any religion. The masses are permitted a limited understanding, only the initiates have the hidden doors opened for them. As the difficulty of comprehending the hidden knowledge increases, fewer and fewer people have access to that knowledge.

In the World of the Keris, the only way to have a door opened for you is to be accepted by somebody who holds the knowledge and who is prepared to teach you, and that person will never pass knowledge to you gratuitously, but only in response to the questions you ask, because those questions will indicate to the Teacher the existing knowledge and mindset of his pupil.

[Pusaka]

Originally Posted by David

Yes Pusaka, they say a lot of things about keris in the various silat schools.

Silat is as old as the keris itself, therefore there are teachings regarding it that old too held by gurus.

[Pusaka]

Originally Posted by Mick

This discussion is veering into one of the "mystical" properties of beliefs in regard to the keris.

It started as a thread about the mystical properties ie mantra. That is a major aspect in keris too.

Originally Posted by Mick

One of these people told me that an empowered blade will give a tingling feeling to his hands while a regular blade will not. This individual visited me before I left the country about 40 years ago, went through the 20 or so of the kerises that I had on hand and picked out about three or four as having power. I, obviously, don't profess to have this ability, so I didn't feel any difference between these kerises and the rest of the bunch. But this is one of the things that arise when you really study the subject of kerises.

One guru I knew believed the same, he would hold a keris blade between his thumb and index finger and feel for a vibration.

People would bring him keris occasionally but the thing is he was secretive and if someone had a live blade he would not tell them. I remember actually one occasion in which after the person had gone I overheard him say to one of his senior students "that blade was live, but I went going to tell him that"

[Jean]

My Solonese friend who is a high silat master was teached this ability to detect "empowered" blades. For this he would pass his hand along the blade close to it but without touching it and feel a vibration or rather tingling feeling as said by Mick. I tried it but it was not very successful probably by lack of relaxation and training (although I have dowser abilities which may help). An alternative technique which he uses is to hold a match and pass it along and close to the blade for transmitting the feeling to the hand. Try it yourself!
Regards

[Pusaka]

Nobody is born with the ability to feel the vibration in an empowered blade, you have to do a training technique In Silat its called rasa, the ability to feel with the heart. Just as the inner teachings of the keris are secret so are most of these training techniques also.

[David]

Originally Posted by Pusaka

Silat is as old as the keris itself, therefore there are teachings regarding it that old too held by gurus.

Some form of silat has indeed been around for centuries, passed by oral tradition. Silat, however, has changed greatly over the years, even more so as it has moved away from its origins in the Indonesian/Malay area to schools around the world. It is fairly well acknowledged though that the keris has become a central weapon in many of it's various schools only relatively recently, probably due to the recognition of its cultural importance in the area. But i seriously do not want this to become a discussion or debate on silat and it variant forms. This is not a silat forum. The keris stands alone from this martial art and it certainly wasn't created to serve it.
Much of what is "true" of anything in this world is a matter of our perception. There are those who believe that a keris blade can either be "dead" or "alive" and there are those who feel that all keris are merely artist weapons and artifacts. There are those who claim they can feel and perceive the difference. Sometimes these astute and highly trained individuals will disagree on such matters. I have even heard tell of the same person giving different opinions on the same keris on different days. Does that make that person a charlatan. Not necessarily. It depends upon what you believe. But debating these subjects seems pointless to me. I personally know when i am holding a keris that is particularly powerful to me. Yes, i can feel it, can't you? Maybe you just don't believe hard enough. You see, belief can be a powerful thing in and of itself.
I would disagree with Pusaka in that i believe all of us are indeed born with the ability to feel vibrations. These innate abilities are drowned out by the day to day rigors of mundane living. Training techniques only open up this ability to perceive. And there are many exercises to help us achieve this aside from "rasa" if we wish to pursue them. However, most this kind of perception is unnecessary for our appreciation of the keris. We all understand that the keris has over the centuries fulfilled a multitude of cultural purposes and that some of those purposes have changed over time within that changing culture. As Alan so correctly put it "It is not the place of anybody who is not a part of the owning culture to dictate to people within that culture what is appropriate for the culture." And it must be understood that aside from what has most certainly been lost over time that keris culture is a indeed living and probably still changing culture. I believe it would be a great mistake to dismiss keris that someone claiming mystical powers says to be "mati" as not being a "real" keris simply because of that assigned designation, especially when we consider just how subjective such observations can be.

[rasdan]

Hi guys,

In my opinion, the only person that can “feel” the keris correctly is the maker. The one that has the ability of imbuing energy into the blade. No one else.

People can (with their abilities) try to feel the blade, but how are they are going to know that they are feeling the right thing? The exact feel that the maker intended? (Does the maker intended something like this?) Most likely, without the correct knowledge, different people are going to get a different feel. How do we know that a strong tingling is better than a weak or no tingling at all?

I have seen people trying to this using their abilities and I myself have tried to detect the energy using EMF detector. (which is silly actually) Then something occurred to me, what does all this mean to me? Let’s say we are able to detect that this keris have a higher energy and another one have a lower energy. What are we going to do about it? What does it mean? Most likely we are going to rank the keris differently. We start to rank our keris using a measurement system that is probably entirely wrong. This in my opinion, can be seen is being disrespectful to the maker of the keris.

[A. G. Maisey]

Thank you Rasdan. It is very refreshing to read something such as you have written.

[rasdan]

You are most welcome Alan. I'm just sharing some thoughts for the consideration of our forum members..

[Alam Shah]

Many moons ago about 2 decades actually, I've done some research about a few "Kitab Primbon" (books). The ones I used were romanised translated texts from older scripts. It contains many mantras and like an instruction manual of sort. When successfully executed a set of instructions with a specific mantra, one could attain a higher level of awareness (enlightenment?) which also attuned the senses 'rasa'. There were many mantras related to keris in certain Primbons. Some have instructions on how to enable communicate with 'enpowered' objects, strengthen one's own spiritual mind, imbuing, 'locking' and 'unlock' objects, removal or transfer of energy sources, etc.

Different primbon (book) contains different things, and depending on its source, determine its contents, form, and mantras. Hindu-based origin tends to invoke deities, Kejawen-based tends to invoke the spirits, jinn, etc (with 2 paths, white magic and black magic, and the grey path in between). The later versions include those from Islamic teachings. For example Sunan Kalijaga plays an important role in revamping quite a lot of information about the Javanese keris together with some empus' cooperation. Conforming mantras with Islamic elements and removing those that are not permissible, to a certain extent. Hence allowing the keris and its culture to survive even within the muslim communities in Java and elsewhere within the Indonesian/Malay archipelago.

[A. G. Maisey]

Alam Shah, some years ago a very dear friend of mine who has now passed to a higher realm, wrote a little book on how to make keris. This man truly did know how to make keris, and he had produced some of the finest keris of the modern era.

After I read his book I was somewhat surprised at what he had produced, as most of the important information on how to actually produce a keris was missing. What my dear friend had produced was a simple gloss that more or less pointed the way for somebody with no knowledge of how to make a keris, to get started.

When I mentioned these omissions to him, his reply was something to the effect of:-
"You do not give information to people who do not have sufficient knowledge to understand what you have given them. You do not give the key"

My friend was of course correct, and when we consider what he said, and his attitude, we realise that this attitude is very general in all aspects of Javanese behaviour:-
gratuitous truths are to be avoided at all costs.

Alam, I have very probably read all of the little books on keris of which you speak, as well as many more written sources, published, unpublished, old, and new. Most, if not all, of these printed sources do not provide wholly accurate information. The mantras that are published are published in a form that is sufficient to lead those who do not already know the mantras to believe that the writer does in fact know the mantras.

There is something else about the use of a mantra also:- in the absence of the correct mindset, any mantra is only so many empty words. Only those who are entitled to know a mantra do know it, and how to use it. It is not something for the uninitiated.

It has been claimed, and this is probably true, that a knowledgeable Javanese person does not write a book to impart knowledge to those people who lack the knowledge, he writes a book to raise his own profile to a level where he is acknowledged as a person who knows. The rationale is very simple:-

Knowledge = power = money

Or, if we wish

Knowledge = money = power

Nobody but an abject fool gives away money and/or power.

[Alam Shah]

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

Alam, I have very probably read all of the little books on keris of which you speak, as well as many more written sources, published, unpublished, old, and new. Most, if not all, of these printed sources do not provide wholly accurate information. The mantras that are published are published in a form that is sufficient to lead those who do not already know the mantras to believe that the writer does in fact know the mantras.

There is something else about the use of a mantra also:- in the absence of the correct mindset, any mantra is only so many empty words. Only those who are entitled to know a mantra do know it, and how to use it. It is not something for the uninitiated.

It has been claimed, and this is probably true, that a knowledgeable Javanese person does not write a book to impart knowledge to those people who lack the knowledge, he writes a book to raise his own profile to a level where he is acknowledged as a person who knows. The rationale is very simple:-
Knowledge = money = power

Nobody but an abject fool gives away money and/or power.

Hi Alan, thanks for sharing. Agreed with what you've mentioned in most parts. In the course of studying the occult arts under a few teachers' tutelage, a common point is a vow of secrecy and then bounded by it. Some of my notable teachers include a Javanese, a Bugis and a Malay. Teaching me a range of different practices, point of view and rituals limited within my belief system.

After 3 decades, I've learnt much but however, I'm still a student. The difference is now I'm aware of the vast knowledge that I still do not know and will most likely will never know. The Primbons are seldom mentioned in javanese keris books.

I do somewhat agree with your opinion on many current existing keris books but there are of course the exceptional ones. Outside Java, there are many other keris cultures, like the Bugis, Sumatran, Borneo and Peninsular Malaya to name a few where it have evolved with the times. In these regions, keris are also imbued by their makers for specific keris, not for all keris as it is in Java. Only its method and rituals vary.

As for the mantras, I'm aware of the cleansing ritual, body and mind conditioning and its rituals (be it tapa brata, mutih, pati geni, etc) to get the rights to use them or bestowed with empowerment. I'll stop here.

Coming back to the initial question regarding the muslim way. According to Islamic beliefs, only God can create spirits hence one will seek from God (Allah the Almighty) to bestow power upon it. The rituals includes a prayer, recitation of holy verses and chanting to God with a specific focus on intent.

[A. G. Maisey]

Yes Alam Shah, there are other keris cultures but since I have only a superficial knowledge of the societies that are home to these other belief systems, I tend to refrain from comment on them. My comments are most often only in respect of Javanese belief systems, and sometimes Balinese.

[Pusaka]

One teacher said to me what you know makes you unique, giving it away is giving away your uniqueness.

On the other hand however it is part of the oath many initiates take that they must impart their knowledge to three others before they die. In modern times think it might be harder to find someone to impart such knowledge to.

[Mick]

I am glad to see these posts appear. I do not remember all of the individual posts that have been written on this forum, but feel that this series of posts have brought forward, for the first time, some of the real difficulties in understanding the keris no matter in which area you are interested.

It is, by no means, just a matter of the workmanship of an individual item.

[Bob A]

A book, or let us say the written word - in deference to our current ability to transmit information - may have the ability to pass on knowledge (as opposed to "information") to some degree. Transmission of knowledge is far more complex a concept than can be encompassed by so basic a system.

"Hands on" permits a far more complete understanding, not capable of being rendered by words. Beyond that, there are levels of experience which can only be passed on situationally, where the necessary individuals and settings align. Nor is it always immediately apparent that something has been passed along.

However, a book can serve as a beacon of sorts, bringing awareness of certain concepts to the attention of persons who might be susceptible to cultivating a growth process.

Knowledge of a certain type is not necessarily "hidden"; it might require rather more time, effort, and opportunity to be brought into awareness than can easily be described, and may require particular personal characteristics be present in the potential recipient.

This is a general description of a state of affairs, but it would seem to apply to the present discussion.

[A. G. Maisey]

Bob, much of that which you have written is beyond dispute, however, in respect of all belief systems hidden knowledge does exist, "hidden knowledge" being that knowledge, interpretation or understanding that is only available to a limited number of people.

Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, the Hindu Faith, these are all belief systems, and they are all subject to the concept of "hidden knowledge".

In Jawa and Bali the knowledge that is attached to the keris is also part of a number of belief systems. Within the belief systems attached to the keris some knowledge is limited to certain people. In fact, in Bali until the present time, and in pre-Islamic Jawa, the select knowledge attached to the keris was/is structured into a separate caste, the Pande Caste, and the higher levels of this knowledge was/is only made available to certain persons within that caste.

I do agree that the printed word is limited in its ability to transmit knowledge, information, and most importantly, understanding. However, the Javanese approach to the publication of a published work of any type must be understood within the parameters set by the mores and standards of Javanese society.