THE ERA OF UNCERTAINTY AND ETHICAL ARRANGEMENT IN JAVANESE CLASSICAL TEXTS : Disseminating Ranggawarsita’s Works as Source of Islamic Ethics in Islamic Higher Education

Abstract

This paper investigates the era of uncertainty and ethical arrangement as formulated in the Javanese classical text written by Ranggawarsita (1802-1873 M). Most of his works, especially Serat Kalatidha, Serat Sabdapranawa, and Serat Sabdatama, was situated during the era of uncertainty and the era of zaman edan (age of insanity), kalabendu (age of anger), owah or pakewuh (age of strangeness). The social structure in this era was seen the apparent rise of unethical behavior. Elite communities were seen to be lacking in self-respenct, meanwhile the general population were regarded as ignoring basic public morality. New ethical notion emerged to set society free from ‘uncertainty’ through the implementation of four ethical doctrines in social life, namely monotheism, purba wasesa ing astane Gusti (submission to God’s predestination), muhung mahas ing asepi (self-contemplation), and eling lan waspada (self-awareness and mindfulness). The current situation of the Indonesian nation is very similar to the age of kalabendu. Thus it is necessary to disseminate and transform of ethical doctrines in the Islamic Higher Education through Islamic Ethic, in the form of textbooks. [Artikel ini membahas zaman ketidakpastian dan respon etisnya di dalam naskah Jawa klasik karya pujangga Ranggawarsita. Beberapa karyanya seperti Serat Kalatidha, Serat Sabdapranawa dan Serat Sabdatama merupakan karya yang ditulis di zaman kegilaan, zaman kemarahan dan zaman keanehan. Pada masa itu struktur sosial terikat oleh perilaku tak etis, dimana para tokoh jauh dari sikap keteladanan yang baik dan masyarakat mengabaikan kepantasan publik. Untuk menghindari kondisi tersebut setidaknya ada empat langkah yang harus dilakukan yaitu: jangan berpaling dari Tuhan, berserah pada takdir, kontemplasi diri dan selalu ingat serta waspada. Kondisi bangsa saat ini bisa disebut menyerupai zaman edan yang digambarkan Ranggawarsita. Oleh karena itu, prinsip etis tersebut layak disosialisasikan dan ditransformasikan dalam pengajaran (buku) etika Islam di perguruan tinggi Islam.]