Bujangga Manik

It is told in octosyllabic lines — the metrical form of Old Sundanese narrative poetry — in palm-leaf manuscript kept in the Bodleian Library of Oxford University in England, since 1627 or 1629 (MS Jav.

[1] The hero of the literature is Prabu (English: Prince) Jaya Pakuan alias Bujangga Manik, a Sundanese Hindu rishi, who, though a prince at the court of Pakuan Pajajaran (capital city of Sunda kingdom, which was located near present-day Bogor city in western part of Java island), preferred to live a life of a man of religion.

As a hermit he made two journeys from Pakuan Pajajaran to central and eastern Java and back, the second one including a visit to Bali.

After his return he practiced asceticism on a mountain in western Java, where his bodily existence came to an end; in the final part of the text the journey of his soul to the heavenly regions is described in great detail.

[2] The background of Bujangga Manik story had been based on contemporary reality, as is proven by the accuracy of the topographical details of the journeys.

It is clear from the text itself that it dates from pre-Muslim times of West Java, precisely from the era of Hindu Sunda Kingdom.

The script used in the manuscript is the usual Old Sundanese variety of the Indonesian family of Indic syllabaries, which fell into disuse after the penetration of Islam into western part of Java island.

One is that once he has climbed the Puncak Pass, he takes time, like a modern tourist, to sit down, ‘fan his body’ and enjoy the view, in particular the Great Mountain (Bukit Ageung, still known as the Gunung gede) which he calls ‘the highest point (hulu wano) of the realm of Pakuan’ (59–64).

From the Puncak Pass he travels on; by crossing the Cipamali river he enters the Javanese territory (alas Jawa 82) and wanders through various districts of Majapahit and the plain of the region of Demak; via Jatisari he arrives at Pamalang, still a well-known coastal town halfway between Tegal to the west and Pekalongan to the east.

The departure of the ship from the harbour is described as a festive ceremony (96–120): guns (wedil) are discharged, musical instruments are played, several songs, the titles of which are mentioned, are loudly sung by the crew; a detailed description of the materials used for the building of the ship is given: various kinds of bamboo and rattan, a mast of laka wood, and an Indian rudder are specifically mentioned; Bujangga Manik is duly impressed and full of admiration for the crew which originates from various places.

The trip from Pamalang to Kalapa, the harbour in West Java takes half a month (121), which suggest that the ship may have stopped at various places in between.

From Kalapa Bujangga Manik comes first to the place of customs (Pabeyaan) and then proceeds to the royal court of Pakuan, in the northern part of the present-day town of Bogor (Noorduyn 1982:419).

The stereotypic character is also clear from the fact that it is a passage deviating from the general narrative perspective which is focused on Bujangga Manik.

The princess, who is dressed in negligee and has an imported Chinese box placed besides her (284–290), sees from the corners of her eye the hurried return of Jompong Larang, who ascends the stairs and seats herself.

The mother urges her son to accept Lady Ajung Larang's offer; adding that if he agrees “there is no more than just that”; she mentions “symbolic gifts” (sesebutan 518–522) and ends her strong recommendation by describing the exceptional beauty of the princess and her eagerness to give herself to the young man; has she not said: “I shall give myself, I shall dive like a hawk, leap like a tiger, asking to be accepted as sweetheart”?

But Ameng Layaran is shocked by his mother's enthusiasm which he calls “forbidden words” (carek larangan) and resolutely refuses to accept the gift in an equally lengthy declaration (548–650); he reveals the negative meaning of the sesebutan, which predict illness, tears and physical infirmity (563–574).

He prefers to life in celibacy and to keep to the lessons which he received during his recent trip to Central Java, in the district of religious schools on the slopes of the Merbabu (here called gunung Damalung and Pamrihan), where, as one of the friars, he communicated with hermits and ascetics, following the teachers indicated as dewaguru, pandita, and purusa (593–606).

Bujangga Manik takes up his bag containing the great book (apus ageung) and the Siksaguru, as well as his rattan walking stick and his whip.