Moving with Dharma: A Co-Creative Artistic Exploration of Buddhist Teachings in Contemporary Indonesia

Abstract

This paper, "Moving with Dharma," explores the co-creative artistic exploration of Buddhist teachings (Dhamma) within the contemporary Indonesian context. Responding to the need for accessible and contemporary artistic expressions of Buddhism, it employs a Practice as Research (PaR) methodology, emphasizing experiential learning and collaborative artmaking. The study details a process involving workshops, individual reflections, and a public performance, illustrating how Dhamma principles such as impermanence (Anicca), suffering (Dukkha), and non-self (Anatta) manifest as lived experiences, fostering personal transformation and interreligious dialogue. Findings highlight that PaR serves as a profoundly transformative yet personally challenging journey, leading to moments of profound insight (Nibbida and Viraga). The research also reveals a crucial tension between artistic expression and the concept of Anatta, navigating the artist's ego while demonstrating how art functions as a skillful means (Upaya Kausalya) to convey universal truths and promote understanding across diverse audiences. Critically, the study identifies a significant systemic gap in accessibility for deaf Buddhists in Indonesia, underscored by linguistic barriers in sign language interpretation for specific Buddhist vocabulary and practices. This research ultimately affirms the power of co-creative art in embodying Dhamma, revealing its universal relevance, and underscoring the imperative for greater inclusivity in spiritual and artistic dissemination.