Bhinneka Tunggal Ika is the officialnational motto ofIndonesia. It is inscribed in thenational emblem of Indonesia, theGaruda Pancasila, written on the scroll gripped by theGaruda's claws. The phrase comes fromOld Javanese, meaning "Unity in Diversity," and is enshrined in article 36A of theConstitution of Indonesia. The motto refers to the unity and integrity of Indonesia, a nation consisting of various cultures, regional languages, races, ethnicities, religions, and beliefs.
The phrase is a quotation from an Old Javanese poemKakawin Sutasoma, written byMpu Tantular, a famouspoet ofJavanese literature during the reign of theMajapahit empire in the 14th century, under the reign of KingRājasanagara (also known asHayam Wuruk).
Translated word for word,bhinnêka is asandhi form ofbhinna meaning "different"; the wordtunggal means "one" and the wordika means "it". Literally, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika is translated as "It is different, [yet] it is one". Conventionally, the phrase is translated as "Unity in Diversity",[1] which means that despite being diverse, the Indonesian people are still one unit. This motto describes the unity and integrity of Indonesia, which consists of various cultures, regional languages, races, ethnicities, religions, and beliefs. As head of theFaculty of Philosophy ofGadjah Mada University,Rizal Mustansyir, writes, "the motto of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika explains clearly that there is diversity in various aspects of life that makes the Indonesian nation a unified nation."[2]
The phrase originated from the Old Javanese poem Kakawin Sutasoma, written byMpu Tantular a famous poet of Javanese Literature during the reign of the Majapahit empire sometime in the 14th century, under the reign ofKing Rājasanagara, also known as Hayam Wuruk.[3] TheKakawin contains epic poems written inmetres. The poem is notable as it promotes tolerance betweenHindus (especiallyShivaites) andBuddhists.[4]
The phrase Bhinneka Tunggal Ika was published in an article entitledVerspreide Geschriften which was written by a Dutch linguist orientalistJohan Hendrik Casper Kern. Kern's writings were later read byMohammad Yamin, who then brought the phrase to the firstInvestigating Committee for Preparatory Work for Independence (BPUPK) session, between 29 May to 1 June 1945.[5]
The motto Bhinneka Tunggal Ika was later incorporated into the state emblem, theGaruda Pancasila. Reporting from the Directorate General of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, the state symbol was designed bySultan Hamid II and announced to the public on 15 February 1950.[6]
The phrase, along withPancasila as national emblem and 20 other articles, is officially included into theConstitution of Indonesia after the second amendment of the constitution was ratified onPeople's Consultative Assembly (MPR) parliamentary session in 7–18 August 2000.[7][8]
This quotation comes from Canto 139, stanza 5. The full stanza reads as follows:
Rwāneka dhātu winuwus Buddha Wiswa,
Bhinnêki rakwa ring apan kena parwanosen,
Mangka ng Jinatwa kalawan Śiwatatwa tunggal,
Bhinnêka tunggal ika tan hana dharma mangrwa.
It is said that the well-known Buddha and Shiva are two different substances.
They are indeed different, yet how is it possible to recognise their difference in a glance,
since the truth of Jina (Buddha) and the truth ofShiva is one.
They are indeed different, but they are of the same kind, as there is no duality in Truth.
This translation is based, with minor adaptations, on the critical text edition by Soewito Santoso.[1]
This idea is a constant theme throughout Mpu Tantular's writings and can also be found in his other writing, theKakawin Arjunawijaya, canto 27 stanza 2:[9][10]
ndan kantênanya, haji, tan hana bheda saṅ hyaṅ
hyaṅ Buddha rakwa kalawan Śiwarājadewa
kālih samêka sira saṅ pinakeṣṭi dharma
riṅ dharma sīma tuwi yan lêpas adwitīya
Clearly then, Your Majesty, there is no distinction between the Deities:
thehyaṅ Buddha and Siwa, the lord of gods,
both are the same, they are the goals of the religions;
in thedharma sīma as well as in thedharma lêpas they are second to none.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link)