NOBLE CHARACTER AS THE CORE VALUE OF THE TEACHINGS OF INDIGENOUS BELIEF ADHERENTS TOWARD THE ALMIGHTY GOD: A SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This article examines budi pekerti luhur as the core value of indigenous belief teachings (penghayat kepercayaan terhadap Tuhan Yang Maha Esa) from the perspective of the sociology of education. Departing from the view that education is not confined to formal institutions, the study positions indigenous belief teachings as a living source of value education embedded in cultural and spiritual practices. Using a qualitative fieldwork approach, the research was conducted in Banyumas Regency, Central Java, involving five informants drawn from indigenous belief families and organizational activists, selected through snowball sampling. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, non-participant observation, and documentation, and analyzed using the interactive model of Miles and Huberman, comprising data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing/verification. The findings indicate that budi pekerti luhur is understood as the integration of thought, speech, and action aligned with humanitarian, spiritual, and social-order values. This core value is expressed through principles such as ngelakoni perintah lan ngedohi cegah, cosmological concepts including sangkan paraning dumadi and manunggaling kawula–Gusti, as well as spiritual disciplines and culturally embedded symbolic practices. From a sociological perspective, budi pekerti luhur serves as a form of social education that shapes moral and spiritual values beyond formal schooling, highlighting the significant contribution of local wisdom and indigenous spirituality to values and character education in Indonesia.