Tri Hita Karana is a traditional philosophy that promotes harmony in daily life of Balinese people. The term can be literally translated to “three ways to happiness or harmony”. It is taken from three words: “tri” means three, “hita” means prosperity, and “karana” means cause.
According to this philosophy, there are three relationships that should be kept in harmony:
The first is Parhyangan, or the relationship between man and God. This is the basis for all the wonderful rituals held by the Balinese. God gives necessities and life to humans, and humans express their gratitude by honouring Him through various rituals.
The second is Pawongan, or the relationship between people and their neighbors. This is the basis for the community life in Bali, often represented by banjars or sub- villages. A harmonious relationship with fellow humans is essential for prosperity and happiness. Society functions when citizens have good ties among themselves. The spirit of pawongan is implemented in mutual cooperation and promoting compassion such as helping each other out during preparation of a ceremony or after a disaster.
The last is Palemahan, the relationships between man and nature, environment around them. This has become the basis for sustainable development in Bali. As nature provides for humans, humans must preserve nature in return. Some example of its implementation among others are recycling events, coral reef preservation and replanting trees. Even the simple act of watering plants and picking up litter is a great contribution to preserving nature.
This philosophy emphasizes on how one should live side by side, respect one another. It is used as a basis for development in Bali. It is also often quoted as a basis for sustainable development. Relationship inequality can cause harm to human life.
The Tri Hita Karana principle guides many aspects of Balinese life, from daily rituals, communal works, to planning in Balinese architecture of temple, house or community hall. One implementation of this principle recognized as UNESCO World Heritage is the Balinese Subak traditional irrigation system.