Vajrayana Buddhism in Southeast Asia
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Vajrayana Buddhism, also known as Tantric Buddhism, found its way to the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra in the late 8th century C.E. Vajrayana is an extension of Mahayana Buddhism consisting of differences in the adoption of additional techniques (upaya, or 'skillful means') rather than in philosophy. Some of these upāya are esoteric practices which must be initiated and transmitted only through a skilled spiritual teacher.[1] The Vajrayana is often viewed as the third major 'vehicle' (Yana) of Buddhism, alongside the Theravada and Mahayana.
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[edit] History
The Buddhist empire of Srivijaya in Palembang, Sumatra was for more than 600 years, the centre of Vajrayana learning in the Far East. Yi Jing (635-713) praised the high level of Buddhist scholarship in Srivijaya and advised Chinese monks to study there prior to making the journey to Nalanda, India. He wrote:
In the fortified city of Bhoga, Buddhist priests number more than 1,000, whose minds are bent on learning and good practice. They investigate and study all the subjects that exist just as in India; the rules and ceremonies are not at all different. If a Chinese priest wishes to go to the West in order to hear and read the original scriptures, he had better stay here one or two years and practice the proper rules.[2]
The temple complex at Borobudur was built as a Mandala, a giant three dimensional representation of Vajrayana Buddhist cosmology.
[edit] Legacy
Yi Jing (Chinese: 三藏法師義淨) (635-713 CE)
Tang Dynasty Buddhist scholar Yi Jing travelled to Srivijaya in 687 CE. He stayed there for two years to translate original Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit to Chinese. Yi Jing's visits to Srivijaya gave him the opportunity to meet with others who had come from other neighboring islands. According to him, the Javanese kingdom of Ho-ling was due east of the city of Bhoga at a distance that could be spanned by a 4-5 days journey by sea. He also wrote:
Buddhism was flourishing throughout the islands of Southeast Asia. Many of the kings and chieftains in the islands of the Southern Sea admire and believe in Buddhism, and their hearts are set on accumulating good actions.[3]
He was also responsible for the translation of a large numbers of Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit into Chinese. He translated more than 60 sutras into Chinese, including:
- Saravanabhava Vinaya (一切有部毗奈耶)
- Avadana, i.e. stories of great deeds (譬喻經) in 710 CE.
- Suvarnaprabhascottamaraja-sutra, i.e. Sutra of the Most Honored King (金光明最勝王經) in 703.
The 南海寄歸內法傳 & 大唐西域求法高僧傳 (Account of Buddhism sent from the South Seas & Buddhist Monks Pilgrimage of Tang Dynasty) are two of Yi Jing's best travel diaries, describing his adventurous journey to Srivijaya and India, the society of the society of India and the lifestyles of various local peoples.
Atiśa Dipankara Shrijnana (Bangla: অতীশ দীপঙ্কর শ্রীজ্ঞান) (982-1054 CE)
In the 11th century, the Buddhist scholar Atiśa Dipankara Shrijnana who was responsible for the revival of Tibetan Buddhism after its repression by King Langdarma (838-841 CE), studied in Srivijaya under the eminent Buddhist scholar Dharmarakshita of Sumatra. In a sense, Tibet owes its Buddhism to Sumatra since it was almost wiped out under King Langdarma's brutal repression.
Dharmarakshita (Tibetan: Serlingpa; Chinese: 金州大師)
Serlingpa or Dharmarakshita was a renowned 10th century Sumatran Buddhist teacher and a member of the Srivijayan imperial family who composed an important Mahayana text called the Wheel of Sharp Weapons (Tib. blo-sbyong mtshon-cha 'khor-lo). He was the teacher of Atisha, who was instrumental in establishing a second wave of Buddhism in Tibet.
[edit] See also
- Srivijaya
- Yi Jing
- Atisha
- Dharmarakshita
- Serlingpa
- Vajrayana Buddhism
- Tibetan Buddhism
- Buddhism in the Philippines
[edit] References
- Dutt S., Buddhist Monks and Monasteries of India, with the translation of passages (given by Latika Lahiri to S. Dutt, see note 2 p. 311) from Yi Jing's book:Buddhist Pilgrim Monks of Tang Dynasty as an appendix. London, 1952.
- A Record of the Buddhist Religion : As Practised in India and the Malay Archipelago (A.D. 671-695)/I-Tsing. Translated by J. Takakusu (1896). Reprint. New Delhi, AES, 2005, lxiv, 240 p., ISBN 81-206-1622-7. https://www.vedamsbooks.com/no43511.htm
- Chinese Monks in India, Biography of Eminent Monks Who Went to the Western World in Search of the Law During the Great tang Dynasty, by I-ching, Translated by Latika Lahiri, Delhi, etc.: Motilal Banarsidass, 1986.
- Geshe Sonam Rinchen, Atisha's Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment, Snow Lion Publications.
- Ray, Reginald A. Secret of the Vajra World: The Tantric Buddhism of Tibet. Shambhala Publications, Boston: 2001
- Stuart-Fox, Martin. A Short History of China and Southeast Asia: Tribute, Trade, and Influence. London: Allen and Unwin, 2003.
[edit] External Links
- Review of the origin of Melayu dialectics based on Srivijayan Inscriptions; site in Indonesian on Old Malay
- Timeline of Indonesia from prehistory to present: click on the period for info
- Banglapedia Article on Atisha Dipamkara
- Tibetan Biography of Atisha
- Atisha's work in India and Tibet
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