Buddhist Cultural Achievement in South Asia Countries

1. Buddhist Cultural Achievement in South Asia Countries By Rev. Thich Hang Dat

2. Outline • Introduction -Cultural Background: India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Maldian island, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. -Buddha’s life • Buddhist Achievement in: India, Sri Lanka, Maldian island, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. • Conclusion.

3. Introduction-Cultural Background India -Indus Valley civilization (2600-1900 BCE): practicing Yoga, Sacrifice, and worshiping Shiva. -Vedic civilization (4500-1500 BCE): Vedic prayer and domestic offerings and fire to gods. - 1200 BCE: Brahma sacrificing of human or horse. In some Veda tradition, people used the texts to pray. -800 BCE: Shramans practiced combination of Yoga, praying, and meditation. -600 BCE: Upanishads- underground movement of forest thinkers.

4. Introduction-Cultural BackgroundIndia • 4 classes in Indian Society: • The Brahmin priesthood. • The warriors and royals (ksatriya). • the traders and other professionals (vaisya) . • the labors (sudra). No one could move up or down from these classes since birth.

5. Introduction-Cultural Background • Gandhara: Pakistan and Afghanistan: -Prior to have Buddhist influence, this area also had the Indus Valley Civilization and similar traditions as that of India. • Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh: -Having direct and indirect influences of India’s Brahmin and Vedic culture, tradition, and others prior to Buddhist influence. • Sri Lanka and Maldives islands: -Having their own local religious traditions of worshiping of local god or deities.

6. Introduction-The Life of The Buddha • Siddhartha born around 566 BCE in Lumbini of Kapilavastu city of Sakya kingdom to the king Suddhodana and queen Maya. • Married princess Yasodhara at the age of 16. • Both had a son, Rahula. • After seeing 4 signs, He decided to leave home to find the Truth. • Followed two Hindu teachers, but could not find the ultimate Truth. • Leaving them to practice asceticism for 6 years. • Gave up that practice and go to Bodhi Gaya to sit for 49 days. • Attained fully enlightenment. Became Buddha.

7. Introduction-The Life of The Buddha Going to Dear Park to teach. • Creating the Sangha. • Allowing women to enter the Sangha. • Accepting everyone, regardless the classes, social or economic status, entered the Sangha. • He is the most energetic Teacher of God and human, teaching day and night tirelessly. • Encouraging missionary work. • His teaching touched every aspect of human life. • His personalities and sublime conducts are the great and live teaching for everyone. • He entered Nirvana peacefully.

8. Introduction-The Life of The Buddha • His teaching transforms the landscapes of every aspect of human life such as religion, politics, sociology, philosophy, education, literature, art, economy, culture, and others. • Later on His teaching spreads to the whole India continent as well as to other countries in Far East and West.

9. Buddhist Cultural Achievement-India -Changing in animal sacrifice within the Vedic literature, Mahabharata. -Hinduism borrowed Buddhist models: -Sangha model. -Compassionate idea of vegetarian diet up to now. -Social and religious justice. Non-touchable. -Advocate gender and class equality. Ex: Upali, Anggulimala, Ambapali. -Intellectual liberationism: Everyone can learn. Ex: Nalanda, Valabhi, & Vikramasila. -Non-violence, non-aggressive approaches. -Social welfare: Free medical-free lunch for the poor.

10. Buddhist Cultural Achievement-India -Interfaith spirit. -International missionary: Religious exchange during Asoka’s period. -Art and Architectures: -Sanchi, Bodhi-gaya, Ajanta, tec. -National emblem: Lion Capital and Dharma-Chakra in the center of national flag. -Literature: Pali and Sanskrit. Ex: The works of Nagajuna, Aryadeva, Vasubandhu, etc.

11. Buddhist Cultural Achievement-Sri Lanka -Prior to Buddhist influence: -Worshiping local gods, tree, etc. -Following Indian class system. -Buddhist influence: -Mahendra and Sanghamitra’s present. -Buddha’s relic, His alms bowl, and bodhi branch. -Promulgating the new religious and spiritual values and teaching. -Building of monastery, stupas, religious park. -Buddha’s Tooth relic: Symbol for royal protection.

12. Buddhist Cultural Achievement-Sri Lanka -National Buddhist festivals: -Poyal days of 8 precept observance. -Vesak, Ariyavamsa, etc. -Pali Tipitaka was written on palm leaves in 400 A.C. -Two Buddhist international organizations: -Maha-Bodhi Society and World Fellowship of Buddhists.

13. Buddhist Cultural AchievementMaldives Island -Asoka’s missionary monks came around 3rd BCE. -The first Maldivian writing was developed by Buddhist monks. -Highly developed sculpture and architechture. -Evidences of Mahayana and Vajarayana iconography. -Last until 12th century.

14. Buddhist Cultural Achievement-Afghanistan -Prior to Buddhist influence: -Indo-European civilizations -Indus Valley Civilization -Buddhist influence: -Story of two merchants: The first lay Buddhist. -One of the two groups of Mahasanghika went to Northeast India after the 2nd Buddhist Councils. -Sanavasi, Ananda’s direct disciple, taught in that region.

15. Buddhist Cultural AchievementAfghanistan -Well known Indo-Greek Buddhist king: Menander in the Milindapanho. -Asoka’s missionary monks went to the region. -Great Kusana emperor sponsored the 4th Buddhist Council. -The architectures and arts of Bamiyan, -Buddhism lost the influence due to Muslim onslaught in 8th century AC.

16. Buddhist Cultural AchievementPakistan -Prior to Buddhist influence. -Indus Valley and Vedic Civilizations. -Buddhist influence: -Takshashila University. -School of Gandhara art. -Monasteries, shrines, stupas. -Witnessed th conversasion between Milinda, a Indo-Greek king. -Kanishka, Kushana king, sponsored the 4th Buddhist council during the 1st century. -Asoka’s pillar momentum. -Buddhis disappeared during 7 century.

17. Buddhist Cultural AchievementNepal -Where the Buddha was born. -Buddhism was flourished from the Buddha’s time to Chalukaya dynasty in late 11th century. -Nepalese Buddhism had great influences on Tibetan and Far East Buddhism: -Art and sculptor. -Ranjana or Newars script was used to write Mahayana Buddhist texts.

18. Buddhist Cultural AchievementNepal -Nagajuna and many other great teachers visited, lived, and taught in Nepal. -Besides Theravada and Vajrayana schools, strong lineage of Mahasanghika Bhiksunis existed until 7th century. -Have influence on Nepalese Hinduism’s art, religious practice, etc. -The great stupa of Svayabhunath in west of Kathmandu.

19. Buddhist Cultural AchievementKingdom of Bhutan -Following Vajrayana and Mahayana Tibetan traditions. -Kargyupa is the most popular among four Tibetan Buddhist schools. -13 types of Buddhist arts: Paper Making, stonework, blacksmithing, -Buddhist culture has great influence on every aspect of Bhutanese life.

20. Buddhist Cultural AchievementBangladesh -Fa Hien observed Buddhism and Hinduism coexisted harmoniously during the Gupta dynasty. -Buddhism has great influence on religion, philosophy, literature, etc. -Shilabhadra, Hsuen Tsang’s teacher of Yogashtra, was a Bangali. -Famous Budhist universities: Vikramshila Vihara, Sompuri Vihara

21. Buddhist Cultural AchievementBangladesh -Acharya Chandragomin wrote Sanskrit vocabulary of Panini. -Dharmapala, the 2nd Pala emperor: Founder of Prjnaparamita sutra. -Sompuri Mahavihara is a model for many architectures in Southeast Asia. -Ex: Borobudhur temple. -Atisa and Tilopa were outstanding saint of Chittagong who brought Buddhism to Tibet.

22. Buddhist Cultural AchievementBangladesh -Buddhist monks created Bengali language from Prakrit and Apabrahmsa languages. -During the Sena dynasty, Buddhism started to declined. -Barua ethnic, North Indian immigrant during the Muslim’s invasion, adopted Theravada tradition.

23. Summary -Buddha’s sublime teaching and great characteristics: -Buddhism spreads over all Indian continent and pan-Asia during Asoka’s period. -Most South Asian cultures are influenced great by Buddhism. Ex: Education in monastery, social and class equality, etc. -Many great monuments, stupas, monasteries, shrines, etc. are still existed. -Literatures, language, etc., still have Buddhist imprints.