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Harry Shi
Sophia Veran Sanchez
MMW 12, Section A19​
Assignment 2
25 February 2025
Adaptation and Preservation of Foreign and Indigenous Religions
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The Bhagavad Gita and Grayson’s Religious Syncretism in the Shilla Period both show
respective instances of syncretism of indigenous traditions and non-local religions. The
Bhagavad Gita is a Hindu scripture which takes form as dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna,
where Krishna preaches key values such as dharma and bhakti. It shows the integration of
indigenous Indian traditions, such as Vedic and Upanishad thought, with non-local influences,
which reflects in the text’s messages and core values. Religious Syncretism in the Shilla Period
reflects the blending of indigenous Korean beliefs with religious traditions, particularly
Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. With syncretism being a prominent component of these
texts, the tension between adaptation to non-local religions and preservation of indigenous
tradition can be a problem, and it is critical to have a healthy balance. The Bhagavad Gita
addresses this tension by reinterpreting old Vedic and Upanishadic traditions to include newer
ideas, while Religious Syncretism in the Shilla Period displays the assimilation of foreign
elements into existing shamanistic traditions.
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The Bhagavad Gita reflects the fusion of indigenous Indian traditions with evolving
Hinduism, representing this balance between adaptation of non-local religions and preservation
of indigenous traditions. First, we can see the willingness of early Hinduism to adapt, when
Krishna says that “whenever sacred duty decays and chaos prevails, then, I create myself,
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Arjuna. To protect men of virtue and destroy men who do evil, to set the standard of sacred duty,
I appear in age after age” (Bhagavad Gita, 4, 7). Here, Krishna exemplifies the willingness to
change, alluding to the fusion of vedic traditions with emerging devotional theism. Further
analyzing the syncretism between non-local religion and traditional vedic and upanishadic
values, the Bhagavad Gita illustrates Hinduism flexibility, as Krishna states, “I grant unwavering
faith to any devoted man who wants to worship any form with faith” (Bhagavad Gita, 7, 21).
This demonstrates the openness of early Hinduism, showing a syncretic approach where diverse
non-local religious paths are accommodated in Hinduism. With willingness to accept diversity
within Hinduism, Krishna reinstates the key traditional values, preaching to “always perform
with detachment, any action you must do; performing action with detachment, one achieves
supreme good” (Bhagavad Gita, 3, 19). This quote restates the traditional thoughts of dharma, a
key characteristic to Hinduism. The balance between reinstating traditional core values and
accepting diversity within Hinduism shows how the Bhagavad Gita addresses the tension
between adaptation and preservation of religion.
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Grayson’s Religious Syncretism in the Shilla Period shows how Buddhism merges with
native Korean shamanistic practices and Confucian principles to create an original religious
identity, displaying a healthy balance between foreign Buddhism and Shamanism. Chinese
influence increasingly penetrated the Korean peninsula, causing Buddhism to be present in Shilla
prior to official acceptance for approximately one century. “The written language of Korean
elites became literary Chinese”, which is one of the various examples of the effect Chinese
influence had on Korea, another of which is religion (Adelman et al. 382). The early appearance
of this Chinese influence and Buddhism sparked conflict, as there were martyrs whose death was
for the official sanction of Buddhism, indicating that “local officials must have been concerned
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about the importation of a foreign religion which might undermine traditional practices”
(Grayson, “Religious Syncretism”, 187). As Buddhism started to spread, there was increasing
worry about traditional customs being eradicated. However, when Buddhism got established in
Shilla, “we notice the first signs of the development of a uniquely Korean form of syncretic
Buddhism” (Grayson, “Religious Syncretism”, 188). For example, there was an assembly
following the establishment of Buddhism for the purpose of reading esoteric scriptures, the Jin
Guang-ming Jing and the Ren-wang Jing, which are sutras essential to Buddhist belief. This
assembly had a “distinctly shamanistic flavor” in that they “feature intercession on behalf of the
people and propitiation of the dead” (Grayson, “Religious Syncretism”, 189). Although
Buddhism became the new religion, there is still allusion to traditional shamanistic values in
society. We see an assimilation of Buddhism into traditional shamanistic religion, representing a
balance between adaptation and preservation of religion. ​
The Bhagavad Gita and Religious Syncretism in the Shilla Period share similarities. In
the Bhagavad Gita, we see the harmonization and syncretism of early Hinduism and indigenous
vedic traditions, while we see the same between foreign Buddhism and Shamanism in Religious
Syncretism in the Shilla Period. In both cases, we see how religious traditions successfully
adapted to external influences, while still maintaining core indigenous elements. On the flip side,
the nature of syncretism for the two cases are different. In the Bhagavad Gita, syncretism is
exemplified as an internal evolution of Hinduism, emphasizing philosophical openness to foreign
ideas. In contrast, Shilla’s Buddhism represents a cultural fusion, where Shamanistic practices
were infused with the Buddhism religion.
The balance between adaptation and preservation in religion can be demonstrated through
syncretism of non-local and indigenous traditions. The Bhagavad Gita displays the balance
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between preserving traditional early Hinduism and accepting other diverse paths of religion.
Grayson’s Religious Syncretism in the Shilla Period shows this through blending Buddhism
traditions and traditional Shamanistic religion. Overall, the ability to balance the adaptation to
newer customs and the preservation of old, traditional values reflects a society’s potential to
adapt to change.
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Works Cited
Adelman, Jeremy, et al. Worlds Together, Worlds Apart: A History of the World from the
Beginnings of Humankind to the Present. Combined Volume. 7th ed. E-book, W.
W. Norton, 2024.
Grayson, James. “Religious Syncretism in the Shilla Period” Asian Folklore Studies, Vol. 43,
No. 2 (1984): 185-198. Reprinted in Chang, MMW 12: Transforming Traditions.
Course Reader, pp. 183-196.
The Bhagavad-Gita : Krishna’s Counsel in Time of War. Trans. by Barbara Stoler Miller. New
York: Bantam Books, 2004. Print.
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Dear Reader,
Overall, my writing experience was great. I was able to find sources that connected to my
conceptual problem and thematic framework, and I was able to find quotes that directly backed
up my thesis. Occasionally, I would be stumped on how to continue the flow of my essay and
what to say in general, so I would go to my peers and ask them to read what I have written and
help me brainstorm how to continue it. If I could do this differently, I would make more use of
my TA’s office hours to ask questions. To the readers, I hope you enjoy my essay and are able to
grasp the meaning of the text, and understand the points and connections I am making.