Buddhist Cultural Achievement in
South Asia Countries
By Rev. Thich Hang Dat
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.
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.
Introduction-Cultural Background
India
• 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 DharmaChakra in the center of national flag.
-Literature: Pali and Sanskrit.
Ex: The works of Nagajuna, Aryadeva,
Vasubandhu, etc.
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.
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.
Buddhist Cultural Achievement
Maldives 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.
Buddhist Cultural AchievementAfghanistan
-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.
Buddhist Cultural Achievement
Afghanistan
-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.
Buddhist Cultural Achievement
Pakistan
-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 IndoGreek king.
-Kanishka, Kushana king, sponsored the 4th Buddhist
council during the 1st century.
-Asoka’s pillar momentum.
-Buddhis disappeared during 7 century.
Buddhist Cultural Achievement
Nepal
-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.
Buddhist Cultural Achievement
Nepal
-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.
Buddhist Cultural Achievement
Kingdom 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.
Buddhist Cultural Achievement
Bangladesh
-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
Buddhist Cultural Achievement
Bangladesh
-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.
Buddhist Cultural Achievement
Bangladesh
-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.
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.