The Expansion of Buddhism

Buddhism’s origin began in the Indian subcontinent around the time of the fifth century BCE. It was founded in the North-Eastern region of India and what is now called Nepal. Buddhism is based on the teaching of Siddharatha Gautma, which is The Buddha, also named as the Enlightened/Awakened One. [1] The religion was able to spread out through central and Southeast Asia, then to further areas such as China, Korea, and Japan. From understanding Buddhism’s expansion in Asia, its role in the continent of Southeast Asia can not be overlooked. “Since the days of Ashoka, Buddhism had had a markedly missionary character. Indeed, the Buddha himself had been dedicated to spreading the Word of the dharma.” (Saunders, 82.) Ashoka devoted himself to the dissemination of his rule, and he had two methods. The first was direct, targeting his neighboring regions, which were those in Southeast Asia. “In the neighboring states of Nepal, Kashmir, Ceylon, Cambodia, Java, Burma, and Thailand, Buddhism was an active element in the Brähmanism by which Indian culture was spread to those areas.” (Saunders, 82.) The second was rather indirect, spreading to farther places in Asia such as China, Korea, and Japan. “Already in Ashoka's times, monks and nuns had penetrated into Nepal, and Buddhist colonists had begun to expand into central Asia. By around the beginning of the Christian era, Buddhism had taken hold in Funan, Champa, and Sumatra and by the fourth century in Java and Borneo.” (Saunders, 83) [2]

Theravada

Though historically the Mahayana was seen to be more significant, when it comes to modern times in Southeast Asia, Theravada is the most dominant form of the religion. The ultimate goal for Theravada Buddhism is the ‘arhat,’ which means to be able to reach enlightenment, solely depending on one’s own efforts. Though Thereavada started from India and Sri Lanka, it later spread to many different regions in Southeast Asia. “Theravāda to become an inclusive religious identity that is commonly applied to monks and laypersons in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos in the present day.” (Berkwitz, p234) Therefore Theravada becomes one of the keys to identifying the spread of Buddhism to the entirety of Southeast Asia. [3]

Mahayana

The essence of the Mahayana is the belief that every living being has the potential to awaken an inner buddha within themselves. The term can be translated to the ‘Great Vehicle,’ with maha meaning great or big, and yana meaning vehicle. [4] The Mahayana teaches that enlightenment is possible in a single lifetime, and this is achievable even by an unordained person. The term Mahayana also refers to the journey of the Bodhisattva seeking full enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. [5] Though most aforementioned Southeast Asian countries followed the Theravada, there are some countries that follow the Mahayana. This includes Vietnam and Indonesia. The Mahayana was historically more significant in the past.The Mahayana can also explain the expansion of Buddhism through trade and globalization, as Vietnam had the influence of China for the tradition. For Indonesia, the influence of India can be observed through their many temples. Buddhist architecture is another factor that shows the influence of early Buddhism to other regions.

Description of the Ghanta

The Ghanta is a bell. The hollowness representing emptiness and wisdom, the sound of the bell represents the voice of Buddha. The ritual that is used with the bell is associated with the destruction of unawareness. The practice of ringing the bell can be a request for protection, or represent the sound of Buddha in meditation, etc. [8]