An Investigation Into why Buddhism Mixed With Hinduism in Southeast Asia: Indonesia as an Example

Abstract

This paper deals with problems of Buddhism mixed with Hinduism in pre-modern Indonesia. It starts with an overview of early phase of Indian religious culture in Indonesian archipelago. Then, it explores coexistent situation of Hinduism and Buddhism in Southeast Asia. Subsequently, it goes back to India exploring the earlier phase of religious development there. It argues that the genesis of the Mahayana and Vajrayana in Buddhism cannot be separated from the rejuvenation of Brahmanical orthodoxy as Buddhism has to come to terms with growing sway of Hinduism. Tantric Buddhism has to appropriate Hindu Tantra for a following in India. With this historical background as the premise, this paper also discusses the co-ordination of Vajrayana and Śaiva for royal patronage during the Singhasari and Majapahit periods.