Interactions between Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism in colonial Singapore

Abstract

This chapter utilizes Theravada and Mahayana as short hand ways of talking about Buddhism that came from Sri Lanka and mainland Southeast Asia and China respectively. It explores the specific social contexts of colonial Singapore in the nineteenth and the first half of twentieth century by restoring the historical picture of the two Buddhist communities moving from few interactions to significant interactions through fieldwork and literatures. The chapter investigates how the very colonial social contexts of Singapore enabled and facilitated those interactions. In contrast to places such as Burma or Sri Lanka where colonialism created significant conflict for Theravada Buddhist communities, in Singapore, colonialism provided its grounds for existence, as well as key sources of cooperation with Mahayana Buddhist communities. The interaction experienced under colonialism set a good example for Buddhism in modern society where harmony is the main religious goal of the Singapore government.