Buddhisme Dan Politik Di Asia Pasifik (1) en
Buddhisme Dan Politik Di Asia Pasifik (1) en
Buddhisme Dan Politik Di Asia Pasifik (1) en
Tegar Kartika A (), Wina Nur F (), Wiwit Nurjanah (), Yasmine Putri N (212030102),
Umi Cahyani ()
INTRODUCTION DISCUSSION
Buddhism first flourished in northern India in the 6th century BC with the
teaching of Sakyamuni Buddha. Buddha is not a name but a title. He was born in 623
BC and was a prince named Siddharta Gautama. He was born in the southern
Himalayan city of Lumbini. He lived a life of affluence and luxury with his biological
father, King Kaplavastu. The difference in the miserable life felt by the people around
him caused Siddharta to think that life is a real misery that cannot be avoided. This
caused Siddhara to leave his worldly life filled with luxury and start a new life by
becoming an ascetic (Anggriawan, 2020).
Siddharta is the title given to him for winning the victory of the gods. Because
he felt that meditation did not provide any benefit, he finally sought a middle way,
namely Hajhima Patipada. After meditating 49 times under the bodhi tree he became
Buddha. He spread his faith in India for 45 years, by teaching the way to achieve
understanding and understanding. As time went by, the number of Buddhists began to
increase, starting from kings and their subjects to ask the Buddha for guidance. In the
6th century to the 2nd century BC the Indian state was in turmoil because there was a
political crisis (Hayati, 2023).
Buddhism in Thailand
Buddhism has developed and expanded into various countries, one of which is
Thailand. Buddhism is the main religion of Thailand because it dominates more than 64
million with 95% of Thailand's population adhering to the religion. In Thailand,
Buddhism entered in the 3rd century BC right when
Greek influence entered India. monks from Sri Lanka with the Lankavamsa sect settled
for the first time in Nakorn Sridhammaraj. Then King Ramkhamhaeng invited Phra
Mahaswami to the capital and gave them support to spread Buddhism (Haqiqiyah,
2013).
According to the Buddhist view, politics if carried out in harmony with the
principles of dharma, can be a means of improving the welfare of the people. The
dharma principles in question consist of several aspects, namely welfare, justice and
people's participation and consent in political decision-making in accordance with
Buddhist recommendations. In addition, the Buddha's dharma teachings also teach the
principles of equality, justice and moral ethics. In addition, as explained earlier,
Buddhism has also been part of the government in Thailand during the ancient
kingdoms, kings claimed themselves as the main patron of Buddhism. The institution of
the Sangha, a community of Buddhist monks, was also a major influence in government
life.
Buddhism has been the dominant spiritual and cultural force in Myanmar since
ancient times, playing an important role in the country's history, politics and national
identity. Buddhism first developed in Myanmar in the 2nd century BC, Myanmar or
known as Burma in its history, is one of the major countries that embraced Traveda
Buddhism. The first spread was carried out by the Mon tribe who were influenced by
Indian culture and accepted Buddhism as their belief. The spread of Buddhism in
Myanmar occurred before the split between the Mahayana and Hinayana schools that
occurred during Asoka's reign in India. The oldest Buddhist temples in Myanmar were
built in the Mon kingdom in Central Myanmar between the 1st and 5th centuries AD.
Although the Theravada school began to flourish in Myanmar in the 5th century AD, it
was gradually replaced by the Mahayana school from the 6th century AD. However,
thereafter Buddhism in Myanmar was dominated by the Theravada Tradition, which is
practiced by about 89% of the country's population.
In recent years, Myanmar has had the honor of hosting the Sixth Buddhist
Council, which took place in Yangon (Rangoon) in 1954 and 1956. In addition,
Myanmar is the source of two major systems of Vipassana meditation that have spread
throughout the world. The tradition originating from the venerable Mahasi Sayadaw of
Thathana Yeiktha and the tradition originating from Sayagi U Ba Khin of the
International Meditation Center. The influence of Buddhism in Myanmar is not limited
to the spiritual and cultural realms, but has also had a significant impact on the politics
and governance of the country.
For centuries, the relationship between religion and state has been closely
intertwined in Myanmar. Myanmar's kings claim the legitimacy of their rule through the
support of the Sangha, the Buddhist monastic community (Leider, 2012). They are
regarded as protectors of religion and their sovereignty is considered part of their
religious duty to safeguard and promote Buddhism. The government in power from
1962 to 2011, known as the military government, used Buddhism as a tool to gain
legitimacy and support national identity. Even after the transition to a semi-civilian
government, the relationship between state and religion remained strong (Schober,
2011).
The role of Myanmar's politics and governance in the context of Buddhism is
complex and often involved in a complicated dynamic between political power and
religious authority. Monk-led movements, such as the Saffron Revolution of 2007,
highlight the intersection of religion and politics. Buddhist monks have been both
supporters and critics of governments, depending on the political context and the issues
at stake. This dynamic reflects how Buddhism is inextricably linked to Myanmar's
socio-political fabric, influencing policy, governance and national identity.
Buddhism in Cambodia
Buddhism in Cambodia has a rich and varied history, evolving through various
periods marked by significant cultural and religious changes. Buddhism first arrived in
Cambodia between the 1st and 5th centuries AD, introduced through trade routes from
India and Sri Lanka. In this early period, Buddhism coexisted with Hinduism and
Mahayana Buddhism. These religious traditions were practiced simultaneously,
contributing to a diverse spiritual landscape. The simultaneous presence of various
religious practices laid the foundation for Cambodia's complex religious heritage
(Mukhopadhyaya, 2013).
The Angkor period, which lasted from the 9th to the 15th century, was a time of
significant religious and cultural development. The Khmer Empire, which dominated
this era, initially adopted Hinduism as the state religion. The magnificent Angkor Wat
temple complex, originally built as a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu, stands as a
testament to this Hindu influence. However, Mahayana Buddhism was also practiced
during this period, indicating a pluralistic religious environment. Over time, Angkor
Wat and other temples gradually incorporated Buddhist elements, reflecting the growing
influence of Buddhism in the empire (Harris, 2005).
A major transformation occurred in the 13th and 14th centuries when Theravada
Buddhism began to replace Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism. This shift was
influenced by the spread of Theravada practices from Sri Lanka and Thailand.
Theravada Buddhism, with its emphasis on monastic discipline and meditation,
resonated with Cambodian society and soon became the dominant religious tradition
(Harris, 2005). This period marked the decline of Hindu practices and
Mahayana as well as the establishment of Theravada Buddhism as the main spiritual
framework in Cambodia.
The darkest period in Cambodia's history was the era of the Khmer Rouge
communist regime (1975-1979), led by dictator Pol Pot. The regime used the state
apparatus to identify and eliminate elements deemed "antisocialist", resulting in the
extermination of nearly a quarter of Cambodia's population. The Khmer Rouge's policy
of agrarian socialism led to widespread persecution of Buddhism in Cambodia. Monks
were regarded as antisocialists and society was prevented from supporting monks who
were deemed economically unproductive, resulting in the destruction of the traditional
monastic economy (Lee, 2020).
After the defeat of the Khmer Rouge by the Vietnamese in January 1979, a
remarkable recovery began. In 1979, seven monks were selected by the new
government and re-ordained. They all had between twenty and sixty years of previous
service in the sangha, and their ordinations were supervised by Theravada monks from
Vietnam. The youngest among them, Ven. Tep Vong (born in 1930) is now the supreme
patriarch of one of the two largest Buddhist orders in Cambodia, but like other "reborn"
monks, he is viewed with suspicion by some because of his ties to Vietnam and his
close allegiance to those in power today (Lee, 2020).
After only two years, more than seven hundred pagodas had been restored. Although
there was a huge investment from local people in labor, time, and resources, much of the
reconstruction was funded by Khmers abroad or by the rich and powerful in Phnom
Penh. The Vietnamese state apparatus tries to maintain control
strictures over the sangha throughout the 1980s, inter alia by prohibiting monks from
practicing as beggars and barring men under the age of fifty from ordination. However,
it was in 1981 that in the provinces, "many young aspiring monks could be observed,"
demonstrating rural Cambodians' determination and passion for Buddhism, although for
many, it also offered protection and education, and in the absence of older, experienced
monks, the establishment of legitimacy for aspiring monks remained highly problematic
(Keyes, 1994).
Some village elders, who survived the Khmer Rouge destruction to a greater
extent than ordained monks, began to spontaneously re-form lay pagoda committees,
new monks were ordained, and temple festivals and Buddhist rituals began to be
revived. Some pagodas also began to engage in the reconstruction of roads, schools,
medical and social services through their lay pagoda committees. Unfortunately, many
pagodas today still lack functioning pagoda committees. After Vietnam's withdrawal in
1989, the new government relaxed restrictions on Buddhism in search of legitimacy,
and the number of monks increased rapidly to reach around
50,000 today (as well as about 4,000 nuns) (Emerson, 1997).
Efforts to revive Buddhism also reflect the center of control. Although new
monasteries were spearheaded under Vietnamese inspiration and the rich and powerful
patronized temples around Phnom Penh, poor communities also went out of their way to
support their monasteries despite their poverty, and this signified the hope they placed in
their religion and monks. In the 1990s, laypeople began utilizing donations from
villagers to establish Pali primary schools in Phnom Penh that now attract prospective
monks, especially from among the elderly or orphans. However, the almost total
destruction of the clergy and their literature by the Khmer Rouge means reconstruction
involves a struggle to establish quality education and find continuity with past expertise.
This new generation of young monks was raised in a 'skills vacuum'.
CONCLUSIONS