The Mahayana Buddhism Spread (Buddhism 2)

If you spend most of your time watching TV, I bet you surely know a movie about a monkey king who undergoes a mission trip to the West for taking a holy book. This article tells about a mission trip to the East (from Nepal to China) to spread the Buddhism. The Mahayana Buddhism is called China Buddhism that is identical to its Shaolin. This belief also exists in Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, with its holy book Maha Tripitaka (Da Zang Jing) Sansekerta Canonical and Mandarin language.

China Buddhism, which is identical to Mahayana, has some other beliefs. Some other mashab (ideologies) existing are Hinayana with Abhi Dharma Kosa (Ju She Zong) sect, Satya Siddhi (Cheng Shi Zong), and Mahayana with Dharma Laksana (Fan Xian Zong) sect, Tri-Sastra (Sam Lung Zung), Vinaya (Lu Zong), Avatamsaka (Hua Yan Zong), Tian Tai (Fa Hua Zong) with sub-sects from Japan which is known as Nichiren, Tantra (Zhen Yan Zong), Sukhavati (Jin Tu Zong) that is known as Amitabha Buddhism (O Mi Tuo Fo), Bodhisatva Avalokitesvara (Guan Yin Pu Sa), and Maha Sthanaprapta (Da Shi Zhi Pu Sa), Zen (Chan Zong) with five sub-sects: Lin Jin Zong, Wei Ji Zong, Cao Dong Zong, Yun Men Zong, and Fa Yan Zong.

Mahayana in Indonesia is close to Zen sect. It is because most of the Chinese wanderers who came to Indonesia were from Fujian and Guandong (South China), where this sect is very dominant in that province. If it is observed, the temples of Mahayana Buddha in Indonesia are related to their headquarters in the origin countries. Some temples in Fujian Province are Kai Yuan Si, Guang Hua Si, Xi Chan Si, Chong Fu Si, and Yung Quan Si, whereas in Guandong are Guang Xiao Si, Nam Hua Chan Si, Liu Rong Si, Yun Men Si, Bie Chuan Si, and Kai Yuan Si.

These days, the teaching of Mahayana Buddhism is mostly acquired from Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan because when it was a Soeharto era, China was considered as communist country and it did not have diplomatic relationship with Indonesia. That is how Taiwan Buddhism came.

Mahayana Buddhism in Indonesia is generally divided into two branches, which are Mahayana Buddhism and Tridharma Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism is the collaboration of Zen sect and Sukhavati sect (its China value is very strong). While, Tridharma Buddhism (Kelenteng Buddhism) which is in Indonesia is the collaboration of Mahayana Buddhism and Dao Jiao and Ru Jiao traditional culture and the local culture. Some of its growth are Kwee Tek Hoay, Khoe Soe Khiam, Ong Kie Tjay, and Aggi The The.

In fact, Tantrayana sect existed for a short period of time in Indonesia that was in the 9th century, yet it ceased to exist. Tantrayana sect in Indonesia started with the arrival of Subhaka Rasingha, Vajra Bodhi, and Amongha Vajra to Indonesia. When the Tantra was spreading to China, the teaching was assigned to Hui Guo’s student, Ban Hong from Kalingga Indonesia Kingdom. It became the beginning of Laut Kidul Tantra (Borobudur Tantra).

There are some Mahayana ancient temples in Indonesia. Some temples from the 9th century are the sites of Mendut Temple, Pawon Temple, Borobudur Temple, Kalasan Temple, Sewu Temple, and Plaosan Temple, which are located in Central Java, Magelang, and DI Yogyakarta. The temple from the 11th century is Muara Jambi Temple site in Jambi, whereas the temple from the 12th century is Muara Takus Temple site in Pekanbaru, Riau.

This is some information I could present to you all. Feel free to add more information or correction if you think it needs to be rectified. Thanks.

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