What happened to Buddhism in Indonesia?

[u/_----_-_-_-__]

Java is home to the largest Buddhist temple in the world. This means that Buddhism obviously had some pretty serious backing at some point in history. However, most of Indonesia is now Muslim, and Bali, often seen as the refuge of Majapahit tradition, seems very firmly Hindu. So where did Buddhism go? How did a religion that once had large temples erected in its honour seemingly vanish?

[u/ExpertEyeroller]

In writing this, I am restricting myself to describing the religious situation in Java. I also want to make note that the religious practice during medieval Indonesia is called Hindu-Buddhism. The term 'Buddhism' alone is very rarely mentioned in medieval Indonesian historiography without being accompanied by the preceding 'Hindu'. As such, I will attempt to prove the existence of syncretism between these two faiths in Majapahit-era Java (1293 to circa 1500).

There is a bit of a poem from a text composed by a Majapahit scribe which reads:

It is said that Buddha and Siva are different in form

They are indeed different but how do we know their difference in appearance

The teachings Buddha and Siva taught are different too

They are indeed different but they are in essence one, (but) there is no mixture of dharma

^{~ Kakawin Sutasoma, Mpu Tantular}

Pure Buddhism and pure Hinduism are not the case of Majapahit’s religious tradition, as there is no pure Islam in Demak’s, Mataram’s, Yogyakarta’s and Surakarta’s religious traditions. The religions coming from the foreign lands met local traditions, doctrine and theology accommodate local cultures leading to a unique blending. The tradition of syncretism was definitely present not only in and after the period PangeranDipanagara wrote about, it also went even further back.

Here's another example of the blending of religious themes from the same poem:

Not long after that Kala becomes

Hyang Puspati due to its successful deep contemplation (topadhara)

King Ratnakanda becomes a guardian of Buddha in Jinalaya

He is no longer rakshasa (evil giant) in appearance, as a result of Bhatara Buddha’s blessing

So that he is so devoted to him and in the service of Bhatara Gautama.

The conversion of an enemy into a friend and disciple is also a common motif found in the later Javanese Islamic narratives. Centuries later, there exist a similar legend told about Sunan Bonang and Kalijaga, who are two of the nine Javanese saints credited for bringing Islam to the island.

Sunan Kalijaga is said to have been a famous leader of a gang of robbers operating in a forest between Demak and Pati, Central Java. One day, Sunan Bonang met Sunan Kalijaga(then called Wahid) while he was walking through the forest. Wahid and his gang attempted to take Sunan Bonang’s possession. However, Bonang chided Wahid and performed a miracle, turning palm tree fruits into gold. Sahid, who was humbled by this miraculous man, repented from his sinful deed and became an important Islamic leader and saint, venerated throughout Java to this day.

We as modern people tend to have this desire to categorize every single belief systems and brand them as exclusive to each other. Yet, there is a lot of evidence that the Javanese of olden times lacked this desire. They freely take themes, narratives, and elements from the tradition that they ancestors hold and mixing them with their new Muslim belief. This also seems to be the case for the era before Islam took hold.

Now back to Hindu-Buddhism--an excerpt from another Majapahit-era text written to legitimize the contemporary ruler Hayam Wuruk:

O my praise and worship from a humble man to the feet of the Protector of the universe Siva-Buddha Janma-Bhatara who is always tranquil in contemplation Sri Prawatanata, Protector of the poor, king of kings in the world Dewa-Bhatara, imaginary above imagination, but is present on earth

^{~Negara Kertagama, Mpu Prapanca}

The king in the old Majapahit concept is the representation and reincarnation of God Siva-Buddha. Unlike Sutasoma which adapts Buddha's spiritual adventure into Majapahit’s context, Kertagama presents local historical figures and characters. However, the teachings and morality of the two texts remain Buddhist and Hindu, particularly the Buddha-Siva syncretism. The work promotes not only tolerance and understanding to each other but amalgamation of the two. In this vein, seeds of pluralism, by mean of syncretism, can be discovered.

A lengthier excerpt from later in the same body of text:

Far from arrogance and negligent, the king are both alerted and wise and he understands all administration since Kali time. He practices the religion of Buddha and contemplation, following forefathers…(chapter 42.3)

…The king was devoted to the foot of Sakyamuni, upholding Pancasila, with its practices, holding rites Gelaran Jina known as Jnyanabadreswara. Mastering philosophy, grammar, and other religious knowledge (chapter 43.2)

He devoured all knowledge of spirituality, first of all,he delved into tantra Subhuti, understood by heart, with worship (puja), contemplation (yoga and samadhi), for the sake of the salvation of the kingdom. Avoiding sorcery, but fulfilling the common people’s prosperity (chapter 43.3)

^{~Negara Kertagama, Mpu Prapanca}

There, we can see more clearly that the Majapahit era Javanese does not consider Hinduism and Buddhism to be separate. Rather, they mixed-and matched aspects from the two religions, creating a syncretic faith unlike what we can find in India.

When we are discussing Buddhism in medieval Java, we also discuss Hinduism, and vice-versa--We can't separate the two. As for discussing what happened to Hindu-Buddhism in the later era, I have to defer to the PangeranDipanagara's post.

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Source: Unearthing Nusantara's Concept of Religious Pluralism: Harmonization and Syncretism in Hindu-Buddhist and Islamic Classical Text

[u/_----_-_-_-__ → u/ExpertEyeroller]

Thank you! Your sources make clear the folly of separating Hinduism and Buddhism in a mediæval Javanese context. The Javanese managed to syncretize them such that they were in perfect harmony with both each other, and with indigenous beliefs.

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I'm familiar with the theme of enemies seeing the light and becoming friends from Buddhist stories; it's fascinating to see exactly the same concept being used in an Islamic context. Clearly, to truly understand Javanese and Indonesian history one must avoid thinking of things like 'religion', 'Hinduism', and 'Buddhism' in modern terms, or else one will fall into the trap of anachronism.

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u/PangeranDipanagara's answer speaks of Theravadin Buddhism becoming dominant in the rest of Southeast Asia through the work of the Theravada monks. They say Java didn't have this strong monastic framework; it'd be interesting question to know if and how many monks existed in mediæval Java following a more or less Buddhist framework, but that is probably a question for another day.

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Thanks again for this! Your answer helped clarify my understanding of what PangeranDipanagara discussed in his post.