Buddhist Syncretism Essay

It is well known that the religions of Asia have spread across the continent and lingered within the culture of the land and the minds of their people. It can be seen how Taoist, Confucius, Hindu, and Buddhist thought have influenced Asia and its people. Buddhism especially has had a profound effect on the Asian world and even its close neighbors in the Middle East. Statues of the grandeur yet modest Buddha can been observed all over the continent. The Longmen Grottoes, the site of the Vairocana Buddha, is one example of a giant Buddha statue that has been erected in worship. Buddha statues were erected north of modern Afghanistan, north of Kabul, a place thought untouched by Buddhism. Unfortunately for that Afghanistan Buddha statue, it was destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. These sites show the true expanding powers of Buddhism across Asia.

Buddhism at its creation was enormously influenced by Hinduism. Using similar terminology and symbols, examples dharma and the use of the swastika. They both believe in detachment from worldly things. Both religions also encourage the use of yoga as key part of worship and clearing one’s mind. Buddhism is its own

religion despite similarities but it is realized that without Hinduism there wouldn’t be Buddhism. The founder of Buddhism was the Siddhartha Gautama, born in Nepal, India around 563 B.C. (Smith 1994 pg.60). This accounts for the many parallels between Buddhism and Hinduism, because originally until Siddhartha awoke he was more than likely a Hindu. If anything Buddhism was an extension or modification to an old system of belief.
Buddhism may have evolved from Hinduism but found itself adapting and spreading through numerous parts of Asia. Its goal of nirvana, freedom from suffering, is a palpable goal and highly desired no matter what kind of person you are. Unlike Hinduism anyone could become enlightened or even become a Buddha with enough dedication so the spread of Buddhism is apparent in India. But this message reached thousands and thousands beyond the borders of India. There are many adaptations of Buddhism in Asia but the central and most popular three divisions of Buddhism are the Vajrayana, Mahayana, and Theravada. These are the principle schools of Buddhism, each having acute distinctions of belief and practice.
First, the Vajrayana is the school of Buddhism closely associated with Tibetan Buddhism (Lieberman 2003). Buddhism itself was syncretized into the Indian culture of the city Tibet and this is where we get Tibetan Buddhism or Vajrayana Buddhism. Vajrayana is a form of Buddhism that is quite different from the original Buddha teachings. Most of Vajrayana delves into mysticism which you will not find within other forms of Buddhism. Vajrayana is one of the three vehicles to enlightenment stated in Buddhism scripture but each school has taken on its own life more and more so over time.
Second is Mahayana, a Buddhism like Vajrayana has developed out of India too. The only difference is the spread and adaptations of this school were larger. “Buddhism was driven from India after the Moghul invasions and conquest of India between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries, Mahayana took root in the Himalayan countries…” (Lieberman 2003) After so many Buddhist were driven out, Mahayana retreated towards the Himalayas. Cities near the mountains like Nepal and Bhutan took them in. The diffusion of Buddhist continued to spread eastward toward China, Japan, and Korea as well. The special thing about the Mahayana is their belief in Bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas are people who have finally attained the ability to enter nirvana but chose not to in order to assist others in their journey to nirvana. Some Bodhisattvas prove themselves to so mighty and charitable that they join the pantheon of Bodhisattvas. One Bodhisattva that majority of people recognize is the laughing Buddha, or his name in Vietnamese Budai. He was once a monk with high spirits and is now often associated with food, laughter, and relaxation across the world.
Third, the Theravada school is primarily practiced in the southeastern countries of Asia like Thailand and Sri Lanka. This is the one school that remains closest towards the original Buddhism practiced by Gautama Buddha himself or at least they say. They follow the basic teachings of the four noble truths and the eight fold path like most other Buddhist.
The expansion of Buddhism continues east, reaching the island of Japan.

Japan having their own belief, which has survived since the birth of japan itself, found it easy to adopt the teachings of Buddhism. This is one of the best examples and longstanding of Buddhist syncretism. BBC gives a brief description of the Shinto belief and practice, “The essence of Shinto is the Japanese devotion to invisible spiritual beings and powers called kami, to shrines, and to various rituals.” Shinto was really able to adapt Buddhism due to Shinto’s un-cemented or uninterested concern for explaining the world and themselves in relation to creation. Devoting oneself to communicating to Kami or spirits doesn’t take focus for worship. The Japanese found Buddhism as an addition to their belief system instead of a separate

belief.
China being influence by the Taoism and Buddhism had developed a specific branch of Buddhism called Zen. Zen Buddhism spread to Japan where two schools were developed, the Rinzai and the Soto. Zen Buddhism in general focus on the art of meditation though both schools meditate differently. Zen Buddhism is one of the most syncretistic form of Buddhism in western culture.