The arrival of foreign religious figures in the Indonesian
archipelago has been a recurring theme throughout history. A recent example of
this phenomenon was Pope Francis’ visit to Indonesia, which, while notable, was
far from unprecedented. Since the early days of recorded history, the
archipelago has been a destination for religious figures from across the world,
many of whom played pivotal roles in shaping the region’s spiritual landscape.
Foreign religious travelers began arriving in the Indonesian
archipelago centuries ago, long before modern history began documenting such
visits. These visitors came from diverse backgrounds and followed different
faiths, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and later, Islam. While some of these
religious figures passed through the region as pilgrims, others decided to stay
and spread their beliefs.
Many of these travelers did more than share their faith.
Some became prominent teachers and spiritual leaders in the communities they
visited, while others brought their newfound knowledge back to their homelands,
establishing and spreading the religious teachings they had acquired during
their time in the archipelago.
In some cases, these foreign religious figures became royal
priests or purohita, serving the kings of the ancient archipelago. Their
presence was not just tolerated but actively embraced by rulers who sought
spiritual guidance and wisdom from abroad.
The presence of foreign religious figures in the archipelago
became so common that their influence was woven into local mythology. One such
figure is Rishi Agastya, whose statues are found on several islands in western
Indonesia. Agastya is first mentioned in the Ramayana, where he is described as
a devoted disciple of the god Shiva.
The story of Agastya is told in detail by R.Ng.
Poerbatjaraka in Agastya in the Archipelago (1992). According to the
myth, Agastya played a pivotal role in balancing the Indian subcontinent, which
was believed to be at risk of tipping over due to the gods gathering in the
northern Himalayas. To restore balance, Agastya moved to the southern part of
India.
The legend also recounts how Agastya drank the entire ocean,
allowing Brahmins from India to cross the sea and spread the teachings of the
Vedas across the archipelago. His legacy lives on in the statues found at
various Hindu temples in Indonesia, including the famous Prambanan Temple.
While the mythology of Agastya points to early spiritual
exchange between India and the archipelago, the oldest documented arrival of a
foreign religious figure came from another region—China. Fa Xian, a Buddhist
monk, made the first recorded visit to the Indonesian archipelago in the year
414.
Fa Xian had embarked on a pilgrimage to India to deepen his
understanding of Buddhism. After completing his journey, he stayed in Sri Lanka
while awaiting a ship to return to China. However, fate had other plans, as a
storm in the Indian Ocean led his vessel to be stranded on the island of Java,
where he stayed briefly in the kingdom of Tarumanagara.
Fa Xian observed a pluralistic society during his stay in
western Java. He noted that while the local people primarily followed Vedic
teachings, there were already traces of Buddhism present in the region. His
observations were among the first documented accounts of Buddhism’s early
spread in Indonesia.
Another significant figure in the early religious history of
the archipelago was Yijing, a Buddhist monk who followed Fa Xian’s path
centuries later. Yijing traveled to the kingdoms of Srivijaya and Malayu in
Sumatra, where he resided in the 7th century.
In his writings, Yijing praised the people of Sumatra for
their mastery of the Pancavidya and their knowledge of Sanskrit. He even
recommended that Chinese Buddhists wishing to study in India first learn in
Srivijaya, which had become an important Buddhist learning center at the time.
Yijing also documented the religious diversity of the
region, noting that there were at least four distinct Buddhist schools in
Sumatra and Java, based on the Tripitaka canon. His accounts reveal a
flourishing spiritual landscape where Buddhism was practiced alongside other
belief systems.
Perhaps one of the most influential stories of foreign
religious figures in the archipelago is that of Atisa Dipamkara. As James B.
Apple recounts in Atisa Dipamkara: Illuminator of the Awakened Mind
(2019), Atisa was a Vajrayana Buddhist monk from Bangladesh who became a key
figure in the transmission of Buddhist teachings to Tibet.
Before becoming a revered teacher, Atisa studied under
several masters. Among them was Dharmmakirti, a religious leader from Sumatra,
where Atisa studied for twelve years. This long apprenticeship in the
archipelago highlights the spiritual and intellectual prestige that Indonesia’s
religious figures held, even among the great spiritual leaders of India.
The rulers of ancient Indonesia were not passive recipients
of foreign religious influences; they actively sought out and invited foreign
religious figures to expand their spiritual horizons. One of the earliest kings
to do so was Rakai Panangkaran of the Śailendra Dynasty, who ruled in the 8th
century.
According to the Kelurak Inscription (782 AD), Rakai
Panangkaran invited a Buddhist religious figure from Gaudidwipa (modern-day
Bangladesh) to consecrate a statue of Manjuśri at Sewu Temple. The king’s
initiative exemplifies how foreign religious figures were integrated into the
spiritual and political life of the ancient archipelago.
The influence of foreign religious figures is also reflected
in the discovery of the Pasir Panjang Inscription in the Riau Islands, which
mentions a religious figure from Bangladesh. This inscription dates to a
similar period as the Kelurak Inscription, suggesting a consistent presence of
foreign religious figures in Indonesia during this time.
The long history of foreign religious figures in the
Indonesian archipelago is a testament to the region’s openness to spiritual
exchange. From the earliest Hindu and Buddhist figures to the arrival of Islam,
foreign religious leaders have played a vital role in shaping Indonesia’s
spiritual and cultural identity. Their stories, whether mythologized like Rishi
Agastya or historically documented like Fa Xian and Yijing, continue to enrich
the rich tapestry of Indonesia’s religious history.
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