Buddhist Archaeology and the ISEAS Archaeological Unit

Buddhism came to Southeast Asia almost 2,000 years ago. Chinese pilgrims such as Faxian in the fifth century and Yijing in the late 7th century travelled between China and the holy places of Buddhism in

northeast India by sea, through Southeast Asia. They travelled on merchant ships, and stayed in major ports such as Srivijaya and Malayu, where they saw large monasteries.

Historical records on early Buddhism in Southeast Asia are very scarce. Archaeological materials for the study of early Southeast Asian Buddhism are much more common, and include huge quantities of

Buddhist sculpture and architecture from Burma (Myanmar), Java, and Sumatra. Singapore in the 14th century was also a Buddhist kingdom, and was an important seaport for a century before the foundation

of Melaka.

• The ISEAS Archaeological Unit will form part of the Nalanda-Sriwijaya Centre.

• Research Projects: Early Buddhist sites in Myanmar, Indonesia, and Singapore.

• Study of the spread of early Buddhism along maritime trade routes.

• The Archaeological Laboratory at NUS .• Displays on Buddhist archaeology at ISEAS. • A Modern Buddhist Monument: a book on the Buddhist Lodge.

Borobudur Nalanda Xi’an

The two widows and the miracle on Bukit Seguntang Mahameru, Palembang.

The young prince Sang Nila Utama

becomes ruler with the title Sri Tri Buana.

Sri Tri Buana goes to Temasek and founds

a city which he names Singapura.

The Malay Annals and the Founding of Singapore

1825 map of Singapore, depicting the Malay Wall, probably a 14th-century fortification

Mahāyānika Golayantritasri Gautama Sripada

Southeast Asia in 430 CE

Kedah inscription, 5th century

Yijing 635-713 A.D. Travelled over 30 countries in 20 years collecting over 500,000 Buddhist verses. Translated 61 scriptures.

Xi’an: (Chang-an) Big Wild Goose; Small Wild Goose

Qing Long Si: master and disciple bid farewell

Nalanda copper-plate, mid-9th century:

There was a king of Yavabhumi who was the ornament of the Sailendra dynasty.

He had a son, who possessed prudence, prowess, and good conduct... He was the foremost warrior in battle-fields and his fame was equal to that earned by Yudhishthira, Parasara, Bhisena, and Arjuna.

Tara was the queen consort of that king, the illustrious Balaputra.

With the mind attracted by the manifold excellences of Nalanda and through devotion to the son of Suddhodana (i.e. the Buddha) and having realised that riches are fickle like the waves of a mountain stream, he … built there a monastery which was the abode of the assembly of monks of various good qualities and was white with the series of stuccoed and lofty dwellings.

Palembang

Bukit Seguntang: ancient Buddhist centre

AvalokitesvaraAvalokitesvara

Padmapani from

Nalanda, 9th century

Palembang

Statues From Palembang

Maitreya

(shown in ACM),

Dipankara

Solok

Sipin

makara AD1064

Makara from St. Paul’s Hill, Melaka

2005 survey,

Sponsored by Orchard Marine Singapore

Candi Gudang Garam

Candi TinggiCandi Kembar Batu

Muara Jambi

Candi Gumpung

Intan Shipwreck, ca 930

Kota Cina

Kota Cina, North Sumatra

Coexistence of Buddhists, Vaisnavite, Saivite worshippers: Kota Cina, north Sumatra, 12th century

Angkor, 12th century

Bayon ship relief, possibly late 12th century: Chinese Junk?

The “Chinese House” relief

Chinese Ceramic Finds at Angkor

The Travels of Ser Marco Polo

Dieng Plateau

Trowulan

Tribhuwanatunggadewi Shamatara

Prajnaparamita Manjusri

Amoghapasha

Bhairawa

Alopyi Hpaya

GOALS

Online repository of digital images of murals of 11th- through 13th-century Bagan temples for both educators and researchers

Web-based 3-D Virtual Ancient Bagan for educational and research purposes