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Buddhism in Ancient Kambujadesa

By B. N. Puri

Vol. 32 · No. 2 & 3June & September 1956pp. 313–318English

Summary

Puri traces the history of Buddhism in ancient Cambodia, historically known as Kambujadeśa. He begins with evidence from Funan and Chenla that suggests early Indian influence through trade and the arrival of missionaries. The article discusses inscriptions, sculptures and architecture that reveal a vibrant Buddhist presence during the pre‑Angkor and Angkor periods. Puri analyses the spectacular Bayon temple with its faces of Avalokiteśvara and the transition from Mahāyāna to Theravada in the 13th and 14th centuries. The essay also considers the syncretism of Buddhism and Brahmanism, noting how rulers adopted Buddhist titles while venerating Hindu deities. The decline of Buddhism after the fall of Angkor and its subsequent revival under Theravada monks are briefly outlined. Puri emphasises the need for archaeological research and conservation to protect Cambodia’s Buddhist heritage.

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Conclusion

The article shows that Cambodia’s Buddhist history is rich and complex, marked by periods of royal patronage, syncretism and decline. Preserving monuments such as the Bayon and understanding their religious context are essential for appreciating Cambodia’s cultural legacy.

Key passages

Chosen by AI from the article's text. Each one is checked word for word against the text before it is shown.

  • “Buddhism in ancient KambujadeSa was characterised by two importance features—its compatabilicy with Brahmanism and its progress in the other way from Mahayanism to Hinayanism.”
  • “There is not the slightess doube that Buddhism in ancient KambujadeSa was not so violent against Brahmanism and the latter assimilated Buddha in its pantheon.”

Works cited in this article

  1. Majumdar, Kambsje inscriptions, No, 156, p. 399
  2. Aymonier, Le Cambodge, vol. I, p. 442
  3. Majumdar, op cit, No, 52 A, p. 574
  4. Takakusu, p. 12
  5. Majumdar, op. cit,, No, 100 E, p. 583

Discussed in this article

People

Places

  • Kambujadesa
  • Fu-nan 4
  • Battambang
  • Siem Rap
  • Pre Rup
  • Angkor region
  • Svay Cek
  • Lopburi
  • Phnom Bantay
  • Angkor Thom
  • Siam 11
  • Ba Phnom Dist
  • Kok Svay Cek

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Article order

In this issue

Vol. 32 · No. 2 & 3
109–114ForewordNarendra Nath Law115–123The Master's Life in StoneRabis C. Kar124–128Dates of Principal Events in the Buddha's LifePrabodh Chandra Sengupta129–135The Buddha and LanguageFranklin Edgerton136–138Phonetic Convergence in PaliMadhusudan Mallik139–140Pali 'maraji': Sanskrit 'smarajic'Sukumar Sen141–147The Buddhist Social IdealsB. G. Gokhale148–162Buddhist Controversy over the Five PropositionsET. Lamotte163–167Some Buddhist Thinkers of AndhraP. S. Sastri168–169Harsa: A BuddhistDasharatha Sharma170–178Some Buddhist Antiquities and Monuments of RajasthanRatna Chandra Agrawala179–210Buddhism in the Classical AgeSudha Sengupta211–222Buddhism in the Sunga PeriodKunja Govinda Goswami223–248Place of Buddhism in Indian ThoughtNalinaksha Dutt249–253Duhkha-SatyaW. Rahula254–260Nirodha-SatyaAnanta Kumar Nyaya-Tarkatirtha261–264PratityasamutpadaAnukul Chandra Banerjee265–269Buddhist PsychologyBratindra Kumar Sengupta270–285Brahman of Sankara and Sunyata of MadhyamikasAjit Ranjan Bhattacharya286–289A rare type of Bodhisattva-Images from SanchiDebala Mitra290–296Scientific Background of the Buddhist TantrasBiswanath Bhattacharya297–303Buddhism in South-East AsiaRamesh Chandra Majumdar304–312Principle of the King's RighteousnessU. N. Ghoshal313–318Buddhism in Ancient KambujadesaB. N. PuriCurrent article319–323Harivarman's Theory of CognitionN. Aiyaswami Sastri324–328Narayanpur Image of VinayakaTapo Nath Chakravarti329–337Zen Buddhism and BodhidharmaW. Pachow338–340Buddhist View re. Eternity of the VedasHeramba Chatterjee341–351Pataliputra: Its Importance in the History of BuddhismBinayendranath Chaudhuri352–353An early Buddha Statue from YunnanWalter Liebenthal354–357A Note on the AryadharmadhatugarbhavivaranaSuniti Kumar Pathak

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