How Hinduism and Buddhism spread to Southeast Asia

Hinduism spread to Southeast Asia around the 1st century CE. It was believed that Hindu priest were invited to teach Indian culture., Many historians concluded that because India was one of the most advanced civilisations of the ancient world, the kings of Southeast Asia wanted to learn from the Indians. The Hindu kings also built impressive Hindu monuments like the Angkor Wat in Cambodia. However, the Hinduism that was introduced by the ancient Indians only survived on the Indonesian island of Bali.

Buddhism spread to Southeast Asia c. 300CE. It was brought there by Indian and Chinese traders, and also the Missionaries that travelled with the traders. Many impressive Buddhism monuments were built like the famous Borobudur complex in Indonesia, and the Ananda temple in Myanmar. Although Buddhism did not survive in the Indonesian islands. It is still an important religion in Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Impacts that different religions had on ancient Southeast Asia

Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam had a great impact on the way the people of Southeast Asia lived. These three religions guided many rulers in Southeast Asia in the way they governed. For example, in the mainland, Khmer kings became Hindu devarajas(Divine kings) and had their people construct capital cities in which their palace would represent the home of the Gods. Rulers of the Islands of Southeast Asia did not adopt Hinduism, instead they adopted Islam and the kings were called sultans. Their kingdoms that they ruled were called sultanates.

However, the people did not abandon their older beliefs.Instead, they combined their older beliefs with the teachings of their new religions. For example, when the rulers of maritime kingdoms in Southeast Asia converted to Islam, they no longer saw themselves as Gods but they still continued to use emblems of kingship, which were usually used by divine Hindu kings.

Today, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam still shape the lives of people in Southeast Asia. The majority of muslims are in Malaysia and Brunei while the majority of Buddhists are in Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar.