 | Malaysia official name : Malaysia Population : 25 Millions Religion : Muslim 60.4%, Buddhist 19.2%, Christian 9.1%, Hindu 6.3%, Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 2.6%, other or unknown 1.5%, none 0.8% Language : Malaysia, Malay English Currency : Ringgit Economy : Industry, Finance and Banking, Oil and Gas |
Formation and Development of Buddhism in Malaysia
Buddhism was introduced to the Malays and also to the people of the Malay Archipelago as early as 200 BCE. Chinese written sources indicated that some 30 small Indianised states rose and fell in the Malay Peninsula. Malay-Buddhism began when Indian traders and priests traveling the maritime routes and brought with them Indian concepts of religion, government, and the arts. For many centuries the peoples of the region, especially the royal courts, synthesised Indian and indigenous ideas including Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism and that shaped their political and cultural patterns. [1] However, the Malay Kedah Kingdom denounced Indian religion after the king of Chola from Tamil attack them in the early 11th century, the king of Kedah, Phra Ong Mahawangsa was the first Malay ruler to denounce the traditional Indian religion, he converted to Islam, and in the 1400s, during the golden age of Malacca Sultanate, majority of the Malays converted to Islam. The last of the pre-Islamic-Malay king move to what is now Bali. Today, the Malays living in Malaysia are obligated to profess Islam, and the number of Malays denouncing Islam is almost nil.
Buddhism Pilgrimage places in Malaysia
Penang
Penang is popularly known as Pearl of the Orient and also dubbed as Silicon Valley of the East. Bounded to the north and east by the State of Kedah and to the south by the State of Perak, it consists of a turtle-shaped island and a coastal strip on the mainland called ProvinceWellesley (Seberang Prai). The island measure 292 square kilometers and is situated on the north-western coast of the Malay Peninsula at the entrance to the Straits of Malacca while the mainland measures 738 square kilometers. The capital of Penang is George Town.
Dharmikarama Myanmar Temple
A pair of elephants guard the entrance to this Myanmar temple. within the pagoda grounds is a Boddhi tree and a wishing pond. It is the scene of many festivities during the water festival in April.
Wat Chayamankalaram Temple
The world’s third largest reclining Buddha which measures 33 metres in length, is draped in gold-leafed saffron and reclines on a large crematorium. This Buddhist temple is reminiscent of Bangkok’s many wats. The intricate finish of the interior in vibrant colours and designs is a sample of Thai architecture. Behind the temple is a small Thai village as well as a Thai cemetery. At this temple, the local Thais celebrate the traditional Buddhist festivals, the Sonkran and the Loy Krathong
