THE IMPACT OF BUDDHISM AND HINDUISM ON ASIA

BURMA ( MYANMAR )
The statues of Buddha at Bamian in Afghanistan testify that Buddhism had spread to Asia in the Medieval period. Buddhism and Hinduism had influenced China, Burma ( Myanmar ), Siam ( Thailand ), Java, Sumatra and Cambodia. Hiuen Tsiang's travel reports reveal that Buddhism and Hinduism thrived in many parts of Asia. The spread of Buddhism in Burma ( Myanmar ) can be very clearly seen by the " Bupaya Stupa" by the side of the river Irravedi, Mahabodi Stupa in Pagan and the swedagon pagoda in Rangoon.

SIAM ( THAILAND )
Buddhism of the "Theravada" tradition is very well preserved in Thailand (Siam) even to this day. But until recently Hinduism too thrived there. The majority of the people in Thailand are Buddhists Thus, Buddhism is the state religion of Thailand. Borobudur in Indonesia of Buddhism on the South- eastern culture in Asia. Angkorwat is a cave temple which bears witness to the spread of Buddhist culture in Java. Just as in Borobudur Angkorwat too has a blend of Buddhist and Hindu types of carving. According to Hiuen Tsiang's records, in the Medieval period Buddhism has spread to China to East Asia. In the Peking Museum there is a stupa made of gold as a monument of Buddhism in the Medieval period.
" Canton Luyung " depicts the techni ques of the Buddhist architecture in China