Between two civilisations : history and self representation of Bangladeshi Buddhism
Buddhism is believed to have all but died out in India following the thirteenth century Muslim invasion. However, in Bengal groups of non-Bengali people have continued to practice TherÄvada Buddhism, which they are said to have imported from nearby Burma, or which they were converted to from other forms of Buddhism after migrating to Bengal. Their practices were ~reformed~ in 1856 by Burmese monks. An analysis of the historical material reveals a tendency by non-Buddhist Bengalis to downplay any relationship between the Buddhist traditions of Burma and Bangladesh, and to represent Buddhism as a phenomenon of the past. This reinterpretation of historical data is part of the formation process of a Bangladeshi national identity. That this process is in progress is confirmed by the existence in Bangladesh of a centralised and standardised educational system, having among its aims the integration of the national population. Religious education, in Bangladesh as elsewhere, plays within this system an important role in national integration. On the other hand, certain institutions of Bangladeshi Buddhism, such as temporary ordination, and features like the importance attributed to the MahÄmuni temple (which houses
Tinti, Paola
Theravada Buddhism ; Religion ; Bangladesh
Between two civilisations : history and self representation of Bangladeshi Buddhism. Buddhism is believed to have all but died out in India following the thirteenth century Muslim invasion. However, in Bengal groups of non-Bengali people have continued to practice TherÄvada Buddhism, which they are said to have imported from nearby Burma, or which they were converted to from other forms of Buddhism after migrating to Bengal. Their practices were ~reformed~ in 1856 by Burmese monks. An analysis of the historical material reveals a tendency by non-Buddhist Bengalis to downplay any relationship between the Buddhist traditions of Burma and Bangladesh, and to represent Buddhism as a phenomenon of the past. This reinterpretation of historical data is part of the formation process of a Bangladeshi national identity. That this process is in progress is confirmed by the existence in Bangladesh of a centralised and standardised educational system, having among its aims the integration of the national population. Religious education, in Bangladesh as elsewhere, plays within this system an important role in national integration. On the other hand, certain institutions of Bangladeshi Buddhism, such as temporary ordination, and features like the importance attributed to the MahÄmuni temple (which houses
civilisation history self_representation buddhism buddhism believe india follow muslim invasion however bengal group non bengali people continue practice theravada buddhism say import nearby convert form buddhism migrate bengal practice reformed monk analysis historical_material reveals tendency non buddhist downplay relationship buddhist tradition bangladesh represent buddhism phenomenon past reinterpretation historical data part formation_process national_identity process progress confirm existence bangladesh centralise standardise educational_system among aims integration national population religious_education bangladesh elsewhere play within system important_role national integration hand certain institution buddhism temporary ordination feature like importance attribute temple house