alternatehistory.com
Chapter 73: Buddhism is Back, Even in India
Hello folks so time has come for another update. Today I am going to talk again about the Indosphere, that is more precisely, about Southeast Asia, Tibet and Southern Asia.
View attachment 504281
Forms of government. Notice that something happened to India
Perhaps I should start in insular Southeast Asia. The Greater Molluccas (1) are home to handful of states, the most famous being the Kingdom of Tondo. Further south we observe the Ma-i, which was apparently in contact with China and Buddhism, although its layer was mostly superficial. Another polity on the island was Madhya-as, also known as Visayans, which existed on the island of Panai, apparently exiled elites from Sumatra, who have brought the local mi of mainly Hinduism, but partly also Buddhism with them. Ultimately, in the south of the archipelago, we have the Rajas of Butuan, who also affirmed an Indic culture.
These polities existent on the Greater Moluccas are often described as barangay states; the term barangay means a house on land or a boat on water; and the barangays could be described as an early phase of city-states or smaller political units. Some of these became larger and larger as time went on, and they have been mentioned before in the text. Society in the barangays is divided into three classes: the maginoo (ruling class), freemen (consisting of timawa= farmers and maharlika=warriors) and alipin= slaves.
View attachment 504282
What we were waiting for is the political map, right?
While Ma-i appears to have been under Chinese influence, a larger part of the Archipelago could have been found in the greater Indosphere; although Indian culture reached the area from the islands of Borneo, Java and Sumatra.
The island of Borneo remains home to two major polities: Kutai on the eastern coast and Brunei on the north-western (2). The entire coastal areas have been effectively Indianized, with Hinduism being the major religion. On the other hand, the inland regions remain rather barbaric so to speak, covered in dense tropical jungles and rainforests.
The insular world further east – be it Moluccas, Lesser Sunda islands, Papua and Polynesia remais far apart, and not yet greatly connected to the global civilization.
Bali remains home a Hindu civilization, remaining in one socio-cultural whole with the island of Java, which is split into two polities, Sunda in the west and Kediri in the east.
The island of Sumatra continues to be dominated by the league of Srivijaya, commanding a maritime empire, while the western coast was held by Pagarruyung. Contrary to the islands of Borneo and Java, Sumatra is mostly Buddhist, belonging to the Vajrayana tradition.
The northwestern tip of Sumatra, known as Pasai, has come into increasingly frequent contact with Mazdaki merchants from Mazoun, who have begun to spread a new faith in the region altogether; Mazdaki Manicheism (3). The spread was rather gradual, with new communities being found by merchants and their local partners, with the new religion gradually spreading from village to village, without major interference from the nobility or government.
The Malay Peninsula was culturally very much like the island of Sumatra during the twelth century, with few differences. Indeed, the Straits of Malacca acted as corridor rather than a barrier, and it was due to them that Srivijaya has risen to its power and wealth, controlling the major trade route between India and China.
Contuining northwards, we enter the peninsular part of Southeast Asia; the isthmus of Malaya was held by a mysterious polity called Ligor; further nor we can see the Lavo Kingdom (4), originally inhabited by the Mon people, who called the area Dvaravati. By the end of the 12th century, despite discontinued rule by the neighbouring Khmer, the inhabitants were culturally assimilated into the Hindu Khmer.
The area was witnessing a wave of migration from the highlands of Zomia. The incomers were scattered hillmen people from the south of China, who called themselves Tai; to the settled civilized peoples of Southeast Asia, they were a barbaric people; however they have adopted Theravada Buddhism as their religion in Hariphunchai, and their new alphabet was effectively a mix between the Mon and the Khmer scripts.
View attachment 504280
Linguisticall,y no major major changes. Except the Thai migration southwards
The hegemon in the Mekong basin was still the Khmer Empire, builders of the impressive Angkor Wat complex. The Khmers were mostly patrons of Shaivite Hinduism, and while Buddhism in the realm was also a thing, some of the kings of the Khmer openly persecuted it.
Ultimately, along the eastern coast we have the Cham city-states and the kingdom of Dai Viet. Not much has changed in Dai Viet. The Cham, on the other hand as mentioned in the previous update, under the influence of Mazouni traders have embraced the Mazdaki religion, which began to spread at first into the largest cities: Vijaya, Kauthara and Panduranga. The very first to convert were the urban townsfolk, with the nobility and peasants not so much; thus for quite some time, the urban-rural divide was matched also with the religious divide.
As for the Iravadi valley, most of it has been unified under the banner of Bagan. The people of Bagan were not pagans, rather they were among the first staunch Theravada Buddhists in Southeast Asia. The highland fringes – the Wa, the Hsenwi and the Pong largely preserved their independence, as did Arakan in the coastal strip. Not much further is said to describe the area.
Moving upstream we reach the region of the so-called Roof of Asia, where we still see the kingdom of Dali in the easternmost part (5), while the Tibetan Highland has seen a period of consolidation. No longer fragmented into half a dozen of competing polities, Tibet is now composed of three major polities, with U-Tsang dominating the central part of Tibet around Lhasa, MdoKhma in the east and Guge in the west.
So yes, this was it speaking of southeastern Asia and Tibet, now let us take a look at the Indian Subcontinent, shall we?
Starting down south, we have the island of Ceylon under the rule of the Lambakannas, with no major changes since we last visited the island. At the tip of the Subcontinent, the Tamil Chola dynasty has declined, and the Pandyas have carved their own little realm in the south of their territory. In Kerala, we the Nestorian Christian Cera dynasty rule the southern coast, while further northwards, we have the Hoysala realm. Ultimately, the Telugu region is ruled by the Kakatiya dynasty.
For some reason, we can notice a steep decline of Jainism in western India, mainly due to Hinduism being more able to accommodate feudal structures. On the other hand, many coastal communities, especially in Kathiawar or Gujarat have embraced Mazdakism (6)
View attachment 504283
The decline of Buddhism in India was stopped. In fact,some areas actually became Buddhist again. While Denawari Manicheism is certainly on the retreat, you can see Mazdaki expansion, here and there
The decline of Buddhism (7) in northern India is somewhat halted; and Buddhism remains mostly confined again to the Gangetic plain, especially the lower and central parts. The former heartland of the Pala Empire (8) gets ruled by a Hindu Sena dynasty; nevertheless Buddhism remains the religion of the majority of the population in the realm.
The Manichean Jagudid dynasty, which had been ruling over much of the Indus Valley and the adjacent areas of Zabulistan and Kabulistan has, to a significant extent, entrenched Manichean practices in the Punjab region. However, in 1186 the Jagudids were overthrown by Sicandar of Mandesh (9), a Buddhist governor in the mountain regions of the Hindukush. Equipped with an army of hillmen and fine cavalry experts, Sicandar manages to secure the mountainous regions without major obstacles and revenge his poisoned uncle. After conquering the city of Jaguda (10), the city is razed and sacked.
The Mandeshi campaigns continue in the route of Alexander, seizing the Indus Valley and subsequently, also marching into the upper Gangetic plain. Ultimately, Mandeshi control extended as far eastwards as to the borders of Nepal; and Sicandar brought with him a resurgence of Buddhism into the region, with royal patronage for monasteries. The new rulers again attacked the Manicheans, whom they found as corrupting the true message of Buddha.
Mandeshi policies against the Manicheans were perhaps driven by hatred, perhaps by hatred and sought to stop this teaching, which showed many faces depending on whom they spoke to (11). Mandeshi demanded especially in the region of Gandhara, that the people return back to the religion of their ancestors. While some in fact do, the majority does not.
(1) Philippines
(2) The part that today belongs to Brunei and Malaysia
(3) For some reason, I tend to think that this could be a good religion for maritime traders. I mean, Mazoun was a parallel to the United Provinces, so maybe Mazdakism and Calvinism being a thing?
(4) In the area of modern central Thailand
(5) Today known as the province of Yunnan
(6) Yes, Mazdakism most certainly is the religion that is being spread by the Indian Ocean trade
(7) Does not take as dramatic a shape as it did in OTL.
(8) Speaking of Bengal
(9) ATL Muhammad of Ghor. Yes, Sicandar is a reference to the Man Who Would Be King
(10)Ghazni
(11)It has been noted, that especially Buddhists were angry with Manicheans, for the Manicheans often pretended to be Buddhists; therefore in the time of Genghis Khan, there was great enmity between the two religions.
View attachment 504281
Forms of government. Notice that something happened to India
Perhaps I should start in insular Southeast Asia. The Greater Molluccas (1) are home to handful of states, the most famous being the Kingdom of Tondo. Further south we observe the Ma-i, which was apparently in contact with China and Buddhism, although its layer was mostly superficial. Another polity on the island was Madhya-as, also known as Visayans, which existed on the island of Panai, apparently exiled elites from Sumatra, who have brought the local mi of mainly Hinduism, but partly also Buddhism with them. Ultimately, in the south of the archipelago, we have the Rajas of Butuan, who also affirmed an Indic culture.
These polities existent on the Greater Moluccas are often described as barangay states; the term barangay means a house on land or a boat on water; and the barangays could be described as an early phase of city-states or smaller political units. Some of these became larger and larger as time went on, and they have been mentioned before in the text. Society in the barangays is divided into three classes: the maginoo (ruling class), freemen (consisting of timawa= farmers and maharlika=warriors) and alipin= slaves.
View attachment 504282
What we were waiting for is the political map, right?
While Ma-i appears to have been under Chinese influence, a larger part of the Archipelago could have been found in the greater Indosphere; although Indian culture reached the area from the islands of Borneo, Java and Sumatra.
The island of Borneo remains home to two major polities: Kutai on the eastern coast and Brunei on the north-western (2). The entire coastal areas have been effectively Indianized, with Hinduism being the major religion. On the other hand, the inland regions remain rather barbaric so to speak, covered in dense tropical jungles and rainforests.
The insular world further east – be it Moluccas, Lesser Sunda islands, Papua and Polynesia remais far apart, and not yet greatly connected to the global civilization.
Bali remains home a Hindu civilization, remaining in one socio-cultural whole with the island of Java, which is split into two polities, Sunda in the west and Kediri in the east.
The island of Sumatra continues to be dominated by the league of Srivijaya, commanding a maritime empire, while the western coast was held by Pagarruyung. Contrary to the islands of Borneo and Java, Sumatra is mostly Buddhist, belonging to the Vajrayana tradition.
The northwestern tip of Sumatra, known as Pasai, has come into increasingly frequent contact with Mazdaki merchants from Mazoun, who have begun to spread a new faith in the region altogether; Mazdaki Manicheism (3). The spread was rather gradual, with new communities being found by merchants and their local partners, with the new religion gradually spreading from village to village, without major interference from the nobility or government.
The Malay Peninsula was culturally very much like the island of Sumatra during the twelth century, with few differences. Indeed, the Straits of Malacca acted as corridor rather than a barrier, and it was due to them that Srivijaya has risen to its power and wealth, controlling the major trade route between India and China.
Contuining northwards, we enter the peninsular part of Southeast Asia; the isthmus of Malaya was held by a mysterious polity called Ligor; further nor we can see the Lavo Kingdom (4), originally inhabited by the Mon people, who called the area Dvaravati. By the end of the 12th century, despite discontinued rule by the neighbouring Khmer, the inhabitants were culturally assimilated into the Hindu Khmer.
The area was witnessing a wave of migration from the highlands of Zomia. The incomers were scattered hillmen people from the south of China, who called themselves Tai; to the settled civilized peoples of Southeast Asia, they were a barbaric people; however they have adopted Theravada Buddhism as their religion in Hariphunchai, and their new alphabet was effectively a mix between the Mon and the Khmer scripts.
View attachment 504280
Linguisticall,y no major major changes. Except the Thai migration southwards
The hegemon in the Mekong basin was still the Khmer Empire, builders of the impressive Angkor Wat complex. The Khmers were mostly patrons of Shaivite Hinduism, and while Buddhism in the realm was also a thing, some of the kings of the Khmer openly persecuted it.
Ultimately, along the eastern coast we have the Cham city-states and the kingdom of Dai Viet. Not much has changed in Dai Viet. The Cham, on the other hand as mentioned in the previous update, under the influence of Mazouni traders have embraced the Mazdaki religion, which began to spread at first into the largest cities: Vijaya, Kauthara and Panduranga. The very first to convert were the urban townsfolk, with the nobility and peasants not so much; thus for quite some time, the urban-rural divide was matched also with the religious divide.
As for the Iravadi valley, most of it has been unified under the banner of Bagan. The people of Bagan were not pagans, rather they were among the first staunch Theravada Buddhists in Southeast Asia. The highland fringes – the Wa, the Hsenwi and the Pong largely preserved their independence, as did Arakan in the coastal strip. Not much further is said to describe the area.
Moving upstream we reach the region of the so-called Roof of Asia, where we still see the kingdom of Dali in the easternmost part (5), while the Tibetan Highland has seen a period of consolidation. No longer fragmented into half a dozen of competing polities, Tibet is now composed of three major polities, with U-Tsang dominating the central part of Tibet around Lhasa, MdoKhma in the east and Guge in the west.
So yes, this was it speaking of southeastern Asia and Tibet, now let us take a look at the Indian Subcontinent, shall we?
Starting down south, we have the island of Ceylon under the rule of the Lambakannas, with no major changes since we last visited the island. At the tip of the Subcontinent, the Tamil Chola dynasty has declined, and the Pandyas have carved their own little realm in the south of their territory. In Kerala, we the Nestorian Christian Cera dynasty rule the southern coast, while further northwards, we have the Hoysala realm. Ultimately, the Telugu region is ruled by the Kakatiya dynasty.
For some reason, we can notice a steep decline of Jainism in western India, mainly due to Hinduism being more able to accommodate feudal structures. On the other hand, many coastal communities, especially in Kathiawar or Gujarat have embraced Mazdakism (6)
View attachment 504283
The decline of Buddhism in India was stopped. In fact,some areas actually became Buddhist again. While Denawari Manicheism is certainly on the retreat, you can see Mazdaki expansion, here and there
The decline of Buddhism (7) in northern India is somewhat halted; and Buddhism remains mostly confined again to the Gangetic plain, especially the lower and central parts. The former heartland of the Pala Empire (8) gets ruled by a Hindu Sena dynasty; nevertheless Buddhism remains the religion of the majority of the population in the realm.
The Manichean Jagudid dynasty, which had been ruling over much of the Indus Valley and the adjacent areas of Zabulistan and Kabulistan has, to a significant extent, entrenched Manichean practices in the Punjab region. However, in 1186 the Jagudids were overthrown by Sicandar of Mandesh (9), a Buddhist governor in the mountain regions of the Hindukush. Equipped with an army of hillmen and fine cavalry experts, Sicandar manages to secure the mountainous regions without major obstacles and revenge his poisoned uncle. After conquering the city of Jaguda (10), the city is razed and sacked.
The Mandeshi campaigns continue in the route of Alexander, seizing the Indus Valley and subsequently, also marching into the upper Gangetic plain. Ultimately, Mandeshi control extended as far eastwards as to the borders of Nepal; and Sicandar brought with him a resurgence of Buddhism into the region, with royal patronage for monasteries. The new rulers again attacked the Manicheans, whom they found as corrupting the true message of Buddha.
Mandeshi policies against the Manicheans were perhaps driven by hatred, perhaps by hatred and sought to stop this teaching, which showed many faces depending on whom they spoke to (11). Mandeshi demanded especially in the region of Gandhara, that the people return back to the religion of their ancestors. While some in fact do, the majority does not.
(1) Philippines
(2) The part that today belongs to Brunei and Malaysia
(3) For some reason, I tend to think that this could be a good religion for maritime traders. I mean, Mazoun was a parallel to the United Provinces, so maybe Mazdakism and Calvinism being a thing?
(4) In the area of modern central Thailand
(5) Today known as the province of Yunnan
(6) Yes, Mazdakism most certainly is the religion that is being spread by the Indian Ocean trade
(7) Does not take as dramatic a shape as it did in OTL.
(8) Speaking of Bengal
(9) ATL Muhammad of Ghor. Yes, Sicandar is a reference to the Man Who Would Be King
(10)Ghazni
(11)It has been noted, that especially Buddhists were angry with Manicheans, for the Manicheans often pretended to be Buddhists; therefore in the time of Genghis Khan, there was great enmity between the two religions.
- Tomislav Addai
- Word Count: 1.6k