In the same way as one could

identify the origins of Western

civilization in Greece, Rome

and Judeo-Christianity, so, too,

could one trace the origins of

East Asian civilization to the

influence of Confucianism,

Taoism and Mahayana

Buddhism.

SPRING 2011 73

THINKERY

Nalanda and theAsian Renaissance

GEORGE YEO is Singapore’s foreign minister.

Last August, the Indian Parliament passed a bill re-establishing Nalanda University as

an international university. Nalanda was the world’s oldest university by far, flourish-

ing for centuries before it was destroyed by Afghan invaders in the 12th century.

When the bill was debated in both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha, all political par-

ties vied to give their support.

Nalanda is about the past and the future. At one level, it is a celebration of the

Buddhist heritage that has contributed so much to the cultures of Asia. Whether con-

sciously or not, Buddhist values and philosophy influence the daily lives of hundreds

of millions of East Asians, helping to shape a persistent pattern of social interactions

which makes East Asia an identifiable civilizational area.

Three great value systems undergird East Asian civilization—Confucianism,

Taoism and Mahayana Buddhism. Confucius and Lao Zi lived at about the same time

as the Buddha. Both Confucianism and Taoism were adopted very early by Korea and

the Taoist yin yang symbol is at the center of the Republic of Korea flag. During the

Nara and Heian Periods, Confucianism from China took hold in Japan and its influ-

ence is still evident in Japanese society today. Mahayana Buddhism reached China

about 2,000 years ago but did not become widespread until it was thoroughly

Sinicized, a process which took many centuries. Buddhism had first to become

Chinese in its grammar, invocations and iconography. From China, the different

Buddhist sects spread to Korea and Japan with relative ease. Chan Buddhism and

Taoism melded in China, and it was the evolved form of Chan that became popular in

Japan, giving Japanese Zen Buddhism its present character.

This is painting in broad strokes. But in the same way as one could identify the

origins of Western civilization in Greece, Rome and Judeo-Christianity, so, too, could

one trace the origins of East Asian civilization to the influence of Confucianism,

Taoism and Mahayana Buddhism.

As Asia re-emerges on the world stage in this century, its civilizational origins will

become a subject of intense study and debate.Asians are rediscovering their own past

and deriving inspiration from it for the future. This inspiration covers all fields,

including governance, scientific inquiry, architecture, wellness and aesthetics. A

tremendous burst of creative adaptation is increasingly evident across Asia. The

Western world went through a similar phase as it emerged from the medieval ages.

Hence the word “renaissance” has come to be applied to Asia’s re-emergence today.

Just as Europe’s past was partly retrieved through the Arab vehicle, for it was the

Arabs who were fascinated by the civilization of the ancient Greeks and had its works

translated into Arabic when Western Europe was still in the Dark Ages,Asia’s past has

been partly retrieved through the Western vehicle. Without the massive contribution

of Western scholars, our knowledge of our own past in Asia would be much poorer

today. I include here Alexander Cunningham’s identification of Nalanda from an

English translation of Xuan Zang’s record of his journey to the West and Joseph

Needham’s encyclopaedic study of science and civilization in China. I say this only to

remind Asians that we, too, stand on the shoulders of others.

THE BUDDHIST HERITAGE | The recovery and celebration of the Buddhist

heritage are important parts of the Asian renaissance. The revival of Mahayana

Buddhism in East Asia is a big phenomenon. With the end of ideology, religion has

74 SPRING 2011

Just as Europe’s past was partly

retrieved through the Arab

vehicle, for it was the Arabs

who were fascinated by the

civilization of the ancient

Greeks and had its works

translated into Arabic when

Western Europe was still in

the Dark Ages, Asia’s past has

been partly retrieved through

the Western vehicle.

THINKERY

become more important, most recently in China and Vietnam. Buddhist temples are

once again flourishing in both these countries.

Buddhist pilgrimages are growing in popularity and proceeding farther afield.The

interest in visiting the holy sites in India is bound to increase sharply in the coming

decades. But, much more than tourism, renewed interest in a pan-Asian Buddhist her-

itage will facilitate the re-encounter of the two great civilizational areas of East and

South Asia.

It is much easier emotionally to talk about the Buddhist heritage in Asia than it is

to discuss the painful interactions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam over the cen-

turies. For the children of Abraham, it has been a history of conflict. In the case of

Buddhism, however, after the bloodbath in Kalinga, which shocked Ashoka and set

him off on a different path, the message is generally one of peace, compassion and

acceptance. Buddhism teaches us that nothing is permanent. This reminds us not to

be arrogant. Buddhism teaches us that every action has consequences.This reminds us

to be good. The deep humanism in Buddhism is a value we need more than ever in a

shrinking world where no religion or ethnic group is in a majority.

SOUTHEAST ASIA | In between East and South Asia is Southeast Asia, where

all the world’s great religions and cultures meet and mingle. If we are not able to live

with people who are different from us in their core beliefs, there can be no peace or

partnership. Beneath the trade winds, there has evolved in Southeast Asia cultures

which enable diverse ethnic and religious groups to cohabitate. This softness has its

roots in the Hinduism and Buddhism which came to our shores more than 2,000 years

ago. Many of the great monks, like Fa Xian and Yi Jing, who traveled between South

and East Asia, spent time in Southeast Asia, especially in Sriwijaya, Sumatra.

Syncretism is a way of life in Southeast Asia. In many Southeast Asian cities, it is not

uncommon to find bustling mosques, temples and churches within short distances of

one another, cheek by jowl. Are there problems? Yes, of course, every day! But the

prevalent wisdom is to tolerate, accommodate and find ways to live together.

ISLAM AND THE WEST | In addition to the Buddhist heritage, the Islamic

heritage and the Western heritage are also important unifying elements in Asia.

Unlike Islam’s historical contact with the West, which was often unhappy, Islam’s

arrival in Southeast Asia was very different. It brought hygiene and a system of trust

which facilitated trade. For a long time, the maritime silk route from the

Mediterranean to China was dominated by Muslim traders. The Ottoman influence

among Muslims in Southeast Asia was profound. The songkok which Southeast Asian

Muslims wear is a relic of that influence. It was not only from the Middle East and

India that Islam came to Southeast Asia. It was also from China. The great fleets from

For over 700 years, the great

university in Nalanda was a

center of learning for a wide

range of subjects, including phi-

losophy, science, mathematics

and public health. Nalanda

is an icon of the Asian renais-

sance in the 21st century and

should draw students and

scholars from everywhere,

as it once did.

SPRING 2011 75

THINKERY

Ming China that sailed to Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean 600 years ago were

commanded by Muslim admirals, the most famous being, of course, Zheng He. The

Islamic heritage is therefore another theme in the Asian renaissance which should one

day be taken up. We should not only be preoccupied with the dangers of Jihadist

extremism. Though it will take many years, the upheavals in North Africa and the

Middle East bespeak a future that wants to be born.

The Asian renaissance is incomprehensible without taking into consideration the

Western influence of the last 500 years. Although the Western dominance has reced-

ed, its impact on every aspect of life in Asia is obvious, enduring and ubiquitous. Any

honest treatment of the Asian revival must acknowledge the many positive contribu-

tions of the West, including the ideas of democracy, socialism and individual rights.

The Christian influence in Asia is pervasive. Without Christian missionaries dedicat-

ing their lives to the education of millions of Asians,Asia’s modernization would have

taken much longer to happen.

THE SPIRIT OF NALANDA | For over 700 years, the great university in

Nalanda was a center of learning for a wide range of subjects, including philosophy,

science, mathematics and public health. Nalanda is an icon of the Asian renaissance in

the 21st century and should draw students and scholars from everywhere, as it once

did. It should be a center of civilizational dialogue and interfaith understanding, as it

once was. It should again make available for the common betterment of all human

beings knowledge already existing in the world. In this way, the Nalanda project is not

only a celebration of the past but also an inspiration for the future of Asia and the

world. In a messy multipolar world, the Nalanda spirit of man living in harmony with

man, of man living in harmony with nature and of man living as part of nature should

be our common spirit.

s

In a messy multipolar world,

the Nalanda spirit of man liv-

ing in harmony with man, of

man living in harmony with

nature and of man living as

part of nature should be our

common spirit.

SPRING 201176

THINKERY