A Brief History of Buddhist Transnational Connections

Abstract

This chapter elaborates on the historical connection between Malaya and the larger Buddhist world. Chinese Buddhism’s roots in Malaya started when the immigrant communities that arrived as laborers in tin mining and rubber plantations brought their religious beliefs. Burmese and Sinhalese brought the Theravada traditions that influenced Chinese Buddhists, while the Chinese inherited a loosely defined Mahayana Buddhism mixed with Chinese customs and popular religions. The idea of modern religion was brought by religious leaders of various traditions to revitalize Buddhism.