Cultural Oddity: When Chinese Buddhists Leave Indian Culture Behind

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Did you know Buddhism came from India instead of China? Notice the names in Buddhism such as Avalokitesvara, Samantabhadra, Ksitigarbha, and Manjushri, and the founder's name is Siddhartha Gautama. Those are obviously very Indian names, aren't they? Yet, it seems that Buddhism has left Indian culture behind in India. In Hinduism, Gautama Buddha is considered one of Vishnu's ten avatars. A TV series known as Buddha by ZEE TV was created. The cast met with the 14th Dalai Lama, Gyalwa Rinpoche, who is often nicknamed the Buddhist Pope. The TV series was also dubbed in Mandarin. Yet, what amazes me is that Buddhists tend to abandon Indian culture behind. 

The very evidence can be with how Buddhist temples are designed by Chinese Buddhists. Rather than designing them like Hindu temples--they're designed to look like Taoist temples. I find it not surprising how many Taoist temples in Cebu are mistakenly labeled as Buddhist temples. Some tend to think that Buddhism and Taoism are the same. However, historical data reveals that the two are distinct even if the two tend to be inclusive. The goddess Guan Yin Ma (Kuan Im Ma in Hokkien) is revered by Taoists as well. The origins of the goddess can be rather vague There's a Hindu god known as Avalokitesvara. Avalokitesvara is seldom portrayed as a man. Some say Guan Yin is really a man who magically becomes a woman. A similar situation can be found in Hinduism. Vishnu also could become a woman known as Mohini. However, Hinduism has a goddess of infinite compassion known as Gayatri. I interviewed some Indians and they said Gayatri means "she who hears the sorrows of the world". Gayatri is a Hindu goddess often portrayed with five faces and multiple arms. Gayatri is also referred to in Hinduism as the goddess of mercy--a function occupied by Mother Guan Yin herself. 

Several Hindu gods have been transported aside from Mother Gayatri. Brahma got the name of the Four-Faced Buddha. Saraswati was named Bai Caitian by the Chinese. Ganesha is referred to as Feituoshen. Multiple-armed and multiple-headed deities are present in Buddhism. An image of Avalokitesvara (in both male and female forms) can be found with 11 heads and a thousand arms. Samantabhadra is often portrayed with several arms or at times, several heads. In fact, some of the waitresses in an Indian restaurant asked, "Isn't that a Hindu temple" or "Isn't that a Hindu god?" It was when I presented to them an image of Mother Guan Yin with several arms. 

Yet, the culture of India was left behind. A simple trip to a Buddhist temple would tell you how Indian culture seems left behind. Take the Fo Guang Shan Chu Un Temple (in Cebu City), Phu Shian (Samantabhadra) Temple, and Fo Guang Shan Mabuhay Temple. The structure is based on Chinese architecture. They're serving vegetarian sattvic food. However, the food served is Chinese. I did conduct a bit of a survey about Indian culture. It's amazing how some older Buddhists didn't even know Gautama Buddha was Indian or even Buddha's real name, Siddharta Gautama. Some of the older Buddhists even think Indian food is gross. Talk about following the teachings of an Indian sage while disrespecting the food of the founder. We do have Buddhist monks and nuns eating at Little India Healthy Cuisine in both Quezon City and Cebu City. 

Some aspects of early Buddhist legends have been given Chinese versions. An example is where Guan Yin also said to be Princess Miaoshan, a Chinese princess in the Tang Dynasty. Some legends have it that Guan Yin was a beautiful Indian princess who became a Buddhist nun. Guan Yin's story would somehow be parallel to that of Gautama. Guan Yin gave her eyes and arms to cure the father who disowned her. Guan Yin's selfless sacrifice granted her a similar form to the Hindu goddess Gayatri. Guan Yin soon had a thousand arms and a thousand eyes so she could help countless sentient beings.  

I could imagine a Buddhist pilgrimage to India. This could be very awkward for older Chinese practicing Buddhism. Some older Chinese only eat Chinese food. It would be very awkward if Chinese Buddhists go to India and end up ignorant about Indian culture. It would be awkward if one younger Chinese Buddhist had been eating at Indian restaurants. Now, imagine if the pilgrimage starts serving sattvic Indian food. That means vegetarian food without garlic and onion. The next scene is when breakfast is served. Instead of having the traditional fried ladyfingers, they would be served ladyfinger curry as part of the vegetarian thali. The devotees are ready to eat vegetarian food. What caught them off-guard was the "strangeness" of Indian food. It could be a hilarious scene in which the older Buddhist devotees will hand the food to the younger Buddhists. At the end of the pilgrimage, you might imagine the young Buddhists getting fatter while the rest are getting famished. 

What caused Chinese Buddhists to leave Indian culture behind is still a mystery. I wonder how many Chinese Buddhists are even aware that the founder of the Shaolin order was an Indian monk who was called Bodhidharma? Buddhism seminars have been talking more and more about Gautama's life in India. Yet, Chinese vegetarian food was still served in the seminar instead of learning to cook Indian vegetarian food as well. 

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