2 - Early Buddhism in Bali: An Overview Through Artefactual and Inscriptional Evidence

Presentation Abstract
Buddhism is a cosmopolitan religion that played a major role in constituting the Kawi Culture that links Java, Bali, and other islands of central Indonesia. The emergence of a Balinese form of Buddhism in the late first millennium therefore offers a significant case study for how the vast body of Buddhist knowledge was passed down in the archipelago. Substantiated by archaeological findings, Buddhism’s presence in Bali dates back to at least the 8th century. These archaeological relics include temple structures, Tebing Temple, temple miniatures, statues, stūpas, and stupika. In addition to these relics, there are Sanskrit inscriptions that bear Buddhist mantras meticulously inscribed on clay plaques. Furthermore, ancient Balinese inscriptions from the 9th century provide glimpses of the presence of bikṣus, an archaic term for Buddhist brahmins. This article will use an iconography and epigraphy approach to view how Buddhism began during the ancient Balinese period.