SHRI SAI LEELA - Under Construction

SHRI SAI LEELA – APRIL 1986Occident." The establishment of Indian influence in Cambodia, Indo-China and adjoining regions goes back to the very remote past. As inthe case of all other culture-contacts, trade was the principalmotivation which led to the people knowing about each other which inturn created missionary and perhaps political motivationstrengthening these contacts. We cannot do better than agree withCoedes who states that the beginnings and-expansion of Hinduculture pattern in Indo-China was a gradual process. A fewmerchants first arrived from India in the region and they were laterfollowed by Brahmans. Hinduism at that time had not lost its elasticityand these Brahmans were able to gain a few initial converts toHinduism, a process which soon gained strength.Buddhism too made its appearance in South-east Asia generallyknown as Suvarnabhumi in Indian texts and accounts.''Evidence is gradually accumulating from various different quarterswhich tend to show that Indian influence made itself felt in Indo-Chinafrom about the beginning of the Christian era or possibly even two orthree centuries before that date and there seems to be nothingantecedently improbable in the story of a Buddhist mission being sentthere at a relatively early period." There is a legend current inCambodia that the Lord Buddha himself visited that area.The funan empire comprising most of the present day Cambodia andparts of Vietnam became indianised in the 3rd century A.D. receivingits Hindu culture most probably from one of the earlier colonies in thisarea. The name Funan represents Chinese translation of Khmer wordmeaning "Mountain". Its capital was at Vyadhapura. The earliestHindu colony in Indo-China comprised Cambodia, Cochin-China and20WWW.SAILEELAS.ORG