Professor Osmund Bopearachchi, adjunct professor of Central and South Asian art, archaeology, and numismatics at the University of California, Berkeley, and emeritus director of research at the French National Centre for Scientific Research, visited Hong Kong in July to deliver two lectures on Buddhist art at the University of Hong Kong’s Centre of Buddhist Studies. Prof. Bopearachchi is a numismatist (scholar of currency), historian, art historian, and archaeologist specializing in linking numismatics with sculptural and pictorial iconography in Central Asian and South Asian archaeology, art, and architecture.

In his first lecture, Prof. Bopearachchi charted the spread of Buddhism via trade routes in the Indian Ocean. When we talk about the ancient Silk Road, either the inland or maritime routes, people usually associate them with the trade of goods between East and West. However, fewer realize that the maritime and inland trade brought people from different cultures, languages, beliefs, and aesthetic aspirations together. In ancient times, traders not only facilitated economic growth between regions, but also triggered cultural exchanges—including the spread of Buddhism. As Prof. Bopearachchi noted, traders were mediators of cultural interactions. Buddhist monastics, philosophers, artists, and diplomats all traveled together with traders. Thus, not only goods but also philosophical thought and iconographies were exchanged.

One may believe that Buddhism stands purely for non-materialistic ideals, and thus opposes the generation of wealth. However, this is a misconception. As expressed by Prof. Bopearachchi, it is not an exaggeration to say that Buddhism encourages trade and appreciates donations from rich merchants. In fact, scholars have discovered hundreds of inscriptions announcing the contributions of traders to Buddhist institutions. In addition, Buddhist texts contain records admiring the donations made by rich merchants to Buddhist complexes. A well known example is Anathapindika, the wealthiest merchant in Savatthi in the time of Shakyamuni Buddha, who purchased Jetavana Park for the Buddha by covering the land with coins.

The spread of Buddhism from South Asia to Southeast Asia is closely connected with the growth of maritime and river trading networks. When we investigate the distribution of important Buddhist sites in India, Jave, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, we realize that they were inland and clustered around the big rivers flowing to the Indian Ocean. The prosperity and duration of their existence depended mainly on the dynamics of trade.

Avalokiteshvara (also known as Guanyin), the Bodhisattva of Compassion, gained much popularity due to his reputation of offering protection to traders. Many Buddhist caves in the Indian subcontinent have depictions of the Astamahabhaya Avalokiteshvara protecting humans from the eight great perils, among them, the danger of shipwrecks in the turbulent ocean.



Astamahabhaya Avalokiteshvara, Aurangabad Cave No.7,

sixth–seventh century. Image courtesy of Prof. Osmund Bopearachchi

The choice of Jataka and Avadana stories depicted in paintings and reliefs of Ajanta and many other Buddhist cave complexes reflects the aspirations of donors who sponsored them. In these stories we find depictions of sea monsters and terrestrial demons, major threats and enemies of mariners who ventured into perilous ocean and dangerous foreign lands in search of wealth. The Buddhist icons represent appeals for protection from the Buddha and bodhisattvas to ensure that trader-donors reached their homes safely.