Buddhism in the Philippines

The Philippines's archaeological finds include a few Buddhist artifacts,[6][7] The style exhibits Vajrayāna influence,[8][9][10][5] most of them dated to the 9th century. The artifacts reflect the iconography of the Śrīvijayan empire's Vajrayāna and its influences on the Philippines's early states. The artifacts's distinct features point to their production in the islands and they hint at the artisan's or goldsmith's knowledge of Buddhist culture and literature because the artisans have made these unique works of Buddhist art. The artifacts imply also the presence of Buddhist believers in the places where these artifacts turned up. These places extended from the Agusan-Surigao area in Mindanao island to Cebu, Palawan, and Luzon islands. Hence, Vajrayāna ritualism must have spread far and wide throughout the archipelago.

In 1225, China's Zhao Rugua, a superintendent of maritime trade in Fukien province wrote the book entitled Zhu Fan Zhi (Chinese: 諸番志; lit. '"Account of the Various Barbarians"') in which he described trade with a country called Ma-i in the island of Mindoro in Luzon,(pronounced "Ma-yi") which was a prehispanic Philippine state. In it he said:

The country of Mai is to the north of Borneo. The natives live in large villages on the opposite banks of a stream and cover themselves with a cloth like a sheet or hide their bodies with a loin cloth. There are metal images of Buddhas of unknown origin scattered about in the tangled wilds.[11]

"The gentleness of Tagalog customs that the first Spaniards found, very different from those of other provinces of the same race and in Luzon itself, can very well be the effect of Buddhism "There are copper Buddha's" images.[12]

The gold statue of the deity Tara is the most significant Buddhist artifact. In the Vajrayāna tradition, Tara symbolizes the Absolute in its emptiness as the wisdom heart's essence that finds its expression through love and through compassion. The Vajrayāna tradition also tells about the outpouring of the human heart's compassion that manifests Tara and about the fascinating story of the Bodhisattva of Compassion shedding a tear out of pity for the suffering of all sentient beings when he hears their cries. The tear created a lake where a lotus flower emerges. It bears Tara who relieves their sorrow and their pain.

The Golden Tara was discovered in 1918 in Esperanza, Agusan and it has been kept in the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois since the 1920s. Henry Otley Beyer, the Philippines's pioneer anthropologist-archaeologist, and some experts have agreed on its identity and have dated it to belong within 900–950 CE, which covers the Sailendra period of the Srivijaya empire. They can not place, however, the Golden Tara's provenance because it has distinct features.

In the archipelago that was to become the Philippines, the statues of the Hindu gods were hidden to prevent their destruction by a religion which destroyed all cult images. One statue, a "Golden Tara", a 4-pound gold statue of a Hindu-Malayan goddess, was found in Mindanao in 1917. The statue denoted the Agusan Image and is now in the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago. The image is that of a Hindu-Malayan female deity, seated cross-legged. It is made of twenty-one carat gold and weighs nearly four pounds. It has a richly ornamented headdress and many ornaments in the arms and other parts of the body. Scholars date it to the late 13th or early 14th century. It was made by local artists, perhaps copying from an imported Javanese model. The gold that was used was from this area, since Javanese miners were known to have been engaged in gold mining in Butuan at this time. The existence of these gold mines, this artifact and the presence of "foreigners" proves the existence of some foreign trade, gold as the main element in the barter economy, and of cultural and social contact between the natives and "foreigners."

As previously stated, this statue is not in the Philippines. Louise Adriana Wood (whose husband, Leonard Wood, was the military-governor of the Moro Province in 1903-1906 and governor general in 1921-1927) raised funds for its purchase by the Chicago Museum of Natural History. It is now on display in that museum's Gold Room. According to Prof. Beyer, considered the "Father of Philippine Anthropology and Archeology", a woman in 1917 found it on the left bank of the Wawa River near Esperanza, Agusan, projecting from the silt in a ravine after a storm and flood. From her hands it passed into those of Bias Baklagon, a local government official. Shortly after, ownership passed to the Agusan Coconut Company, to whom Baklagon owed a considerable debt. Mrs. Wood bought it from the coconut company.

A golden statuette of the Hindu-Buddhist goddess Kinnara found in an archeological dig in Esperanza, Agusan del Sur.

The Philippines's archaeological finds include many ancient gold artifacts. Most of them have been dated to belong to the 9th century iconography of the Srivijaya empire. The artifacts' distinct features point to their production in the islands. It is probable that they were made locally because archaeologist Peter Bellwood discovered the existence of an ancient goldsmith's shop that made the 20-centuries-old lingling-o, or omega-shaped gold ornaments in Batanes.[13] Archaeological finds include Buddhist artifacts.[6][7] The style are of Vajrayāna influence.[8][14]

The other finds are the garuda, the mythical bird that has been common to Buddhism and Hinduism, and several Padmapani images. Padmapani has been also known as Avalokitesvara, the enlightened being or Bodhisattva of Compassion.[15]

Surviving Buddhist images and sculptures are primarily found in and at Tabon Cave.[14] Recent research conducted by Philip Maise has included the discovery of giant sculptures, has also discovered what he believes to be cave paintings within the burial chambers in the caves depicting the Journey to the West.[16] Scholars such as Milton Osborne emphasize that despite these beliefs being originally from India, they reached the Philippines through Southeast Asian cultures with Austronesian roots.[17] Artifacts reflect the iconography of the Vajrayāna tradition and its influences on the Philippines's early states.[18]

• Bronze Lokesvara – This is bronze statue of Lokesvara was found in Isla Puting Bato in Tondo, Manila.[19]
• Buddha Amithaba bass relief - The Ancient Batangueños were influenced by India as shown in the origin of most languages from Sanskrit and certain ancient potteries. A Buddhist image was reproduced in mould on a clay medallion in bas-relief from the municipality of Calatagan. According to experts, the image in the pot strongly resembles the iconographic portrayal of Buddha in Siam, India, and Nepal. The pot shows Buddha Amithaba in the tribhanga pose inside an oval nimbus. Scholars also noted that there is a strong Mahayanic orientation in the image, since the Boddhisattva Avalokitesvara was also depicted.[20]
• Golden Garuda of Palawan - Another gold artifact, from the Tabon Caves in the island of Palawan, is an image of Garuda, the bird who is the mount of Vishnu. The discovery of sophisticated Hindu imagery and gold artifacts in Tabon Caves has been linked to those found from Oc Eo, in the Mekong Delta in Southern Vietnam.
• Bronze Ganesha statues – A crude bronze statue of a Hindu Deity Ganesha has been found by Henry Otley Beyer in 1921 in an ancient site in Puerto Princesa, Palawan and in Mactan. Cebu the crude bronze statue indicates of its local reproduction.[19]
• Mactan Alokitesvara – Excavated in 1921 in Mactan, Cebu by H.O.Beyer the statue is bronze may be a siva-buddhist blending rather than "pure Buddhist".[19]
• The Golden Tara[21][22]
  Further information: Tara (Buddhism) and Mahavidya
• Golden Kinnari
• Padmapani and Nandi images – Padmapani is also known as Avalokitesvara, the wisdom being or Bodhisattva of Compassion. Golden jewelry found so far include rings, some surmounted by images of Nandi – the sacred bull, linked chains, inscribed gold sheets, gold plaques decorated with repoussé images of Hindu deities.[23][24]
• The Laguna Copperplate Inscription (above) found in 1989 suggests Indian cultural influence in the Philippines by 9th century AD, likely through Hinduism in Indonesia, prior to the arrival of European colonial empires in the 16th century.

The ancient Batangueños were influenced by India, as shown in the origin of most languages from Sanskrit and certain ancient potteries. A Buddhist image was reproduced in mould on a clay medallion in bas-relief from the municipality of Calatagan.

According to experts, the image in the pot strongly resembles the iconographic portrayal of Buddha in Siam, India, and Nepal. The pot shows Buddha Amithaba in the tribhanga[25] pose inside an oval nimbus. Scholars also noted that there is a strong Mahayanic orientation in the image since the Boddhisattva Avalokitesvara was also depicted.[26]

Archaeologist Peter Bellwood discovered the existence of an ancient goldsmith's shop that made the 20-centuries-old ngling-o, or omega-shaped gold ornaments in Batanes.[27] Archaeological finds include Buddhist artifacts.[28][29]

The Agusan image at the collections of the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.

Evidence indicates that Butuan was in contact with the Song dynasty of China by at least 1001 AD. The Chinese annal Song Shih recorded the first appearance of a Butuan tributary mission (Li Yui-han 李竾罕 and Jiaminan) at the Chinese Imperial Court on March 17, 1001 AD and it described Butuan (P'u-tuan) as a small Hindu country with a Buddhist monarchy in the sea that had a regular connection with the Champa kingdom and intermittent contact with China under the Rajah named Kiling.[30] The rajah sent an envoy under I-hsu-han, with a formal memorial requesting equal status in court protocol with the Champa envoy. The request was denied later by the Imperial court, mainly because of favoritism over Champa.[31]

A golden statuette of the Hindu-Buddhist goddesses Tara in Agusan river and the Kinnara was found in an archaeological dig in Esperanza, Agusan del Sur. The Philippines's archaeological finds include many ancient gold artifacts. It is probable that they were made locally because archaeologist Peter Bellwood discovered the existence of an ancient goldsmith's shop.[27] Archaeological finds also include Buddhist artifacts.[28][29]

In 1225, China's Zhao Rugua, a superintendent of maritime trade in Fukien province, wrote the book titled Account of the Various Barbarians (Chinese: 諸番志) in which he described trade with a country called Ma-i in the island of Mindoro in Luzon, (pronounced "Ma-yi") which was a pre-Hispanic Philippine state. The book describes the presence of metal images of Buddhas of unknown origin scattered about in the tangled wilds. The gentleness of Tagalog customs that the first Spaniards found, were very different from those of other provinces of the same race and in Luzon itself, can very well be the effect of Buddhism.[32][33]

Example of what Maise believes to be a cave painting depicting Manjusri, in Tabon Caves in Palawan.

In the 13th century, Buddhism and Hinduism was introduced to the people of Palawan through the Srivijaya and Majapahit .[14] The other finds are the garuda, the mythical bird that has been common to Buddhism and Hinduism, and several Padmapani images. Padmapani has been also known as Avalokitesvara, the enlightened being or Bodhisattva of Compassion. Surviving Buddhist images and sculptures are primarily found in and at Tabon Cave.[34] Recent research conducted by Philip Maise has included the discovery of giant sculptures and cave paintings within the burial chambers in the caves depicting the Journey to the West.[35]

The Main Altar of a Buddhist Temple in Masangkay Street, Tondo, Manila.

A relic of a bronze statue of Lokesvara was found in Isla Puting Bato in Tondo, Manila.[19] and the Laguna Copperplate Inscription, which is the artifact that specifically points to an Indian cultural (linguistic) influence in Tondo, does not explicitly discuss religious practices. However, some contemporary Buddhist practitioners believe that its mention of the Hindu calendar month of Vaisakha (which corresponds to April/May in the Gregorian Calendar) implies a familiarity with the Hindu sacred days celebrated during that month.[36]

Both extant schools of Buddhism are present in the Philippines.[37] There are Mahāyāna monasteries, temples, lay organizations, meditation centers and groups, such as Fo Guang Shan, Soka Gakkai International which is an international Nichiren Buddhist organization founded in Japan.[38] The Maha Bodhi Society's Zen circle was founded in October 1998.[39] Fo Guang Shan Manila is the main branch of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order in the Philippines which has several temples across the country.[40]

Despite being located in Southeast Asia, the Theravāda school has but a marginal presence. The Philippine Theravāda Buddhist Fellowship regularly holds fellowship meetings and promotes Theravāda Buddhism in the country. There also exists a nonsectarian S. N. Goenka vipassanā meditation centre in Quezon.

Shingon Buddhist Service at the Heiwa Kannon Shrine in Clark Field, Pampanga, October 2003

• kalma "fate" from Sanskrit karma
• damla "divine law" from Sanskrit dharma
• mantala "magic formulas" from Sanskrit mantra
• upaia "power" from Sanskrit or Pāli upāya
• lupa "face" from Sanskrit rūpa
• sabla "every" from Sanskrit sarva
• lau "eclipse" from Sanskrit rāhu
• galura "giant eagle (a surname)" from Sanskrit Garuḍa
• laksina "south (a surname)" from Sanskrit dakṣiṇa
• laksamana "admiral (a surname)" from Sanskrit lakṣmaṇa

• budhi "conscience" from Sanskrit bodhi
• dalita from Sanskrit dalita
• diwa "Spirit; Soul" from Sanskrit jīva
• dukha "one who suffers" from Pāli dukkha
• diwata "deity, nymph" from Pāli deva
• guro "teacher" from Sanskrit guru
• sampalataya "faith" from Sanskrit sampratyaya
• mukha "face" from Pāli mukha
• laho "eclipse" from Sanskrit rāhu
• tala "star" from Sanskrit tārā

• Dhammaphala, Goenka meditation centre
• Philippine Inisght-Meditation Community

• Mabuhay Temple, Fóguāngshān temple
• Ocean Sky Chán Monastery
• Tzu Chi Philippines
• Palyul Tibetan Buddhist Temple