Volume 2

Netherlands East Indies / by S.H. Beaver [and others].

  • Great Britain. Naval Intelligence Division.
Date:
1944
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Netherlands East Indies / by S.H. Beaver [and others]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    century the Indo-Sumatrans were Hinayanist in religion, but towards the end of the century they were converted to Buddhism of the Mahayanist creed. THE SAILENDRA DYNASTY, A.D. 750-850 The rise of Sri-vijaya is associated with the Sailendra dynasty, which conquered Bangka and extended its power over Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. After the death of Sanjaya, about the middle of the eighth century, we find the Sailendra dynasty ruling in central Java. A new impulse was given to letters, apparently to music, and, above all, to architecture. Indian influence is most marked, which suggests that there may have been a fresh wave of immigration shortly after the establishment of the dynasty. The great Buddhist temples of Boroboedoer and Tjandi Mendoet date from this period (Plates 11,15). Buddhism did not wholly displace Sivaism, for temples to Siva were being built in many places and inscriptions testify to its survival, notably one of a.D. 847 at Gandasoeli, written in Old-Javanese with a tincture of Old-Malay. An obvious inter- pretation of the leading facts is that Sivaism was the popular religion, though Buddhism was favoured by the rulers. Outside Java, the rule of the Sailendra extended over all, or almost all, of the archipelago and possibly over Cambodia and Champa. Chinese records and inscriptions, when read together with the long series of reliefs at Boroboedoer, depict a complex political and social organization. Then, suddenly and mysteriously, the Sailendra disappear from Java and seem even earlier to have lost their hold over Cambodia and Champa, but a branch of the dynasty continued to control Sri-vijaya for many centuries. THE KINGDOM OF MatTaraM, A.D. 850-1007 The Sailendra never extended their rule over east Java, which seems to have remained independent under descendants of King Sanjaya; presumably it was they who drove the Sailendra from central Java. Already in a.D. 863 at Pereng, in the main stronghold of the Sailendra, there is an inscription in a mixture of Sanskrit and Old-Javanese, paying homage to Siva. It may be taken to mark the birth of a new power, known afterwards as Mataram from the capital founded there a few years later. From the ninth century onwards Sivaism