The Saffron Kingdom: The Role of Buddhism in Cambodian History and Society

The Saffron Kingdom: The Role of Buddhism in Cambodian History and Society
Chapter One: The Path of the Elders: The Rise of Theravāda Buddhism in Cambodia For the first four centuries of its existence, the spiritual life of the mighty Khmer Empire was dominated by grand, state-sponsored religions. The imperial court was home to the esoteric Brahmanic rituals of the Devaraja  ("God-King") cult, which identified the monarch with Hindu deities like Shiva and Vishnu. Later, under the visionary king Jayavarman VII, the empire was dedicated to the complex and vast pantheon of Mahayana Buddhism . These were "top-down" faiths, centered on the divine status of the king and expressed through the construction of colossal temple-mountains that served as his sacred palace on earth. Yet, during the final centuries of Angkor's glory, a new and different current of faith began to flow into the kingdom—a quieter, more personal, and ultimately more revolutionary path known as Theravāda Buddhism. The gradual adoption and eventual dominance of the Theravāda …