Outlines of the History of Buddhism in Indo-China

Summary

This short piece summarises a longer article by Professor L. Finot on the development of Buddhism in Indo‑China. It outlines the major phases of transmission from India to the mainland Southeast Asian kingdoms of Funan, Champa and Dvāravatī. Indian traders and monks introduced Theravāda doctrines and Pāli scriptures, while Mahāyāna ideas arrived later through maritime routes and contacts with China. The summary notes that local rulers often patronised both Hinduism and Buddhism, leading to a syncretic religious landscape. The article also mentions the role of monasteries in education and the production of inscriptions in Sanskrit and Khmer. Overall, it highlights Finot’s contribution to reconstructing the chronology of Buddhist expansion in the region.