Chinese Buddhism owes a lot to Gandhara Civilisation, envoy’s book

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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Singapore and author of the book “Chinese Made Easy” Syed Hasan Javed joined Quaid-e-Azam University faculty, scholars and students on Thursday to give an insight into the history of cultural and religious relationship between Pakistan and China.

The event, which also a seminar, on “Gandharan Buddhist Heritage: A bond between Pakistan and China”, organised by the Taxila Institute of Asian Civilisations (TIAC) at QAU, also saw the launch of “Chinese Made Easy”.

Javed encouraged students to retrace the historical context of Buddhism is vital as only limited research has been conducted on this area which still needs to be explored. “Chinese Made Easy” with its unique features is likely to become the most favourite learning Mandarin book first of its kind in Pakistan and also in the world. This book has Chinese characters, Pinyin, English translation, Roman Urdu, Urdu pronunciation and translation, in addition to rich vocabulary and specific needs based lessons. It also includes Chinese language metaphors as pearls of wisdom as an ‘icing on the cake’.

While expressing his gratitude to Javed in initiating academic collaboration abroad, QAU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Masoom Yasinzai said, “Today’s seminar garners special importance due to two facts. First, it enlightened us about so many aspects of our history. Secondly, it is valuable in terms of contributing to our historical consciousness and in turn giving us a clear vision about our future course of action. I believe that such kind of discourses and activities can be used in our nation building process. We are looking forward for signing MoUs with the Buddhist Federation of Singapore and the Institute of South Asia, a step which will further the cause of knowledge and research in Pakistan.”

He also apprised the audience that Taxila Institute of Asian Civilisations, QAU has also signed a MoU with the IsIAO Italian Archaeological Mission aiming at the promotion of academic collaboration between the two institutes. Similarly, its MoU with the Department of the Antiquity Sciences, La Sapienza of Rome, is also an encouraging step to promote scientific co-operation between Pakistan and Italy.

Javed mentioned that knowing the Chinese language will help us in fostering the diplomatic relationship with China, undoubtedly an important country due to its economic stability in the region. He explained different sources of Chinese civilisation value systems, ancient civilisation contacts between Pakistan and China, and how ancient Chinese missionaries travelled through/ to the Gandhara regions of Pakistan; even some Buddhist pilgrims visited Fata. Author illuminated the audience how Buddhism became popular in China due to its appeal to moral, virtues, purity of life and spirituality which are basic attributes of Chinese people.

TIAC Director Prof Dr M Ashraf Khan also expressed great pleasure for hosting such a grandiose academic event. According to him, the book is of vital importance in respect to the bilateral relations between the states of Pakistan and China and the people of the two republics. “Of course, one of the great religions of the world, Buddhism reached China from Gandhara, the later being one of the great centres of this religion.

Many Buddhist teachers went to China for the propagation of Buddhism. I hope that the speech by Javed will cover the scope of this important episode of our history.” Former foreign secretary Akram Zaki referred to Javed as a man of deep passion and commitment who has well researched the Chinese civilisation. Zaki gave great importance to developing friendly relationship between China and Pakistan.

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Buddha statue from the ancient Gandhara civilisation covered up

More than 10 years on Western experts say Afghanistan's ancient Buddhist and early Islamic heritage is little safer.

At the foot of the cliff where the two Buddhas used to stand 130 kilometres (80 miles) west of Kabul, an archaeological site has been found and parts of a third Buddha, lying down, were discovered in 2008.

The area of the lying Buddha is around half the size of a football pitch. A dozen statues or more lie under tonnes of stone and earth.

"We covered everything up because the ground is private and to prevent looting," says Zemaryalai Tarzi, the 75-year-old French archaeologist born in Afghanistan who is leading the project.

Tarzi says he dug first in the potato fields to find artefacts, which he buried again afterwards. All around him, under a large area of farmland, he says, lie exceptional treasures.

In the West, the presence of such riches would lead to a large-scale excavation, frantic research and in time, glorious museum exhibitions.

In Afghanistan, ground down by poverty and three decades of war, it is the opposite.

"The safest place is to leave heritage underground," says Brendan Cassar, head of the UNESCO mission in Afghanistan, adding that policing the thousands of prehistoric, Buddhist and Islamic sites dotted around the country was impossible.

Below ground, the relics are protected from endemic looting, illegal smuggling and the corrosive effects of freezing winters.

"There is looting on a large or small scale at 99.9 percent of sites," says Philippe Marquis, director of a French archaeological delegation in Afghanistan.

Middlemen pay Afghans $4 to $5 a day to dig up artefacts, which are smuggled abroad and sold for tens of thousands of dollars in European and Asian capitals, he says.

Cassar believes the solution is educating locals about the value of their history and the need to implement the law, and a global campaign using Interpol and customs to stop smuggling.

UNESCO added the rocky Bamiyan valley, with its old forts, temples and cave paintings, to its list of endangered heritage sites in 2003. But sites have been destroyed throughout the country.

Hadda in the east was home to thousands of Greco-Buddhist sculptures dating from the 1st century BC to 1st century AD, but it was devastated in the 1990s civil war. Hundreds of pieces have disappeared or been destroyed.

Marquis says the old city of Lashkar Gah, the capital of the southern province of Helmand -- whose 11th-century arch appears on the 100 afghani ($2) banknote -- was irreparably damaged by an influx of refugees.

A Chinese copper mining company has been granted a concession over an area in Logar province, south of Kabul, that includes an ancient Buddhist monastery, and researchers fear the ruins will largely be destroyed.

Archaeologists complain that culture is only a secondary consideration to development and security.

"Cultural issues are never the priority. Security, yes, which eats up 40 percent of the Afghan state budget," says Habiba Sorabi, the governor of Bamiyan province, where few public resources are allotted to archaeology.

A meeting in Paris last year decided one of the two niches that housed Bamiyan's giant Buddhas should be left empty as testimony to the destruction, while experts should look at partially reassembling the other statue on site.

But local archaeologist Farid Haidary says "lots of money" was spent on restoring the Buddhas before the Taliban destroyed them.

"What's the point in building something if the Taliban, who are 20 kilometres away, destroy it afterwards?" he asks.

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Gandhara Art Exhibition in Seoul

Esther Park settled down in Pakistan in 1999 and has never looked back she is pursuing her PHD. She has many a feathers in her cap in boosting the soft image of Pakistan all over the world.

She has written poems and co-authored books about Gandhara culture home of world oldest civilization. The selected photographs taken by Gulraiz Ghouri and German professor Dr Hauptman will be displayed during the month at an art exhibition at Na Mu gallery inside Jo Gye temple and will continue for 10 days.

The most interesting thing about the photographs is that it depicts the peace and tranquillity in Swat region in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province which has been disturbed since long owing to militancy.

The exhibition is done with the sole objective to give an insight off the area to Buddhist community in Korea which Esther Park believes can attract large numbers to Pakistan.

Buddhism in China, Korea and Japan has its birthplace in Pakistan and Monk Maranantha born in Chota Lahore, Mardan in Khyber Pukhtoonkwah was the person to spread Buddhism in all these three countries.

?The exhibition is special,? said Esther adding,? It is displayed in Seoul with Buddhist perspective in mind and its importance to Buddhism religion as a whole.?

The idea is to show the world that Pakistan has great religious tolerance and Buddhist religious places in the region are safe and there is no threat.

Esther Park has plans to write a book about the region covering the Buddhist perspective as there is no literature to date available about the area covering the Buddhism religion. The material available has been written by western writers and it lacks the Buddhist philosophy and faith.

The Mahayana Buddhism originated from Pakistan and Esther Park documented many a sites that are off great spiritual importance to Buddhists in Korea. She aspires to write the book for all Buddhism followers in China, Japan and Korea and is working on getting funding for the project.

Esther in her endeavours has also formed Gandhara Arts and Cultural Association which is headed by Anwer Saifullah Khan and association member Zulfiqar Rahim needs special mentioning who played a vital role in Esther Park endeavours in pursuing her passion about Gandhara civilization.

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