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Buddhism
seems to have first arrived in Indonesia from south India
and Sri Lanka. Later, Mahayana and
Tantra liberally mixed with Hinduism
became predominant. Buddhism's vigour, at least in Java,
is attested by the great stupa of Borobordur built in the 9th century AD, one
of the biggest religious edifices ever erected. But by
the 13th century Buddhism had become corrupt and moribund
and it faded away to be replaced by Islam. From the 1930's
onward, monks from Sri Lanka and to a lesser degree Thailand,
have had considerable success in introducing Theravada,
and a rather syncretic type of Buddhism calling itself
Buddhayana has also arisen. Mahayana is also present but
is entirely confined to Chinese immigrants.
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