Buddhism is one of the most intriguing philosophical products that originated in India some 2600 years back and has remained a powerful integrated philosophical whole, encompassing all facets of both spiritual and material culture that have guided humanity for centuries.

Buddhism remains a key anchor for Asian identity and of pan Asian importance:-

• For all these centuries, Buddhism remained as the solid foundation for societal and cultural transformation in Asia.
• Buddhism and trade had become synonymous as traders assisted monks who played a vital role in connecting their journey to distant Asian regions with the spread of the philosophy they practiced.
• By providing the foundation for the adoption of culture, thoughts, idioms and common spiritual beliefs and practices among people in India, China, Japan, Korea and in other parts of Asia Buddhism became the single most important factor for infusing “Asia” with a cultural coherence.
• Buddhism integrated myriad societies and regions, effectively interweaving them into a common culture of ethical values especially among the social and political elites in Asia.
• Buddhist culture is the root from which several Asian nations draw their national identities and political and social heritages. In many countries, Buddhism is embedded into their “nationalistic” thinking and actions such as in Sri Lanka. Certainly, Buddhism is an intensifying factor for Asian emotional bonding and connectivity
• At the core of Buddhism lies the idea of exploring the potential of an individual for realizing perfection towards the goal of attaining enlightenment. This philosophical virtue contributed to the foundation of democratic culture in many Asian societies.
• The core ethics of Buddhism, which stress on the nature of interdependence and interconnection, drew Asian societies towards adaptation and cooperation, and these still drive them towards accepting a cooperative culture.
• The diversity of Asian value systems today reflects how the culture of inclusiveness and tolerance has protected Asian cohesion at various turns of history.
• The Buddhist emphasis on the need for consensus, practiced in the monastic order of Sangha also impacted Asian societies.
• Buddhism allowed people to positively react to modernity and change. A majority of Asian societies and nations, including Japan, India and China, experienced modernity without completely emulating Western value systems
• Asian history is full of Buddhist-Muslim friendly interactions and cooperation. These were not without advantage to Asian connectivity. Many Asian societies have internalized Buddhist principles without having to adopt a Buddhist identity.

Indian context:-

• Scholars from across Asia came to study in renowned Indian universities such as Nalanda and Takshashila and took home with them Buddhist teachings, texts and relics
• For India, Buddhism lies at the core of its identity as a cradle of wisdom and provided the country with a unique image of being an embracer and enlightener rather than being a conqueror and threatening power.
• In fact, the intrinsic nature of Buddhist principles provides India a global persona of benign international influence.
• The essence of Buddhist influence lies in co-optive power, allowing nations to pursue interests without being explicitly adversarial. India’s domestic performance (democracy and pluralism) and external pursuit (independent and non-aligned foreign policy) have their underpinning in the Buddhist doctrine of Madhyamika.
• The recent strategic embrace of India by major world powers including in nuclear cooperation is driven because of India’s irrefutable historical personality record and its unique appeal.
• Buddhism has already gained prominence in India’s diplomacy for fostering deeper engagement with ASEAN countries as part of the ‘Look East’ and now “Act East” policy. In fact, Buddhism is also fast becoming a brand symbol of rising India.
• Numerous Buddhist sites in India, directly linked to the spiritual destinies of millions in Asia, could form a part of Buddha-Industry,

Conclusion:-

The Nalanda project could certainly open the prospects of Asian convergence. Buddhism is once again making a comeback and its growing popularity is linked to the peaceful nature of its philosophy and to its geographic spread. Buddhism could become a catalyst for building greater interaction within the Asian community.