Sanskrit as a Vehicle for the Emergence of India-Indonesia Cultural Relationship
Abstract
Significant influence of Indian culture in the archipelago was due to the role of Sanskrit played in addition to strategic position the archipelago has in the world. When the encounter between Indian cultures with local culture happened in ancient times there were some rooms for Sanskrit to be used as medium of expressions. The result was the emergence of textual traditions producing a huge number of inscriptions and texts. In comparison with Indo-China region, it is only in Indonesia Sanskrit and Old Javanese have produced a huge number of literature covering various subjects of life both religious and non-religious. It has been studied in an intensive manner in teaching and learning tradition in a long span of time. It has a force that can harmonize various differences exist in society. However, the decline of Sanskrit learning perhaps due to the conversion of the people into Muslim in 15th century; and cultural contact between the two cultures got lessened till faded away in the post Majapahit period. Sanskrit as a vehicle of culture covers various aspect of life, like art, science, literature, etc.
Key words: Indian culture, Sanskrit, Old Javanese, inscription, and literature.