Ari Buddhism or the Ari Gaing (, ) is the name given to the religious practice common in Burma prior to Anawrahta's rise and the subsequent conversion of Bagan to Theravada in the eleventh century. It was introduced in the 7th century, possibly through trade contact from India or Tibetan Plateau.
History
Ari practices have largely been categorized as a
tantra form of Buddhism, combining elements of Buddhism, nat worship, indigenous nāga worship and
Hinduism. Some scholars claim that it is related to the tradition known as
Azhaliism of
Nanzhao and the subsequent
Dali Kingdom in modern-day
Yunnan,
China. Other historians like
Than Tun contend that the Aris were forest-dwelling monks who simply differed in monastic practice from Theravadin
, especially with regard to adherence to the
Vinaya, as they were much less orthodox, allowed to consume alcohol, engage in sexual relations, and eat after midday. Despite his conversion to Theravada Buddhism due to the efforts of a
Mon people bhikkhu named
Shin Arahan,
Anawrahta still supported Mahayana cultic practices and printed coins in
Sanskrit rather than Pali.
They are likely to have had influence on the development of the weizza tradition of Southern Esoteric Buddhism
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