“I, the reverend Buddhist teacher Dharmasekhara, dedicated this statue of the bodhisattva Amoghapasa* on the orders of His Majesty King Adityawarman, for the benefit and salvation and happiness of all creatures. Hail to the King—experienced in the arts of war, well versed in the sciences, he is an ocean of all virtues practiced by the followers of the Buddha! He is free from all physical desire. Hail to the King—he who supports the entire world. He has collected jewels by the millions, taken them from the hands of his enemies among the other rulers of this world. He who is like God among kings, crowned, protected by heavenly beings, King of kings! He orders what should be known to all!”

Sanskrit inscription on a statue of a bodhisattva produced in the Malayapura kingdom, Sumatra, Indonesia, circa 1350 c. e.

*a major figure worshipped in Mahayana Buddhism

The claim in the second paragraph that the king has become “free from all physical desire” can best be understood to mean that
Southeast Asian states’ ruling elites were very wealthy.

Southeast Asian states’ ruling elites were very wealthy.
A

in Vedic religions, rejecting worldly concerns in order to attain spiritual perfection was considered a virtue.

in Vedic religions, rejecting worldly concerns in order to attain spiritual perfection was considered a virtue.
B

Buddhist monks and nuns in Southeast Asian societies were required to maintain an ascetic lifestyle.

Buddhist monks and nuns in Southeast Asian societies were required to maintain an ascetic lifestyle.
C

Hindus believed that members of each caste had different rights and responsibilities.