Role of Spirituality, Materialism and Religions (Buddhism and Confucianism) in Promoting Social Harmony and Peace in globalised India and China.

India is a multi diverse country. With the origins of Hinduism and Buddhism in India, religion is considered to be extremely important.
Buddhism commenced in Northeast India about 500 B.C. through the teaching of Siddhartha Gautama, often known subsequent to his experience of "enlightenment" as Sakyamuni. It is estimated that today there are a little over 250 million Buddhists in the world. In the U.S.A. alone there are about 5 million, the majority of whom are Asian immigrants or their descendants. However, in recent years, numerous Americans of English and European descent have also adopted Buddhism.
From India by way of Central Asia, Buddhism began its penetration into China around the 1st century C.E. There it encountered the already developed systems of Confucianism and Taoism. The latter in particular provided the terminology and numerous seemingly analogous concepts for subsequent centuries of effort devoted to the translation of Buddhist scriptures into Chinese and the establishment of Buddhist practice in China. By the 8th century, Chinese Buddhism reached its mature form with its two main theoretical schools of Tien-tai and Hua-yen, together with its two popular schools of Pure Land and Ch'an (Japanese: Zen). These sinicized forms of Buddhism began their spread to Korea mainly from the 4th century on and commenced spreading to Japan from the middle of the 6th century. Although some important Buddhist development occurred a century earlier, Buddhism began to be strongly cultivated in Tibet in the eigth centurry. In this century Indian and various Sinitic Buddhist developments collided in a debate held by the Tibetan king at Samyas, the first Buddhist monastery founded in Tibet. Tibetan history records that the Indian faction won this debate, and it is clear that afterwards Tibet looked to India throughout its prolonged subsequent period of importation of Buddhism. As a consequence, Tibet remains a great repository of a vast body of important literature which later perished in India itself. From Tibet, Buddhism was afterward spread into Mongolia and throughout the Himalayan region.
Buddhist leadership nonetheless has continued to press for freedom and democracy, for peace and non-violence, as these will be the best safeguard for the natural human wish to avoid suffering.
Reciprocally, we must explore how Confucianism is today a pillar for the wisdom of humankind.

1) The impact of globalization on materialism and spirituality in ancient civilizations such as China and India.
2) The notion of materialism and spirituality within the Chinese traditional philosophies. Should there be a stronger emphasis on idealism or realism? For instance, Muo Zi was rather functional, he focused on the detailed and practicality. Whereas Confucius was more of an idealist, his influential principle was "to cultivate oneself; to regulate one's family; to manage the state; to bring peace to the world."
3) Looking at the material and spiritual culture from the historical and religious perspective. Why is the 21 st century known as the age of "cultural-clash?" What is the cause of such conflicts? As our forefathers were led by the power of religious beliefs, our generation is mainly linked by the fragmented messages spread through the mass media. The thirst for a spiritual guidance, for a sense of belonging is greater than ever, yet we have only ourselves to depend on. Here the importance of contact and communication would enter, joining the two major subjects.