<P> In the continental areas, Theravāda Buddhism continued to expand into Laos and Cambodia in the 13th century . From the 14th century, however, on the coastal fringes and in the islands of south - east Asia, the influence of Islam proved stronger, expanding into Malaysia, Indonesia, and most of the islands as far as the southern Philippines . </P> <P> Nevertheless, since Suharto's rise to power in 1966, there has been a remarkable renaissance of Buddhism in Indonesia . This is partly due to the requirements of Suharto's New Order for the people of Indonesia to adopt one of the five official religions: Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism or Buddhism . Today it is estimated there are some 10 million Buddhists in Indonesia . A large part of them are people of Chinese ancestry . </P> <P> After the Classical encounters between Buddhism and the West recorded in Greco - Buddhist art, information and legends about Buddhism seem to have reached the West sporadically . An account of Buddha's life was translated into Greek by John of Damascus, and widely circulated to Christians as the story of Barlaam and Josaphat . By the 14th century this story of Josaphat had become so popular that he was made a Catholic saint . </P> <P> The next direct encounter between Europeans and Buddhism happened in Medieval times when the Franciscan friar William of Rubruck was sent on an embassy to the Mongol court of Mongke by the French king Saint Louis in 1253 . The contact happened in Cailac (today's Qayaliq in Kazakhstan), and William originally thought they were wayward Christians (Foltz, "Religions of the Silk Road"). </P>

During 7th century bc the new form buddhism was famous as