Final answer:
The Pagan Kingdom and Sri Vijaya Empire were similar in their absorption of Buddhism and Hinduism from Indian influences, maintaining their indigenous religious practices as well. Both empires utilized their religious patronage to enhance trade relationships, and exhibited cultural and artistic influences from India in their religious and architectural works.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Pagan Kingdom and the Sri Vijaya Empire showcased similarities in the way they absorbed and blended various religious influences, particularly Buddhism and Hinduism, with local religious practices.
Both regions saw the coexistence of these major religious ideologies from India alongside indigenous traditions which often involved the worship of nature spirits. The rulers of both realms, like the one in Srivijaya who proclaimed themselves 'Lord of the Mountains,' patronized Buddhism, which played a significant role in fostering trade relations, as seen in the exchange across the Malaccan Straits and the Indian Ocean.
In addition, both empires were noteworthy for their cultural and artistic influences from the Indian subcontinent, demonstrated through the construction of Hindu shrines and temples, and the adoption of Indian styles in art and architecture.
For instance, the magnificent Buddha statue in Palembang crafted in the Amaravati style from India illustrates how trade contributed to the diffusion of art and ideologies in the Srivijaya Empire. This parallel can also be observed in the architectural and cultural remnants of the Pagan Kingdom.