The Decline of Indian Buddhism By Arjanyai At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Thus had Buddhism flourished during many centuries following Asoka’s time through the periods of the Bactrian Greek dynasty (3rd century B.C. to 1st century C.E.), the Kushan emperors (1st-3rd century C.E.), and the Gupta’s golden age (4th-6th century C.E.). According to Sir R.G. Bhandarkar, “The period that we are speaking of has left no trace of a building or sculpture devoted to the use of the Brahmin religion. Of course, Brahminism existed and it was probably during this period being developed into the form which it assumed in later times. But the religion certainly does not occupy the prominent position, and Buddhism was followed by the large mass of the people from princes down to the humble workman.” The period following this, however, saw the decline of Buddhism which began with the invasions of the White Huns and political unrest.

The White Huns or Hunas were a nomadic people of Central Asia. They brought their armies into India through her northwestern borders. At first, the Gupta empire was successfully defended against them. But, through many attacks during the period from 500 to 528 C.E., the empire became gradually weakened and finally broke up. Mihirakula, the Huna king, was a Saivite. He destroyed almost all monasteries and Buddhist places of worship in Gandhara and Kashmir, and persecuted the Buddhists mercilessly. The great university of Taxila, which had served for centuries as one of the most famous Buddhist educational centres, was completely destroyed.

During the breaking up of the Gupta empire, many princes founded independent states. Some of them were devout Buddhists and it was through their efforts that Buddhism continued to flourish in other parts of India, especially in the west and in the north and northeast.

In the west, a general of the Guptas established at Valabhi the Maitraka dynasty around 490 C.E. Monasteries were also built there, which within a century grew into a large centre of learning called Valabhi or Dudฺdฺa after the name of the princess who founded it. The university of Valabhi remained for over two centuries the foremost educational centre of western India, specializing in higher studies in logic, astronomy and law. It was the centre of Hinayana Buddhism as Nalanda of the east was then the centre of Mahayana Buddhism.

The university of Valabhi was destroyed in B.E. 1318 (775 C.E.) when the Muslims, with the advice of a Hindu merchant who desired a rich reward, attacked the city by sea. No traces of the great. university now exist, except some copperplate inscriptions.

In northern India, some short-lived dynasties grew into power and succeeded one another until they were replaced by Harsha Bardhana in the following century. Harsha, also called Harsha Siladitya, founded his own empire in northern India and reigned from 1149 to 1191 (606-648 C.E.) as the last Buddhist emperor of India. Under his rule India was again at its height of culture and civilization. Following the example of Asoka, he devoted himself to the arts of peace, and as it is said, “forgot sleep and food in his devotion to good works.” He encouraged learning and literature and Nalanda University was under his patronage.

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