Buddhism during the Pallava period

[Full title: Religious Beliefs (during the Pallava period): Buddhism]

From a study of the history of the Pallavas, it is known that the early rulers of the Prakrit and Sanskrit charters began their rule in the Krishna–Godavari region, which was a stronghold of the Buddhist faith. The Pallavas as the feudatories of the Satavahanas and successors of the Ikshvakus had naturally imbibed the attitude of tolerance towards all the religious faiths. We know from the provenance of their inscriptions, that the early Pallavas also ruled the Amaravati region (Andhra Pradesh), which was a cradle of the Buddhist faith. The fragmentary Amaravati pillar inscription (circa 5^th century A.D.)^[1] makes it known that Simhavarman I, an early Pallava ruler visited the place sacred to Buddha, named Dhanyaghataka and probably made some donation. Buddhist scholars of the age like Buddhadatta (5^th century A.D.) and Buddhagosha (5^th century A.D.) mentions the existence of Buddhist monasteries at Kanchipuram. Several Buddhist scholars like Dinnaga (6^th century A.D.), Vajrabodhi (661 A.D.–731 A.D.), Dharmapala (6^th –7^th century A.D.), Nagarjuna (7^th century A.D.) are known to have been famous Buddhist personalities of Kanchipuram^[2].

The Chinese pilgrim Yuan-chwang^[3] visited Kanchi during the reign of Narsimhavarman I at about 638 A.D. and mentions the existence of nearly hundred monasteries in the capital city. He especially refers to the huge monastery, where learned men used to congregate. Minakshi^[4] identifies it with the monstery called Rajavihara, which was mentioned by the Pallava king Mahendravarman I in his Mattavilasa-prahasana^[5]. It is known from the accounts of Fa-Hien^[6] that Narasimahvarman II Rajasimha had built a Buddhist monastery for the purpose of the visiting Chinese merchants and pilgrims, who alight at the port-city of Nagapattinam. Minakshi^[7] identified this monstery with the China Pagoda at Nagapattinam (now no longer in existence as it was pulled down during the British period). She draws support from other sources such as, the accounts of Marco Polo, where it is known by the name of ‘tower of Malla’ and from a Kalyani inscription from Burma, which mentions the site as Padarikarama monastery built ‘as per the command of Maharaja of Chinadesa’. It is known that Tirumangai alvar, a contemporary of Nandivarman II Pallavamalla ransacked the Buddhist monastery at Nagapattinam, which could be the same one built by Rajasimha and stolen the golden image of Buddha for constructing the third prakara at Srirangam from the money obtained from it. It is a known fact that a number of Buddhist metal images have been unearthed from Nagapattinam, belonging to different periods^[8]. Even though the Tevaram and Divyaprabandham condemn Buddhism, it contains much useful information regarding their practices and refer to the existence of different schools of Buddhism like Yoga, Dhyana, Sthavira and Theravada^[9].

A number of images of Buddha and other related antiquities are reported from places like Mangadu^[10], Kuvam^[11], Kanchipuram, Arpakkam, Tiruvadigai, Ponataga, Kanikiluppai near Pallavaram, Pallur, Tiruvalanjuli, Pattisvaram, Nanganallur, Elaiyur, Tenkarai, Perunjeri and Mannargudi^[12]. The sculptural remains discovered from the periphery and within the premises of many Saivite and Vaishnavite temples in Kanchipuram hints to the existence of Buddhist monasteries and vihara in the locality^[13].

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

South Indian Inscriptions, vol. I, no. 32, pp. 25–38.

[2]:

C. R. Srinivasan, Kanchipuram through the ages, Delhi, 1979, pp. 233–235.

[3]:

Watters, op.cit.

[4]:

C. Minakshi, Administration and Social life under the Pallavas. Madras, 1938 (Reprint 1977), p. 233.

[5]:

N. P. Unni, op.cit., p. 48.

[6]:

K. A. Nilakantha Sastri, Foreign Notices of South India, Chennai, Reprint 2001, pp. 16 and 116–117.

[7]:

C. Minakshi, op.cit., p. 69.

[8]:

Indian Antiquary, vol. 7.

[9]:

P. R. Srinivasan and Ayyappan, Story of Buddhism: With special reference to South India, Madras, 1960

[10]:

M. S. Venkataswamy, Baudhamum Tamizhum, Madras, pp. 19–33.

[11]:

A. Aiyappan and Srinivasan, P. R., Guide to the Buddhist Antiquities, Madras, 1952, p. 53.

[12]:

C. Minakshi, “Buddhism in South India”, in South Indian Studies –II, Madras, 1979, pp. 109–116.

[13]:

Ibid., pp. 98–99.