Accounts of Hiuen-Tsang on Buddhism in Orissa

[Full title: Political and Religious History of Orissa (11): Accounts of Hiuen-Tsang on Buddhism in Orissa]

Hiuen-Tsang is said to have visited Orissa in about 639 CE. He has given a detailed description on the condition of Buddhism in the middle of the seventh century CE in Orissa. He visited almost all the important sites in Orissa but for some reason, he is mum about the establishments or art and iconography of these Buddhist monasteries (Beal 1911:205). From his accounts it is proven that even in the middle of the seventh century CE; stupas were worshipped with all associated religious ceremonies.

In his itinerary Si-Yu-Ki, ancient Orissa comprised of three regions i.e. Odra (Wu(U)-t’u), Kangoda (Kung-yu-t‘o) and Kalinga (Ka-leng-ka). Odra was the northern most of the three, which includes the modern districts of Midnapore, Balasore, Cuttack and Puri; north of the marshes along the northern edge of Chilka Lake. Kangoda started from the south of these marshes. And Kalinga probably extended from the southern boundary of Kangoda comprising of the modern districts of Ganjam and Vishakapatanm up to River Godavari (Banerji 1931:141) Amongst these three principalities, Buddhism was popular in the country of Wu-t’u i.e. Odra.

There were above one hundred Buddhist monasteries of Mahayanist sect. There was more than ten Asoka topes at places where the Buddha had preached. In the south-west of the country was the Pu-sie-p'o-k'i-li monastery in a mountain; the stone tope of the monastery exhibited supernatural lights and other miracles, sunshades placed by worshippers on it between the dome and the amalaka remained there like needles held by a magnet. To the northeast of this tope in a hill-monastery was another tope like the preceding in marvels.

Pu-sie-p'o-k'i-li or Puspagiri-vihara was an important Buddhist establishment in Odra. It is likely that this vihara is one and the same Puphagiri (Puspagiri) mentioned in the Nagarjunakonda inscription of Ikshvaku King Sri Vira Purusha Dutta datable to the third century CE (Vogel 192930: 21). From this inscription it is known that religious donations were made by Upasika Bodhisiri at various places including erection of a stone mandapa at Puphagiri (Mitra 1978:11). Puspagirivihara has not as yet been identified though various scholars have suggested Udayagiri or Lalitagiri or all the three i.e.; Ratnagiri, Lalitgiri and Udaygiri combined formed a university complex where Buddhism was preached (Panigrahi 1961:33, Chanda 1933:6) or somewhere in the modern Phulbani-Ghumsur region (Sahu 1958:50). Pushapagiri was also regarded as a great centre of learning like Nalanda and Vikramasila. The reference of a monk named Prajana, who had come to study yoga philosophy after eighteen years of rigorous study at the famous Nalanda University to Pushpagiri monastery indicates that it was an important centre of learning (Chandra 1954:76).

Hiuen-Tsang also mentions about Che-li-ta-lo, a city on the south-east frontier of Wu-tu (Odra) on the border of the ocean, it was also an important sea port. The city’s geographical location was strong and it contained many rare commodities. Outside it were five monasteries close together, of lofty structure and with very artistic images. From Odra Hiuen-Tsang visited Kong-UT’o (Kangoda) in the South-west of Odra, which was twelve li away and the route was through deep forests. Kangoda was thousand li in circuit and its capital was twenty li round. The people here respected the teachings of the Hindus and Jainas and did not believe in the law of Buddha. There were some hundred Deva temples, which makes it clear that in this area Buddhism was not that popular.

The Kangoda region as mentioned above has been identified as the area lying between Puri and Ganjam. From Kangoda, the pilgrim proceeded further to south-west and after travelling for one thousand to fifteen hundred li through vast deserts, jungles and forests he reached the country of Kie-Ling-Kia (Kalinga). After discussing in short of the people there he mentions that there are ten Sangharamas, with five hundred students studying the great vehicle according to the teachings of Sthavira School. Thus, from the descriptions of Hiuen-Tsang it is clear that in seventh century CE, Mahayana form of Buddhism was more or less in a flourishing state. From the Gandhavyuha, it is evident that Mahayana was preached in Tosali from as early as the fourth century CE. According to Hiuen-Tsang’s accounts, Jainism was in a better position than Buddhism in Kangoda and Kalinga.