5. Persecution and the Decline

King Srongtsan Gampo turned out to be a great king, who conquered the warring neighbors and brought them under his domination, and earned great recognition through marriage alliances with Nepal, China, Zhangzhung, and 'A-sha kingdoms. It was said that Buddhist texts which arrived in Tibet during the twenty eighth King Lha Thothori were translated into the Tibetan language during his reign. Shrines were built to host the Buddha statues brought in by the Nepalese and Chinese princesses. Although, the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet was attributed to his time, actual establishment of Buddhism came during the 37th King Khrisrong Deutsan when Indian Saint Shantarakshita and Tantric Guru Padmasambava visited Tibet and introduced Buddhism in the land. With royal patronage Buddhism became the state religion, and Bon religion was suppressed and faced persecution. The successive kings followed Buddhism, and during the forty first King Khri Ralpachan, Buddhist priests were most powerful in the land. This too much attention and power in the hand of priests and the religion enfeebled the royal authority and proper administration of the state. When Wudum Tsanpo was enthroned as the 43rd King, just as the 8th King Drigum Tsanpo suppressed Bon religion due to its influence in the state administration, he suppressed Buddhist religion for the same reason. Some scholars have said that Wudum Tsanpo favored Bon religion and suppressed Buddhist religion, but later research on historical sources contradict such claims. Wudum Tsanpo felt that excessive influence of religion in the state administration was costing the state exchequer and compromising the military strength of the nation^[1]. When Wudum Tsanpo was assassinated in 842 CE^[2] for his decrees against the religion, Tibet disintegrated into various princely states and warlords, and there was no strong central leadership to lead the nation until the emergence of Sakya's rule in 1247 CE.