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A Study of the Nīlamata - Aspects of Hinduism in Ancient Kashmir
<RT> Kaśyapa: founder
<Xiyuji > Madhyāntika: founder
Entrance of krītas
V 50 years from Madhyantika Asoka and Mahadeva
King Aśoka
Turuşka Kings
(Huska, Juska & Kanişka)
V 300 years King Kaniska
after Kaniska's death
v Buddhist predominance King of krītas
predominance of orthodox power
Buddhist predominance Abhimanyu I
Extermination of Buddhism
-
200 years from Kaniska
The Gonantiya Dynasty
Gonanda III
King of Himatala
Restored Gonandiya Dynasty Meghavāhana
Buddhism restored
Buddhism restored
The Kārkota Dynasty
Durlabhavardhana
King of krītas
predominance of orthodox power Xuanzang's visit to Kashmir (ca. 630)
predominance of orthodox power Cf. Huichao's visit to Kashmir (ca. 725)
Muktāpida-Lalitāditya
Cf. Wukong's visit to Kashmir (ca. 760)
The Dynasty of Utpala Avantivarman
Decline of Buddhism?
RT, Buddhist predominance was overturned at the time of Abhimanyu I, which possibly has some connection to the predominance of the krītas after the death of King Kaniska in the Xiyuji. It is still uncertain how the king of Himatala should be compared with stories in the RT.
In Xuanzang's time, the prosperity of Buddhism was often dependent on the attitude of the king in power, viz., Durlabhavardhana. For example, Xuanzang mentions two monasteries, Jayendravihāra and *Huskaravihāra. The former was built by a royal family.10 The king received Xuanzang as a guest in Dharmaśālā in the vicinity of the capital. Moreover, it was because the king called twenty-five persons for transcription of sūtras and śāstras, as well as another five
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