________________
Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
BUDDHISM IN KASHMIR
translators of Buddhist texts, which are dated in the 3rd or 4th century A.C., used the Chinese term “Kipin' for Sanskrit “Kāśmīra;"1 Kipin, however, included Kapisa Nagar and Gandhāra in addition to Kashmir. In one of its early chapters, the Mahāvamsa” designates the two countries as “Kasmira-Gandhārā,” but in another chapter, which relates to an incident of a much later date, it refers to monks as hailing from “Kasmira” (Kasmiramandalā). Yuan Chwang and Ou K’ong distinguish Kashmir from Gandhāra while the former deals with the two countries separately. Both the travellers describe Kashmir as an extensive valley surrounded by mountains, which could be crossed only through a few passes. Ou K’ong specifies the passes which were three in number, one on the east giving access to T'ou-fan (Tibet), the second on the north leading to Po-liu (Baltistan) and a third on the west connected with K'ien-to-lo (Gandhāra). The second pass, Tāranātha writes, became fit for communication soon after Madhyāntika's death. It is perhaps represented to-day by the present Gilgit road, and on this road stands the stūpa which has yielded our valued mass.-treasures. In the Government of India Census Report of 1931 (pt. 1, p. 321) the following note appears: "There are two Buddhist stūpas, one on the hill side about three miles east of Gilgit and the other on the road to Nagar between Chalt and Miriapin. There is a small Buddha carved on the rocks at the mouth of Kirgah Nullah about
1 See Lévi's remarks in JA., 1896, p. 384. Takakusu (in T’oung Pao, vol. V, p. 276 n.) furnishes us with the following valuable information:
i. Chinese authorities always identify Ki-pin (la ) with Kashmir; ii. Chinese Milindapañba (317-420 A.D.) has Ki-pin for Kashmir; 111. Chinese Samantapāsādikā also (488 A.D.) has Ki-pin for Kashmir.
Prof. Takakusu remarks that Ki-pin was used for Kashmir up to the 5th century A.D. Yuan Chwang uses Ka-shu-mi-la (it
but Song Yun writes ‘Ki-pin' for Kashmir. 2 Mahāvamsa, XII, 33, 25.
3 Ibid., XXIX, 37 4 Schiefner, p. 23
For Private and Personal Use Only
