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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
BUDDHISM IN KASHMIR
45
Gandhāra and Kashmir were treated as one country and so it cannot be said how far one or the other country was responsible for the spread of Indian culture. But in the post-Kushan period, Kashmir had a direct communication with Tukhāra, Khotan and Tibet, and therefore much of the culture and religion propagated in those countries was due to the panditas of Kashmir.
The Kushan rule was followed by an ouslaught on the Buddhists by Mihirakula, which was partially recompensed by his son Baka. The career of Buddhism in Kashmir was not very happy till the reign of Meghavāhana. From his time it enjoyed a glorious period till the time of Jayāpida. From Avantivarman's time (855 A.C.) the Brahmanic faith became ascendant putting into shade the Buddhist religion till the reign of Kșeniagupta who burnt the Buddhist vihāras and utilised the brass of the Buddha-images for other purposes. From now on till the 11th century, the Buddhists fell on evil days and all the kings were anti-Buddhistic in spirit. The last of them was Harșa (1089) who cherished the 'mleccha faith,' and destroyed the Hindu and Buddhist temples. In the reign of Jayasimha, there was a revival of Buddhism under the patronage of Jayamati, queen of Uccala. The Turki Sāhis, according to Al-birūni, professed the Buddhist faith and were in power up to the 9th century. Their successors the Brahmanic Sāhis supported Sivaism and had Iittle regard for Buddhism.
Thus we see that Buddhism passed through good and evil days from the reign of Asoka up to the 12th century. It did cnjoy glorious periods at intervals, when several stūpas and vihāras were erected for them. To the existence of these monuments the Chinese travellers bear eloquent testimony. The archaeological explorations unfortunately have not yet been carried on extensively, but it may safely be surmised that such explorations, if carried on, will reveal the ruins of many a stūpa and vihāra referred to by Kalhaņa.
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