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THE ANDHRAS
167 The country had a rich soil and yielded abundant crops; there was much waste land and the inhabited towns were few; the climate was warm, and the people were of black complexion, violent disposition, and fond of the arts. There was a crowd of Buddhist monasteries but most of them were deserted, about 20 being in use, with 1,000 brethren mostly adherents of the Mahāsanghika system. There were about 100 Deva temples and the followers of the various sects were numerous ...
Stray references to the Andhra country and people are made in later epigraphic records as well. Thus the Indian Museum inscription of the ninth year of Nārāyanapāladeva of the Pāla dynasty refers to the Andhra-vaisayika Sākyabhiksu Sthavira Dharmamitra who erected an image, evidently of the Buddha.
The Pāli Buddhist literature is not wanting in references to the Andhras. The Apadāna, a book of the Pāli Canon, mentions Andhakas along with the Mundakas, Kolakas and Cīnas who came to show respect to a banker's son named Jatukannika in the town of Hamsavati.
A young brahmin after completing his education at Takkasilā (Taxila), then a great seat of learning, came to the Andhra country to profit by practical experience.2 Assaka and Alaka or Muļaka were the two Andhaka kings.3 A brahmin well versed in mantras belonging to the kingdom of Kośala came to live in the kingdom of Assaka on the banks of the Godāvarī.4
1 Pt. II, p. 359.
2 Jāt. [I, pp. 356ff (Fausböll)]. Cowell means Mahimsakarattha by Andhradeśa (Coweli, Jāt., I, p. 203).
3 Suttanipāta Commentary, II, p. 581. 4 Suttanipāta, p. 190.
