Decline of Buddhism in India: A Fresh Perspective

358 Pages·2012·1.063 MB·English

by  K.T.S. Sarao

The Decline of Buddhism in India
It is almost impossible to provide a continuous account of the near disappearance
of Buddhism from the plains of India. This is primarily so because of the
dearth of archaeological material and the stunning silence of the indigenous
literature on this subject. Interestingly, the subject itself has remained one of
the most neglected topics in the history of India. In this book apart from the
history of the decline of Buddhism in India, various issues relating to this
decline have been critically examined. Following this methodology, an attempt
has been made at a region-wise survey of the decline in Sind, Kashmir,
northwestern India, central India, the Deccan, western India, Bengal, Orissa,
and Assam, followed by a detailed analysis of the different hypotheses that
propose to explain this decline. This is followed by author’s proposed model of
decline of Buddhism in India.
K.T.S. Sarao is currently Professor and Head of the Department of Buddhist
Studies at the University of Delhi. He holds doctoral degrees from the
universities of Delhi and Cambridge and an honorary doctorate from the P.S.R.
Buddhist University, Phnom Penh.

The Decline of Buddhism
in India
A Fresh Perspective
K.T.S. Sarao
Munshiram Manoharlal
Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
ISBN 978-81-215-1241-1
First published 2012
© 2012, Sarao, K.T.S.
All rights reserved including those of translation into other languages.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the written permission of the publisher.
PRINTED IN INDIA
Published by Vikram Jain for
Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
PO Box 5715, 54 Rani Jhansi Road, New Delhi 110 055, INDIA
www.mrmlbooks.com
Contents
Preface vii
Abbreviations ix
1 Some Basic Issues 1
2 History of the Decline of Buddhism in India 16
a. The Madhyade„a 20
b. Orissa, Bengal, and Assam 30
c. Sindh, the Punjab, and the Northwest 36
d. Kashmir 53
e. Western India and the adjoining region 59
f. The Deccan 63
3 Moral and Ethical Degeneracy 68
4 The Issue of Animosity of the BrÈhma‡as 77
5 The Question of Persecution by
BrÈhma‡ical-Hindu Kings 96
6 Sectarianism and the Rise of
MahÈyÈna and VajrayÈna 125
7 Attacks by Arabs and Turks 151
8 Role of “Êfism 166
9 Revival of BrÈhma‡ical-Hinduism and
the Rise of Bhakti Movement 182
vi Contents
10 Sa£gha-Laity Relationship, Decline of
Urbanization, and Evolving Material Milieu 205
11 Conclusions and a Model for Decline 227
1. Moral and Ethical Degeneracy in the Sa£gha 239
2. The Issue of Animosity of the BrÈhma‡as 241
3. The Question of Persecution by BrÈhma‡ical-Hindu
Kings and Withdrawal of Royal Patronage 244
4. Sectarianism and the Rise of MahÈyÈna
and VajrayÈna 248
5. Attacks by Arabs and Turks 249
6. Role of “Êfism 251
7. Revival of BrÈhma‡ical-Hinduism and
Rise of Bhakti Movement 255
8. Sa£gha-Laity Relationship, Decline of
Urbanization, and Evolving Material Milieu 261
A Model for Decline 263
1. Urban Character, Lack of Mass-base, and
Anti-Buddhist BrÈhma‡a-Peasant Alliance 264
2. Inalienable Affiliation with and Dependence upon
Mercantile Communities for Material Support 267
3. Intellectual Snobbery, Social Aloofness, and
Lack of Interest in Cultivating Loyal Supporters 268
4. Death-wish Mentality 270
5. Overwhelming Presence of BrÈhma‡ical Elements
in the Sa£gha and Unwittingly Playing Second
Fiddle to BrÈhma‡ical-Hinduism 272
Bibliography 277
Index 314
Preface
IT IS VERY difficult to provide a continuous account of the
near disappearance of Buddhism from the plains of Indian
subcontinent primarily because of the dearth of archaeological
material and the stunning silence of the indigenous literature
on this subject. Interestingly, the subject itself has remained
one of the most neglected topics in the history of India. Our
own study of the background to the decline of Buddhism in
India has left us with an impression similar to what J.B. Pratt
wrote in 1921 in the Journal of Religion while discussing as to
why religions decline: šthe most insidious disease germs are
not greatly feared, and perhaps not recognized.› In this book
an attempt has been made to trace the history of the decline
of Buddhism in India and critically examine various issues
relating to this decline. Following this methodology, a region-
wise survey of the decline in the Madhyade„a, Sind, Kashmir,
Punjab, the northwestern Indian subcontinent, the Deccan,
western India, and eastern India (including Bangladesh) has
been attempted. Thereafter, the various causes and hypotheses
generally proposed in this regard have been critically examined.
In the end, a model for the decline has been proposed.
In the preparation of this book, I have received help from
various persons particularly Prof. Lee Chi-fu, Prof. L.P.
Singh, Prof. Cho Yong-kil, Prof. T.K.V. Subramanian, Prof.
Kumkum Roy, Prof. Anita Sharma, and Richard Dancer who
read the manuscript of this book at various stages of preparation
and made many helpful suggestions. As an expert of the
viii Preface
Indian Council of Historical Research, Prof. K.M. Shrimali
commented extensively on an earlier draft of the manuscript and
made many valuable suggestions. Professor Romila Thapar’s
comments on the final manuscript were most helpful. Visiting
fellowships offered by St. Edmunds College, University of
Cambridge, United Kingdom (August 1999²January 2000),
Maison des Sciences de L’Homme, Paris, France (April²June
2001 and August²September 2009), Chung-Hwa Institute
of Buddhist Studies, Fagu Shan, Jinshan, Taiwan (October
2002²July 2005), Dongguk University, Seoul, S. Korea (May
2005), Visvabharati, Santiniketan, India (March 2008), and Preah
Sihanouk RÈja Buddhist University, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
(October 2010²April 2011) provided me with an opportunity
to write this book. Dr S.M. Haldhar, Dr Krishna Murari,
Dr A.K. Singh, Dr. Sanjaya Kumar Singh, Dr Maan Singh,
Dr Sanjay Kumar Tiwary, Dr Shalin Jain, and Dr Santosh
Kumar Rai helped with bibliographical material of various
kinds. Above all, my daughters Neha and Nidhi took many
pains in making available reading material from the Robarts
Library, University of Toronto. Shri Ashok Jain of Munshiram
Manoharlal Publishers took keen interest in the publication of
this book. I am indebted to all of them. And finally, but foremost
in my heart, I desire, in this book to thank my wife, Sunita, who
has endured with superhuman good nature, the ups and downs
that came our way.
K.T.S. SARAO
1 March 2011
New Delhi
Abbreviations
A The A×guttara NikÈya, ed. R. Morris and E.
Hardy, 5 vols., London: PTS, 1885²1900.
AA The ManorathapÊra‡Ï: Buddhagho–a’s Commen-
tary on the A×guttara NikÈya, ed. H. Walleser
and H. Kopp, 5 vols., London: PTS, 1956²
1973.
ABORI Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research
Institute, Poona.
Abu’l-Fazl Abu’l-Fazl ‘Allami, A’in-i Akbari, 2 vols., Per-
sian text ed. H. Blochmann, Calcutta: Royal
Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1867²1877; trans.
H. Blochmann, 3 vols., 1948²1949 (repr., New
Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers,
1977).
AI Ancient India, New Delhi.
AMMK The ¶ryama¤ju„rÏmÊlakalpa, ed. and trans. K.P.
Jayaswal, The Text of the Ma¤ju„rÏmÊlakalpa
(text and translation with commentary): An
Imperial History of India, Lahore: Motilal
Banarsidass, 1934.
Ap The ApadÈna, ed. M.E. Lilley, 2 vols., London:
PTS, 1925²1927.
ARASI Annual Report of the Archaeological Survey of
India, Government of India, New Delhi.
x Abbreviations
ASI Archaeological Survey of India, Government of
India, New Delhi.
ASIR Archaeological Survey of India Reports,
Government of India, New Delhi.
BD The Book of the Discipline, trans. I.B. Horner, 6
vols., London: PTS, 1938²1966.
ChachnÈmah The Chach-Nama: An Ancient History of Sind,
trans. M.K. Fredunbeg, Karachi: Commissioner’s
Press, 1900 (repr., Delhi, 1979).
Chau Ju-Kua Chau Ju-Kua: His Work on the Chinese and Arab
Trade in the Twelfth and Thriteenth Centuries,
entitled Chu-fan-chî, trans. F. Hirth and W.W.
Rockhill, St. Petersburg: Imperial Academy of
Sciences, 1911.
CII Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum.
D The DÏgha NikÈya, ed. T.W. Rhys Davids and
J.E. Carpenter, 3 vols., London: PTS, 1890²
1911.
DA The Suma×galavilÈsinÏ, Buddhaghosa’s com-
mentary on the DÏgha NikÈya, ed. T.W. Rhys
Davids, J.E. Carpenter, and W. Stede, 3 vols.,
London: PTS, 1886²1971.
DB Dialogues of the Buddha, trans. T.W. Rhys
Davids and C.A.F. Rhys Davids, 3 vols.,
London: SBB: 1899, repr., 1910, 1957.
Dh The Dhammapada, ed. O. von Hinñber and K.R.
Norman, Oxford: PTS, 1994.
DhA The Commentary on the Dhammapada, ed. H.C.
Norman, 4 vols., London: PTS, 1906²1915.
Dharma Biography of DharmasvÈmin (Chag lo tsa-
ba Chos rje-dpal): A Tibetan Monk Pilgrim,
deciphered and trans. George Roerich, with a
historical and critical intro. by A.S. Altekar,
Patna: K.P. Jayaswal Research Institute, 1959.