Harsha of Kashmir & the Great Buddhas

[Guest guest]

William Dalrymple in a review of "The Buddha and the Sahibs" by

Charles Allen published in The Guardian (Saturday September 28,

2002) writes:

 

"It was because of this persecution, several centuries before the

arrival of Islam, that the philosophy of the Buddha, once a serious

rival to Hinduism, virtually disappeared from India: Harsha Deva, a

single Kashmiri raja, for example boasted that he had destroyed no

less than 4,000 Buddhist shrines."

 

This was recently posted on a discussion group. This would seem to

support the view that Buddhism and "Hinduism" were enemies in

ancinet India. I an mot sure where the number 4,000 is from.

 

Harsha's conduct has recently been a subject of some discussion.

Harsha (r.1089-1111) started out as a capable and noble king. Then

ran into financial trouble because of his spending habits, and

became an evil person. For the gold he started raiding temples and

started destroying statues.

 

Kalhana's Rajatrangi gives an interesting account of Harsha. Note

that Kalhana's father Champaka was a minister of Harsha. Harsha

wrote during the time of Jayasimha (1127-59AD).

 

He destroyed both Hindu and Buddhist temples. He created an office

of "devotpaatana-nayaka", destroyer of gods.

 

Note that in Kalhana's time, Buddhism was flourishing in Kashmir,

and it was not distinct from "Hinduism". He referes to Buddhists

idols just like Brahmnaical ones. Kalhana was very familiar with

Buddhism, and mentions Buddhist concepts accurately.

 

Buddhism appears to have survived in Kashmir for a long time. I

remember having read somewhere at Baramulla a Buddhist monk was

present until 14th cent. If I remember correctly Abul-Fazl, author

if Aine-Akabari was able to locate Buddhists in Kashmir.

 

King Harsha appears to have become insane.

 

>From Taranaga VII (Stein's translation)

 

1128: Other parasites plundered him by showing an old woman and

saying "There, we have brought your mother Bappika from heaven".

 

1129: Others brought slave girls before him and said they were

goddesses. He worshipped them, and abandaning his exalted position

and wealth was laughted at by people.

 

1148: He had carnal intercourse with his sisters, and angered by a

harsh word he punished and violated Naga, the daughter of his

father's sister.

 

It has been suggested that he had been influenced by Turushkas:

 

1149: While continually supporting the Turushka captains-of-hundreds

with money, this perverse-minded [king] ate domesticated pigs until

his death.

 

Here Kalhana appears be to stating that Harsha did not even follow

the religion of people he was favoring. He however does call Kalhana

"that Turushka":

 

1095. There was not one temple in a village, town or in the city

which was not despoiled of its images by that turushka, king Harsha.

 

1096. Only two chief divine images were respected by him, the

illustrious Ranaswamin in the City, and Marthada [among the images]

in townships.

 

1097-97. Among colossal images, two statues of Buddha were saved

through requests addressed by chance to the king at a time when he

was free with his favors, namely the one a Parihasapura by the

singer Kanaka, who was born there and other in the City by Sramana

(monk) Kusalsri.

 

The statue at Parihaspura was built by Lalitadity-Muktadida.

 

IV. 203: .. he made the glorious [statue of] the Great Buddha which

reached up to the sky.

 

Abul-fazl mentions that the temples of Parihasapura were finally

destroyed by Sikandar "Butshikast" (1389-1413).

 

There was a great fire in Srinagar during the reign of Sussla. All

the buldings were burnt except the colossal Buddha:

 

VIII 1184: In the City, which was reduced to a heap of earth, there

remained visible and aloft only the great Buddha, which blackened by

smoke, and without its abode, resembeled a burned tree.

 

That reminds one the great Buddha of Kamakura, the wooden temple of

which was destroyed by a tidal wave. The temple of the Great Buddha

of Nara was similarly destroyed by fire, but was later rebuilt.

 

Note that a colossal copper image of Buddha once stood in Nalanda,

said by Hsuan-Tsang to have been 80 feet tall. The great Buddhas of

Kashmira may have been similar.

 

Yashwant