Selected Speeches on Prakrit and Jainology: Vicissitudes Of Buddhism In Karnataka

[Speech delivered at the National Seminar on 'Global dimensions of Buddhist culture', ML. Sukhadia University, Udaipur (Rajasthan)].

Jainism and Buddhism represent the earliest phase of Indian religions. It is believed that both these two contemporary religions reached the Deccan from north. Contrarily, Jainism appears to have been a local or even an indigenous religion in the south. However, this paper is not interested in entering in to the realm of controversy.

According to the Mahāvaṁśa and Dīpavaṁśa, the Pali texts from Ceylon, immediately after the third convention at Pāṭiliputra, under the guidance of Thera Moggaliputra, Emperor Aśoka had sent monk Mahadevathera to Mahiṣamaṇḍala, modern Mysore, and monk Thera Rakkhita to Vanavāsi, modern Banavāsi in Karnataka. The rock edicts of Aśoka and other corroborative epigraphical and literary evidences establish that Buddhism entered Karnataka in around third century BCE. Since then Buddhism spread as a sect with considerable elite votaries, in the early centuries of current era.

Buddhism flourished as a noteworthy religion with the good will of the Sātavāhana and Bāṇa rulers, Buddhism gained royal shelter. Interestingly, a Bāṇa king is described as 'Bodhisatva in compassion to animals' [Epigraphia Carnatica. vol. x. Muḷabāgil No. 157.CE.338]. The Early Kadambas of Banavāsi and early Gaṅgas, the two coeval royal dynasties, patronized Buddhism. A charter of Taḍangala Mādhava (456-75), the Gaṅga chief, states that he gifted lands to a Buddhist monastery. [Epigraphia Carnatica. vol. XII. Tumkur No. 9. Circa 5th century CE]. Curiously, while stipulating the boundaries of the gifted land, the word Sākyasila, 'stone of Sākya (Buddha)', figuring in the charter, is meaningful.

Probably, in the early phase, it was monk Rakkhita who had created a favourable infrastructure, though surprisingly none of the extant Aśokan edicts belong to Banavāsi. An inscription going around the Nāga image in the Madhukeśvara temple complex at Banavāsi, datable to mid second century CE, in Prakrit language and Brāhmi character, states that Sivaskanda Nāgasiri, daughter of Sātakarṇi of Cuṭukula and consort of Mahābhoja, donated an image of Nāga, 'serpent', a tank, and a vihāra, under the supervision of Amātya Khadasati (Skandasvati). The Nāga sculpture was chiselled by Nataka, a disciple of Ācārya Damoraka, preceptor of Banavāsi vihāra. An inscribed stone column, commemorative of Vāsithiputra Sivasiri Puluvāvi son of Gautamīputra Sātakarṇi (106-30 CE), containing a two lined Brāhmi inscription, opens with the auspicious word siddham, and is preserved in the Museum at Banavāsi;

Sidham raño vāsiṭhīputasa sivasiri
Puḷumāvisa Mahādeviya Chāpatharo.
[Auspicious. This inscribed stone was installed by Que consort of King Śivaśrī Puḷumāvi son of Vāsisṭhī].

It may be recalled in the sequel that Puḷumāvi caused to be made a cave inscription rather a praśasti near Nāsik (Maharashtra in his 19th regnal year (149 CE). The inscription, also in Prakrit, gives a glorious account of Puḷumāvi's father Gautamīputra Sātakarṇi [EI. Vol. VIII. p.60].

While about 20 and 12 grants of the Kadamba kings are of Brahmanical and Jaina affiliation respectively, only two inscriptions mention Bauddha Siddhāyatana and Ārya saṁgha. The copper plate of Citrsena Mahakella (CE 485), feudatory of Ravivarma, the Kadamba Chief, opens with an invocation to Buddha, and records Citrsena's gift of land along with a garden to Arya saṁgha [Corpus of Kadamba Inscriptions, (ed.) Gopal B.R.;1985: No.26: pp.102-04];

Siddham jayatyamita guṇabbrid Buddhassatva samāsrayah
Suddhodana kulodbhūtah padmapatra nibhekshsnsh ॥
[Be it well. Victorious is the Buddha, of infinite qualities, refuge of virtues, born in the family of Suddhodana].

Amongst the early extant vestiges of Buddhism in the state, the caves at Aihoḷe and Bādāmi are important and unique. The large enthroned image, carved upon the cliff-face to the south­east of the lake locally known as the Agasthya Tirtha, called Koṣṭharāya, 'leper king', in popular parlance, has a legend associated with it. Albeit, the image is of Māyāmoha of the Buddhāvatāra of Lord Viṣṇu, and the sculpture could be dated to late seventh century CE. This figure confirms that Buddha was assimilated in to the Hindu mythology as an incarnation of Viṣṇu and the concept was standardized by the age of Early Calukyas of Bādāmi.

Images of Buddha were discovered at Candravaḷḷi (Citradurga Dt., Karnataka), an ancient centre which flourished from the last centuries of BC. Baḷḷigāve, Banavāsi, Ḍambaḷa, Kadaribeṭṭa (Mangalūrū) and Sannati were important seats of Buddhism in Karnataka. The recently discovered (1988) and excavated (1994-98 and 2001-02) site of KanaganahaLLi (Kanganhalli) near Sannati in Gulbarga Dt. (Karnataka), datable to the second century CE, is an extraordinary ancient Buddhist centre which belonged to the Sātavāhanas, where an unique stūpa with remarkable sculptures existed. Baḷḷigāve in Shimoga District prospered as a major Buddhist vihāra, where devotees of Hari, Hara, Bramha, Jina and Buddha coexisted in harmony. Rūpabhaṭṭayya, chief of the Cālukya ministers, constructed a Bauddha Vihāra, a Buddhist monastery, called 'Jayanti-Prabhā', and with the concurrence of Trailokyamalladeva alias Someśvara 1 (1042- 68), endowed lands for its perpetual maintenance [Epigraphia Carnatica. Vol. VII. Shikāripura 170. CE 1065]. The significance of this Buddhist monastery deserves an in extenso discussion. An image of Tārā Bhagavatī was consecrated at this vihāra. Later, Nāgiyakka, spouse of Hampacaṭṭa, a subordinate of emperor Trailokyamalladeva, gifted lands to Tārā Bhagavatī, the presiding deity of Jayanti-prabhā-vihāra, after laving the feet of Jayantiprabha-Baḷara, chief pontiff of the diocese [ibid, Shikāripura 169, CE 1067].

Similarly, two more images of Tārādevi have come to light from the village Koḷivāḍa [Dharwar Dt., Hubli Tk. J, and a broken one from Banavāsi (now in the local Museum). The concept of Tārādevi, of identical name, in the Jaina pantheon is different from the Buddhist Tārādevi. Luckily, the image of Tārā commissioned by Rūpabhaṭṭayya is extant, and though mutilated, looks extraordinary for its quality of execution. Another salient feature of this vihāra that it had permitted nuns, which assumes greater dimension in the history of Buddhism, because Buddha had reluctantly opened the gates of monastery to women and that too towards the end of his illustrious career. Incidentally it may be recalled here that Jainism had never closed the doors of its monastery to women.

Buddhism did not vernacularize its preachings, whereas Jainism adopted the local languages wherever it settled. Next, in importance, to Banavāsi and Baḷḷigāve, stands Ḍambaḷ. The famous inscription of the place opens with namo Buddhāya, salutation to Buddha [Indian Antiquary, Vol. X. p. 185 and 273, CE. 1095-96 ], and obeisance to goddess Tārā. The epigraph has recorded the details of donors and donation made over to the vihāra of Śri Bhagavati ārya Tārā deity. Sangavayya Seṭṭi, a burgher and trader of Lokkiguṇḍi [mod. Lakkuṇḍi, Gadag Dt.] had commissioned the vihāra dedicated to Tārādevi whereas the 16 Seṭṭis of Ḍambal had caused to be made a Bauddha Vihāra. The above dāna-śāsana, also called Buddha-śāsana, has explained that the donation was to be utilized for the worship of Tārā and for providing alms to Buddhist monks. During the seventh century CE, more than a thousand Saṁghārāmas and ten thousand monks flourished at the famous center, Banavāsi. Koppaḷa, Cikkiṇḍi (Iṇḍi Tk, Bijapur Dt.) and Torke (Gokarṇa) - were also Buddhist seats in Karnataka.

In the midst of literary evidences, the Yaśastilaka of poet Somadevasūri (965) and the Samaya Parīkṣe of poet Brahmaśiva (1175), are important in the context of our discussion. Somadevasūri has cited instances of meat-eating Buddhists which affords authentic material for socio-cultural study and also recalls the practice of Tāntric Buddhism. Brahmaśiva has ridiculed the Buddhists eating food cooked long before and which has become cold. Furthermore, the poet laments, ironically, that Buddha could not overcome the delusion of red color robe (worn by Bhikkus) inspite of coming out of tearing his mother's womb like a scorpion.

The inscriptions have turned out to be priceless documents for cultural reconstruction and religious tolerance. While describing a person with impartial benevolence and equal regard for all religions, many medieval epigraphs from Karnataka employ the set phrases of - catussamayāśraya, and catussamaya samuddharaṇa, 'saviour of four religions'. The conventional group of the above four, religions consisted of Māhesvara or Śaivism, Vaisnavism, Jainism and Buddhism. A good number of instances of kings and queens who respected and protected all religions as their own faith are recorded in the inscriptions of Karnataka.

1. sidhaṁ. rāño Hāritaputasa viṇhukaḍa cuṭukulānanda sātakaṁṇsa vasasatāya saṁvacharaṁ 10=2 hemaṁtānxa pakho 7 divasa-1 Mahābhuviya Māhāraja bālikāyaa jāvaputāya
2. [pu] (ā) ja yuvarāja [mātuya] sivakhaḍa Nāgasiriya dey dhaṁmaṁ nāgo taḍāgo vihāro cha. ethakamatiko amaco khaḍasāti saṁjayatakasa ācariyasa
3. damorakasa sisena ṇaṭakena nāgo kato

The three lined Prakrit inscription of circa second century CE is primarily a record of gift. The charter has historical significance in the context of Buddhism. Sivakhaḍa Nāgasiri (Nāgaśrī) commissioned an image of Nāga, 'serpent', constructed a tank and built a vihāra (at Banavāsi). She was daughter of King Hāritīputra Viṇhukaḍa Cuṭukulānanda Sātakarṇi. Nāgasiri had a son who was Yuvarāja, heir-apparent (crown-prince). The donation was made on the twelfth regnal year of King Sātakarṇi. He was delight of Cuṭukula, possibly feudatory of the Sātavāhanas. Sātakarṇi’s mother was Hāritī. The artist who chiselled the stone image of Nāga (serpent) was Naṭaka (Nartaka) a pupil of sculptor Damorika.

Yaṁ Śaivāssamupāsate Śiva iti Brahmeli Vedāntino
Bauddhā Buddha iti pramāNa paTavah Karteti Naiyāyikāh
Arhannityathā Jaina Śāsana ratāh Karmeti Mīmāṁsakāh
Sohayaṁvo vidhadhātu vāṁcita phalam Śrī Keśaveśassadā.

The Sanskrit inscription of 12th century CE from Belūr in Karnataka manifests religious harmony and emphasises that God is one, though names are many. Interestingly Buddhism figures in the list of main religions of the medieval age.

So much so, we come across a good number of instances where Buddhism was treated with highest regard on par with its contemporary state religions. Lacchaladevi, an ardent devotee of Jina, extended her regards to the four samayas [South Indian Inscriptions, Vol. V p.346. CE 849, Hūli]. Gaṇḍarāditya (1110-40), king of the Kolhāpur Śilāhāras, constructed a tank at Irukuḍi near Mīraj, commissioned temples and consecrated the images of Buddha, Jina and Śankara. Akkādevi (1050), the Calkyan princess, had reverence for all the four recognized religions including Buddhism. Gūḷia Bācideva, a feudatory of the Hoysaḷas, ruling as chief of Marugare province, extended his Umbrella to the four traditionally recognized religions. In fact his inscription commences with this invocatory verse;

Śivāya dhātre Sugatāya Viṣṇave
Jināya tasmai sakalātmane namah ॥
[Epigraphia Carnatika. Vol. XII. Tumkur 9 CE. 1151. Kaidāḷa]

Jainism, despite the tough competition from Buddhism, its coeval religion, stayed on with intensity and continued to be an influential and living faith through the length and breadth of the country. Of course, both of them coexisted for over a thousand years and had common royal patronage. Survival and spread of both the religion depended much on the role played by their congregation of monks, pilgrimage centers and royal shelter. Together they had rejected the authority of the Vedas, condemned unscientific blind beliefs, meaningless rituals and customs.

Paradoxically, dialectician scholar-saints of the Jaina, Kālāmukha and Pāśupata Śaiva faiths had mastered Sugata-śāstra, the basic Buddhist texts and philosophy so that they could felicitously participate in the religious debates. Phrases like - Bauddha -madebha-pañcānana, 'lion to the elephant in rut (i.e., a Buddhist scholar), suggest the religious debates where the Buddhist scholars were involved. It is rather unfortunate that instead of developing cordial relationship, the two heretic faiths of Jainism and Buddhism maintained hostility and engaged in frequent religious feud. By pulling each other’s feet, they suffered a setback. Instead, had Buddhism and Jainism developed more and more affinity, the religious history of India would have been different from what it is now.

Recently (2001 and 2004), Professors M.S. Krishn Murty and M.V. Krishnappa have unearthed an extraordinary brick foundation of a Buddhist Caitya and Vihāra at Rājaghaṭṭa (Bangalūru Dt.), which has added a new dimension to the subject under discussion. The huge Vihāra consists of seven cloisters in a row and an apsidal and circumambulatory Caitya. The unique complex with a compound has yielded earthen votive tablets that could be dated between fifth and seventh century CE [Itihāsa Darshana, Vol. 20, Bangalūru, 2005: 20-31]. Though vestiges of apsidal construction, Chaitya, terracottas etcetera have been discovered at Banavāsi, no Stūpa has come to light. But interestingly the place Koḍagoḍu near Banavāsi has yielded relics of a Stūpa.

Albeit, Buddhist movement failed to make inroads crosswise and lengthwise in Karnataka and could not leave an everlasting imprint. Even though the images of Buddha discovered at Bādāmi, Candravaḷḷi, Kadari, and Sannati attest the prevalence of Buddhism at different places, such pockets of Buddhism were not many. Nevertheless, during its long career of about fifty score and more years, it prospered in patches as a potential minor religion that enjoyed royal benevolence. Contemplating on the reasons for the decline of Buddhism in Karnataka, one can notice the glaring attack of Kālāmukha Śaivas on Buddhist and Jaina strong holds. The Śaivas, under the leadership of Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara Viruparasa, pounced upon the Jains and Buddhists and destroyed their places of vihāra and worship. This Śaiva battalion was so ferocious that it is described as Jinasamayavana-dahana-dāvānala, and Bauddha samaya-vidhvaṁsana-pravīṇa, 'forest-fire in burning the Jaina gardens, and an expert in destroying Buddhism'. [South Indian Inscriptions, Vol. XV. No. 56, CE 1184. Tāḷikoṭe (Bijāpur Dt. Muddebihāḷ Tk.) Another monk had the epithet Bauddha-madebha-pañcānana, 'a lion for the Bauddha elephant in rut' [SII. vol. XI. No. 157. CE 1108. Muḷgunda]. Though Jaina saṁgha could withstand the onslaught and revive its bases, Buddhism meekly succumbed and once for all lost its grip. It could muster neither political patronization nor could get the mass backing to retrieve its past status. But, the picture of Buddhism and its position elsewhere in India was also not different from this.

R.C. Mitra has discussed at length the puzzling enigma of the decline and disappearance of Buddhism from India [ The Decline of Buddhism in India: Shantiniketan, 1954]. He has put forth the following seven theories;

1. Exhaustion, 'ready to die'
2. Withdrawal of royal patronage
3. Brahmanical persecution
4. Muslim Invasion
5. Internal Corruption and Decay
6. Divine effect of Sectarianism
7. Insufficient cultivation of the laity

In continuation of this phenomenon, Prof. Padmanabha S. Jaini has reassessed the seven theories advanced by R.C. Mitra [Collected Papers on Buddhist Studies, Delhi, 2001: 139-54]. It is worthwhile to re-examine the socio-cultural and historical reasons for the disappearance of Buddhism from Karnataka, in the context of the above seven theories.

Epitome

Buddhism, like its contemporary Jainism, exercised profound influence on the lives of the people of Āndhradeśa and Karnataka for more than a millennium. Edicts at Amarāvati, ErraguDi and Rājulamandagiri clearly suggest that Buddhism in Āndhra received great patronage from the times of Aśoka the great (C. 3rd cent. BC). The language, literature, arts, architecture, social norms and religious practices of Buddhism has left indelible imprints which in turn has been assimilated in the local life. The vestiges of ancient Buddhist settlements, including vihāras and stūpas, across Āndhradeśa and Karnataka give us glimpses of the glory of Buddhism as it once flourished here. The extant 144 sites in various parts of Āndhra have withstood the ravages of time. It is to be underlined that Buddhism spread to the Far East, including China, Japan and Śri Lanka, from Āndhradeśa. Curiously Buddhism failed to perforate deep into Tamil country, with an exception of two sites at Kaṁci and Taṁjāvūr.

Select Bibliography:

• Basham, A.L: History and Doctrines of the Ājīvikas, London, 1951.
  
• Bhattacharya, B: An Introduction to Buddhist Esoterism, 1958.
  
• Chidanandamurthy, M: 'Buddhism in Karnataka', Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society, Vo. Liii, 1963.
  
• Dasgupta, S.B: An Introduction to Tantric Buddhism.
  
• Handiqui, K.K: Yaśastilaka and Indian Culture, Sholapur, 1949.
  
• Hayavadana Rao, C.: Mysore Gazetteer, Vol. II.
  
• Karmarkar, A.P: The Cultural History of Karnāṭaka.
  
• Rhys, Davids: Buddhism, 1899.