DECLINE OF BUDDHISM IN INDIA

Scholars throughout the world have had various thoughts on what led to the

decline of Buddhism in India; however it is also pertinent to know how

Buddhism increased and what factors led to its disappearance from India.

Renowned scholar L. M. Joshi avers that the present Bhakti movement, of

which the present day Brahmanic scholars are so proud of, and they feel this is

the legacy of Aryan/Brahmanic/Vedic tradition and not of Buddhist origin, and

go on congratulating each other for its survival during the Muslim onslaught,

was in fact, the gift of the Siddhas, labeled by Brahmins as 'corrupt'. While

referring to the activities of the saint poets of Karnataka and Maharashtra like

Basaveswara and Namdeva, and of North India like Raidas, Kabir and Nanak

etc. and of Sufi Muslim saints, he says: "The Buddhist message of social equality

and communal harmony had left a deep impression on the mind of Indian

people which continued after the transformation of the classical Buddhist

movement. ... The task of fighting the evils of casteism and untouchability was

continued by the Buddhist Siddhas -the adepts of Tantrika culture, during the

early medieval centuries. A large number of these Siddhas came from lower

caste families, but their greatness was assured by their success (siddhi) in

esoteric culture (sadhana). This mission of social reform was then resumed by

the saint poets of the bhakti movement throughout the Middle Ages. Though

these saint poets (sants) were, generally speaking within the fold of the

Brahmanical "Hindu" religious tradition, yet they revolted freely against many

fundamental dogmas and authentic customs of traditional Brahmanism. Their

social and moral teachings were more in keeping with Buddhism than with

Brahmanism. All of them disregarded the rules of the varna-ashram-dharma

scheme and attacked social distinctions based on birth and profession. Many of

them were born in shudra families. They became exalted through their pure

character, sincere devotion and magnanimity,” (Joshi L. M., 1973,)

However, Rahul Sankrutayan blames Vajrayanis for decline of Buddhism, saying

that decline of Buddhism started with the rise of Vajrayana and was completed

after Turkish invasion. (Sankrutayan Rahula, 1973). He opines that the use of women

and wine by the Vajrayani bhikshus also could have been a contributory factor

in fall of Buddhism. He says that it is a wrong propaganda that Shankaracharya,

in 8th century, drove away Buddhism from India. On the contrary, Buddhism

was flourishing during this time. This was the time of glory of Nalanda

University and of foundation of Vikramshila University. This was the time when

the most powerful Buddhist Dynasty of Palas was established. This was the

time that the great Buddhist philosophers like Shantirakshita and Dharmottara

emerged from the University of Nalanda.

Even four centuries after Shankaracharya, till the end of twelfth century

Buddhism was not vanished from North India. The Gaharwad dynasty not only

supported Brahmanism, they also supported Buddhism. Gahadwar queen

Kumaradevi built the "Dharmachakra maha vihara" at Sarnath. Govindachandra

gave gifts of several villages to the Jetvana Mahavihara. Jaganmitrananda

(Mitrayogi), the preceptor (dikshaguru) of last Gahardwad king Jaychanda, was

a Buddhist saint. His letter to his disciple king Jaychanda is still available in

Tibetan language as "Chandraraja-Lekh". This king is being defamed in pro-

Brahmanic literature as a traitor to have invited Md. Ghori. The Buddhist

scholar Bhikshu Dharmarakshit feels that the real reason for his being termed

as such was because of his Buddhist leanings. (ibid, p. 63 ff.)

Pala kings in East remained Buddhist till end of their dynasty. In south, the

Shilahar Dynasty of Konkan, was purely Buddhist. Even in Kerala, the mother

land of Shankaracharya, Buddhist influence persisted. They did not restrict the

Buddhist learning, but on the contrary, it was they who preserved the

"Manjushri mula kalpa" and handed over to us.

The bhikshus could be easily spotted because of their Yellow robes, which had

become a kind of death warrant for them. It was due to massacre of bhikhus,

the leaders of Buddhist laity, and the destruction of their Viharas, by the

Muslims, the fall of Buddhism occurred. The Chief of Indian Buddha Sangha, a

Kashmiri pundit, Shakyasribhadra, had to migrate to Bengal after the

devastation of Vikramshila University. Later when Muslims reached Bengal, he

left for Tibet with his disciples. He was respectfully invited by King Kirtidwaja.

There, he stayed for many years and ultimately came to his mother land,

Kashmir, and died there in 1226 A.D. Similarly many Bhikshus had to run away

from India.

As Dr. Ambedkar has explained, the causes of fall and decline are different.

Muslim invasion was the cause of fall of Buddhism, not only in India, but also all

over the world. Before Islam, countries like Bactria, Parthia, Afghanistan,

Gandhar and Chinese Turkasthan, as well as whole of Asia were Buddhists. It

had also spread to Europe and the Celts in Britain were Buddhists, according to

Donald A. Mackenzie. (Writings &Speeches, vol.3, p.230). The reasons why Buddhism

was destroyed but Brahmanism survived the massacre by Muslims must be

understood. There are three reasons enumerated by Ambedkar - (1) support of

State to Brahmanism, (2) Buddhist Bhikkus, once perished had be created from

scratch by rigorous training, while Brahmin priests are ready-made by birth and

(3) that Buddhist lay worshipers were driven to Islam by Brahmanic

persecution. (ibid)

Where some scholars feel that decline of Buddhism resulted just from “old age

or sheer exhaustion (Edward Conze, 1960:86), others felt that “the rise and fall of

Buddhism began almost simultaneously” (Umesh Mishra: 111-12) whereas some put

it not earlier than the 7th cent. AD (P.C. Bagchi). However it is generally agreed

that whatever may have been the time of the beginning of decline, it collapsed

rather quickly towards the end of 12th cent.

Many scholars of Buddhism, Hinduism, Indian history, and of religion more

generally have been devoted to unraveling this puzzle. There is no absolute

consensus on this matter, and a few scholars have even contended that

Buddhism never disappeared as such from India. On this view, Buddhism

simply changed form, or was absorbed into Hindu practices. Such an argument

is, in fact, a variation of the view, which perhaps has more adherents than any

other, that Buddhism disappeared, not on account of persecution by Hindus,

but because of the ascendancy of reformed Hinduism. However, the view that

Buddhists were persecuted by Brahmins, who were keen to assert their caste

supremacy, still has some adherents, and in recent years has been championed

not only by some Dalit writers and their sympathizers but by at least a handful

of scholars of pre-modern Indian history.(D. C. Ahir, 2005). What is not disputed is

the gradual decline of Buddhism in India, as the testimony of the Chinese

traveler, Hsuan Tsang, amply demonstrates. Though Buddhism had been the

dominant religion in much of the Gangetic plains in the early part of the

Christian era, Hsuan Tsang, traveling in India in the early years of the 7 th

century, witnessed something quite different. In Prayag, or Allahabad as it is

known to many, Hsuan Tsang encountered mainly heretics, or non-Buddhists,

but that is not surprising given the importance of Prayag as a pilgrimage site for

Brahmins. But, even in Sravasti, the capital city of the Lichhavis, a north Indian

clan that came to power around 200 AD, established their capital in

Pasupathinath, and in a long and glorious period of reign extending through the

early part of the ninth century endowed a large number of both Hindu and

Buddhist monuments and monasteries, Hsuan Tsang witnessed a much greater

number of “Hindus” (ie, non-Buddhists, such as Jains and Saivites) than

Buddhists. Kusinagar, the small village some 52 kilometres from Gorakhpur

where the Buddha had gone into Mahaparinirvana, was in a rather dilapidated

state and Hsuan Tsang found few Buddhists. In Varanasi, to be sure, Hsuan

Tsang found some 3000 Bhikkus or Buddhist monks, but they were out-

shadowed by more than 10,000 non-Buddhists. There is scarcely any question

that Hsuan Tsang arrived in India at a time when Buddhism was entering into a

state of precipitous decline, and by the 13th century Buddhism, as a formal

religion, had altogether disappeared from India.(Samuel Beal, Si-Yu Ki,1884).

Hence to have a right approach to the reasons for decline of Buddhism in India,

we need to look into the internal history of the Sangha, the prevalent secular

and political situation and relation with Brahmanism.

Moral and ethical degeneracy of Buddhist monks is one of the reasons for

decline in Buddhism in India. Even some earlier Buddhist texts point out to this

attitude of the monks. Some renowned monasteries issued their own seals and

coins. They even owned villages, land and cattle. Chinese travelers have noted

the feudal character of monastic institutions which had amassed property and

wealth. (Legge, 43). There are references of Buddhist monks visiting sex-workers,

consuming alcoholic drinks, indulging in theft, robbery and also working as

match-makers. (L.M.Joshi).

Some scholars hold the Tantra practices of the Mahayana tradition responsible

for decline. The Vajrayana, especially, is blamed for abetting moral anarchy. It is

also noted that many monks often used to visit their teachers with their female

partners. All the 84 siddhas of Tantrika Buddhism were either married or had

yoginis as their partners. Scholars like L.M.Joshi and E.Lamotte consider

Mahayana responsible for qualitative decay.

Schism was another reason for the disputes within the Sangha and it pinnacled

to an extent that by the end of 7th cent., Buddhism had become a house

divided. The Buddha had visualized schism as one of the 5 deadly sins. Various

sects of Buddhists fought amongst themselves. As Charles Eliot says, “it was to

the corruptions of the Mahayana rather than that of Hinayana that the decay

of Buddhism in India was due” (C. Eliot; 1954)

From the social angle, the adaptability of Buddhism led to its success and

spread in foreign lands; however the same principle could not be a success

here. “The Mahayana laid emphasis on image worship, prayers, pompous

ceremonies and rituals so much so that it created an approach to Hinduism.

The laymen found no difference between Buddha and Vishnu, Siva and

Avalokiteshwara or Tara and Parvati. (L.M.Joshi). The acceptance of Buddha as

an incarnation of Vishnu by Brahmanism dealt a blow to Buddhism. As

M.Monier Williams says, “Vaisanavas and Saivas crept up softly to their rival

and drew the vitality out of its body by close and friendly embraces” (M.Monier

Williams). Because of Buddhism’s adaptability, the laity did not give up their

earlier practices and ceremonies. So though they appreciated the Buddha

teachings, due to no rules for them or any religious identification, social codes

or modes of worship, these laymen continued to remain in their earlier

Brahmanic fold. Thus Buddhism failed to create a distinctive group which can

be socially identified as a Buddhist.

Right from its inception, Buddhism was popular among royalty, businessmen

and bureaucrats, householders, etc. As the Maurayan Empire faded, the huge

contribution that had been made to the spread of Buddhism started fading.

Lack of support from the subsequent Brahmanical kings and royals led to its

decline. Under the Kushanas’ and the Guptas, both Buddhism and Brahmanism

received royal patronage; however as Vaishnavism and Shaivism spread, the

kingdoms supporting it became powerful and Buddhism started loosing the

royal patronage. The Pala dynasty was supportive of Buddhism; however when

the Senas came into power, Saivism promulgated and Buddhism was pushed

out. Though Buddhism had already entered the decline phase during Hsuan

Tsang’s visit in the reign of Harsha of Kanauj in 7 th cent, the arrival of Muslim

invaders dealt a severe blow to Buddhism. In the 12th century, Muhammad Bin

Bakhtiar Khilji destroyed many viharas and famed universities like Nalanda and

Vikramshila and thousands of Buddhists monks were massacred. Many of the

monks fled to Bengal, Bangladesh, Burma, northern Thailand and Nepal.

Buddhism existed in the monasteries and learning institutes, so when the

monasteries disappeared, Buddhism disappeared. Nalanda was sacked by the

Turks in 1197 A.D, Vikramsila too met the same fate. Bodhgaya was also

ransacked. Nalanda was again attacked in 1235. Monks were exterminated in

cruel manner. The books were burned. When Nalanda was ransacked again in

1325, all the students had to flee. The Buddhist institutions were pillaged and

torched by the invaders resulting in the complete disappearance of Buddhism

in its ecclesiastically established forms.

Conclusion: The decline of Buddhism resulted from majorly 2 reasons. One was

internal - the lethargy and degeneration of the monks and second was external

-the political-social scenario that systematically planned the uprooting of

Buddhism.

The lethargy of the monks ensured that Buddhism was easy go way of life and

digressed the basic purpose of Buddhism – to spread/preach the “truth”,

practice it and lead the fellowmen to enlightenment. This also caused a terrible

backlash at the image of monks and since they represented the Buddha's

philosophy, their attitude damaged Buddhism. The laymen though followers of

Buddhism never had any formal rules. They appreciated Buddha’s words;

however in the absence of any strict codes, were free to follow any faith.

The second reason was quite influential in declining growth of Buddhism in

India. The rulers who had more Brahmanic attitude and bend, non-cooperated

and thus Buddhism lost its vital support. Paganism entered by way of

Mahayanist and the ever-so-adaptable Buddhism was corrupted. Its philosophy

amalgamated with Hinduism and there was less difference between the two.

Buddhism lost its essentials. The Muslim invaders plundered Buddhist

institution and whatever remained after various onslaughts was finally razed to

ground by the Muslims. Buddhist monks had no other way but to run amok to

save their lives.

Atul Bhosekar

M.A – 1st Year

References:

Joshi L. M., "Aspects of Buddhism in Indian History", 1973, Wheel publication No. 195/196, Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy

Sankrutayan Rahula, "Baudha sanskruti - Bharat", marathi tr. by Shramaner Vimalakirti, publ. Bhikshu Nivas, Dikshabhumi Nagpur, 1973

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings &Speeches, vol.3, p.230

Edward Conze; A Short History of Buddhism;1960, Oxford

Umesh Mishra: Journal of G.N.Jha Research Institute, Vol. IX

P.C. Bagchi, Decline of Buddhism and its Causes: 412

D. C. Ahir, Buddhism Declined in India: How and Why?;Delhi: B. R. Publishing, 2005

Samuel Beal, Si-Yu Ki: Buddhist Records of the Western World : Trubner & Co., 1884; reprint ed., Delhi: Oriental Books Reprint Corporation

Legge, The travels of Fa-Hein, 43

Joshi.L.M: Studies in the Buddhist culture of India

C. Eliot; Hinduism and Buddhism, vol.2; 1954

M.Monier Williams: Buddhism: in its connection with Brahmanism and Hinduism and its contrast with Christianity, N.Delhi