History of Buddhism in Orissa (Photostat)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Even though Lord Buddha had never visited Odisha during his lifetime, the state has a rich heritage of Buddhism. Odisha is home to more than 200 Buddhist sites, scattered across its length and breadth. Here, Buddhism flourished from the 6th century BC to at least 15th to 16th century AD. After the death of the Buddha, his followers were divided into two sects-Hinayana' and 'Mahayana". The latest Buddhist phase is 'Vajrayana' which is believed to have originated from Odisha. According to the Buddhist scholars of Odisha Institute of Maritime and South East Asian Studies, Biraja (modern Jajpur) was a sacred land of Buddha Padmaprabha and the cradle of "Mahayana'. The presence of 'Mahayana antiquities, stupas, and relics in the Jajpur district is a testimony to this. Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang visited these Buddhist sites in Odisha in the 7th century and between the 8th and 10th centuries. Buddhism was the religion of the Bhaumakaras clan. The tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism started during this period. One of the most popular Buddhist destinations in Odisha is the Diamond Triangle comprising Ratnagiri, Udayagiri, and Lalitgiri in the Jajpur district. There are several places in the state where Buddhism is still practiced today. Here's a look at the sites that would interest travellers in exploring Buddhist heritage of Odisha.

In November 1908, I was required to ac- company the Feudatory ('hief of Mayurabhanja on an Archeological tour in the interior of his territories. We paid a visit to Khiching, which was once an important seat of the Bhanja Rajas. I mixed with the humble people of the neighbouring villages, and from this close contact with them observed some curious customs and manners amongst them which bear little affinity to those of the Hindus. At this stage a band of merry lads of the Pan caste entertained me with their songs, which were all upon the texts of the Dharmagita. The songs interested me very much, as in the texts I found distinct indications of the tenets of Mahayana Buddhism. Shortly after this I met some old men, who recited the songs of the Pala Kings of Bengal These also belong to the period of the Buddhistic ascendancy. I was now convinced that Buddhism was not altogether a lost religion in Orissa. My curiosity being thus roused, 1 hunted after and soon Jaid my hands upon some old Oriya MSS. which proved that Buddhism flourished in this part of the country so late as the 16th and 17th centuries. I now studied with care the sacred books of the Mahima-dharmists and some other sects, who inhabit Khiching and various parts of Keonjhar, Dhenkanal and other gadajats; and found that these people uumistakably profess Buddhistic tenets inspite of their not being recognised as Buddhists by the people. In comparatively recent times there has been a revival of this school of Buddhism.v

Caykaracharya drove away Buddhism from the soil of India'. This was the verdict of kistorians, sixty years ago. Buddhism-the religion of over forty per cent of the entire population of the world, professed in all countries, in the north, east and south of Asia,-- was swept away from its birth place by the exertions of one single individual!

These historians, however, plainly contradicted themselves, for when they said that, Caykaracharya drove away Buddhism from the soil of India, they also said that the Palas, who reigned in India in the 9th and 10th centuries were Buddhists. This is a pure contradiction for no body ever imagined that Cankaracharya flourished after the fall of the Pala Dynasty.

The sixties and the seventies were periods of the greatest activity for Archmological researches under Sir Alexander Cunningham. His rescarches, his excavations, and his discoveries all over Northern India, showed in unmistakable terms that Buddhism lingered in many parts of Northern India for hundred years after the Muhammadan conquest.