ಬಾಂಬೆ-ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಬೌದ್ಧ ಕೇಂದ್ರಗಳು

ಐಹೊಳೆ ಬೌದ್ಧ ಕೇಂದ್ರಗಳು:- Aihole, is today an insignificant village in Bagalkot District of North Karnataka. This place was a workshop for temple architects and sculptors patronized by early Chalukyas monarchs. Here are some of the earliest structural temples in stone in the country, dating from 450 AD, including one of the 4 Buddhist shrines in Karnataka. Aihole's hillock, Meguti, to the rock cut Buddhist shrine. It is the most important surviving Buddhist temple in Karnataka.

The Buddhist Chaitya at Aihole, is pre western Chalukyas and indicates the influence of Mahayana. It was built around the 5th century and is 25 feet high.

 

ಬಾದಾಮಿ ಬೌದ್ಧ ಕೇಂದ್ರಗಳು:- Badami,[7] the erstwhile capital city of the western Chalukyas in the 6th century. These rulers were also associated with Buddhism and relics here have survived in the shape of a Buddhist cave. There is also a figure, identifiable as Padmapani, the Bodhisattva of the same period.

 

ಬನವಾಸಿ ಬೌದ್ಧ ಕೇಂದ್ರಗಳು:- Banavasi was also known at various periods as Vaijayanti, Jayantipura, Sanjayanti, Vanavasa, Konkanapura, etc. Ptolemy referred to this place as Banaousei and Alberuni as Banavasa.

Banavasi became a thriving center of Buddhism right from the time of Emperor Ashoka, and it continued to be so till the 11th-12th Century. All flavors of Buddhism such as Sravakayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana flourished there. Xuanzang was awed by the many magnificent Stupas and monasteries there. He also reported about Prince Siddhartha’s crown being displayed there on special occasions. Inscriptions from various other Buddhist centers such as Nagarjunakonda and Karle caves also have records about the community from Banavasi building Viharas and cave temples in those places. Sri Lankan records also mention about a large Sangha of Bhikshus from Banavasi visiting Sri Lanka during an event.

Ashoka’s emissary reaching Banavasi

At the time of Emperor Ashoka, Banavasi was already an important center of civilization. According to Mahavamsa and Dipavamsa (Buddhist chronicles from Sri Lanka), Ashoka sent his Buddhist emissaries to various lands to spread the teachings of the Buddha and Banavasi appears in the list along with major places such as Kashmira, Gandhara, Mahishamandala (Mysore), Aparantaka, Maharatta (Maharashtra), Yonakaloka (Greek), Himavanta (Himalaya), Suvarnabhumi (South East Asia) and Tamraparni (Sri Lanka). Clearly, this indicates the significance of Banavasi in that era.

 

Mahavamsa also mentions about a large sangha of bhikshus from Vanavasa country visiting Sri Lanka under the leadership of Thera Chandragupta. They went there to attend the inaugural function of a Mahastupa. It was during the rule of King Duttagamani in Sri Lanka (101-77 BCE).

According to Xuanzang, there was also a 100ft-high stupa commissioned by Emperor Ashoka at Banavasi. Archeological excavations also found an apsidal structure (possibly a Vihara) [Ref 2] adjoining the river bank (in the backyard of Sri Chandrasekhara Bhat). The bottom-most stratum of the mound had brickwork belonging a pre-Satavahana era, and thus possibly Mauryan. Coins with Mauryan era topology and other artifacts were also found at this level, indicating a possible Vihara from the Mauryan era at Banavasi.

During the Satavahana period, Banavasi was under their rule. According to archeological records [Ref 2], a Buddhist memorial panel made of terracotta was excavated from Banavasi. It has an inscription belonging to King Vasishthiputra Sivasiri Pulumavi, with a line drawing of a Chaitya above the inscription.

The apsidal structure (Buddhist chaityalaya) [Ref 2] over the remains of the Mauryan remains excavated by archeologists is considered to be from the Satavahana period. There is a broken sculpture found at this place. This sculpture is very similar to a 2nd Century CE sculpture of a Mahayana guardian deity found in Nagarjunakonda excavation. This sculpture is said to be in the Museum of Art and Archeology, Manasagangotri, Mysore.

Excavations of Dōnigudda mound [Ref 2] revealed another large apsidal structure of 26 x 13.5 meters in size. This chaityalaya (Vihara hosting a stupa at the circular end) is also inferred to be from the Satavahana period.

Chutu Period and the Naga stone (2nd to 4th Century CE)

Later, Banavasi went on to become the capital city of Chutus. Literally, Chutu means the hood of cobra. They were also known as Naga-kula. Initially, they were feudatories of Satavahanas, and later they ruled an independent kingdom. Like Satavahanas, Chutus also followed Buddhism.

There is a Naga-stone from this period, with inscription in Brahmi script and Prakrit language, still preserved at a corner of Madhukeshvara Temple. According to the inscription, Nagasiri, the daughter of Chutu King Vinhukada Chutukulananda Satakarni (3rd Century CE), gifted a Vihara (Buddhist monastery), a Naga-stone and a pond. [Ref 3]

An inscription found at Nagarjunakonda, Andhra Pradesh, also says that Kodabalasiri, the Queen of Vanavasaka (Banavasi), built a Chaitya and Vihara for bhikshus of the Mahishasaka branch of Buddhism in Nagarjunakonda. [Ref 1]

Another inscription in Nagarjunakonda [Ref 4] by Bodhisiri mentions about the Sangha from Sri Lanka visiting Banavasi.

In Karle Caves, Maharashtra, there is an inscription that reads [Ref 5], “Bhutapala, the Setti (merchant) of Vaijayanti (Banavasi) built this stone temple which is the best in the whole of Jambudvipa.”

 

Kadamba Period (4th to 6th Century CE)

With the fall of Chutus, Banavasi became the capital of the newly formed Brahminical kingdom of Kadambas founded by Mayura Sharma. Though Kadambas were Brahmins in origin, some of them strongly supported Jainism. Vedic religion and Jainism flourished during this period. However, Buddhism continued to exist during this period. Though the royal support for Buddhism would have diminished, there is no sign of any antagonism towards Buddhism in that period.

There was continued support for Buddhism from the merchant guild. Banavasi was an important center in the trade route between Kanchi and Nasik. Both Kanchi and Nasik were important centers of Buddhism during that time. As it is evident from Xuanzang’s records, Buddhism was still very vibrant when he visited Banavasi in the 7th Century.

Konkanapura (Banavasi) that Xuanzang saw

Xuanzang described the place in the following way [From Ref 7, with minor edits]:

“After going 2000 li or so we come to Kong-kin-na-pu-lo (Konkanapura).

… The land is rich and fertile; it is regularly cultivated and produces large crops. The climate is hot; the disposition of the people ardent and quick. … There are about 100 sanghārāmas (monastic parks), with some 10,000 bhikshus (monks). They study both Mahayana and Hinayana. …

By the side of the royal palace is a great sanghārāma with around 300 monks, who are all men of distinction. At this place, there is a great vihara (monastery), a hundred feet and more in height. A precious tiara belonging to Siddhartha, the prince is preserved there. It is somewhat less than two feet in height and is ornamented with gems and precious stones. It is kept in a jeweled casket. …

By the side of the city is a great sanghārāma in which is a vihāra of about 50 feet high. In this, there is a statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva carved out of sandal-wood. It is about ten feet high. It is the work of Arhat Wen-‘rh-pih-i (Shrutavimshatikoti).

To the north of the city, not far is a forest of Tala trees about 30 li round. … In the forest is a stupa. … containing the bequeathed relics of the Arhat Shrutavimshatikoti.

Not far to the east of the city is a stupa which has sunk down into the ground from its foundations, but is still about thirty feet high. The old tradition says, In this stupa is a relic of Tathagata, and on special days, it exhibits a miraculous light. Earlier, when Tathagata was in the world, he reached in this place and exhibited his miraculous powers and a multitude of men from this place took refuge.

Not far to the south-west of the city is a stupa about a hundred feet high, which was built by Emperor Ashoka. Here the Arhat Shrutavimshatikoti exhibited great miraculous powers and a great many people took refuge. .…”

 

Later development of Vajrayana Buddhism in Banavasi

Clear indications of later development of Vajrayana Buddhism is visible in Banavasi. Remains of various statues were found from the fields around Banavasi. These are currently kept in an archeological warehouse in the Madhukeshvara Temple complex. Amongst that we found statues of Tara and Avalokitesvara there. Those statues belong to the 10th-12th Century CE period and are similar in style to the Vajrayana statues from Balligavi and Lakkundi.

At around 11th or 12th Century, Buddhism mostly vanished from Banavasi, just as is the case with most other parts of Karnataka.

 

Between 1967 and 72, archeologists excavated the remains of a few large-sized stupas and viharas from Banavasi. A few Mahayana and Vajrayana statues were also recently found from there.

 

ಕೋಳಿವಾಡ ಬೌದ್ಧ ಕೇಂದ್ರಗಳು:- Kolivada, Hubbali taluk, Dharwad District.

An icon of Tara has been discovered belonging to about the 13th century.

Inscription:- 

Inscribed on the pedestal of this icon are the words "siddham om namo bhagavatayai Aryatarayai", and followed by the usual statement of the Buddha's teaching in brief.

 

ಮುಂಡಗೋಡ ಬೌದ್ಧ ಕೇಂದ್ರಗಳು:- The Tibetan settlement at Mundgod, is located 45 km from Hubli-Dharwad. and the settlement at Mundgod is the largest in India. It was founded in 1966. Now there are nine camps with two monasteries and a nunnery.

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