Pusyamitra Sunga

Category: History of Buddhism

From Buddhist Encyclopedia

Also known as Pushyamitra Shunga.

Pusyamitra Sunga, originally a general and commander-in-chief on the armies of the Mauryan empire, he assassinated the last Mauryan emperor Brhadrata in 185 BCE, and subsequently founded the Sunga dynasty (185-78 BCE). He then performed the Ashwamedha Yajna, or horse sacrifice, and brought Northern India under his rule from 185-151 BCE. Inscriptions of the Sungas have been found as far as the Jalandhar in the Punjab.

Pusyamitra Sunga was a Hindu monarch, deeply established in the tradition of orthodox Brahminism. He allegedly became very active in persecuting the Buddhist faith, which the Mauryan empire had been promoting since Ashoka around 250 BCE. He was accused to have destroyed Buddhist monasteries and exterminated monks, offering to pay 100 gold coins for the head of each one . He was said to have destroyed 84,000 buddhist stupas which had been built by the Mauryan king Ashoka. A large number of Buddhist monasteries (viharas) were converted to Hindu temples, in such places as Nalanda, Bodhgaya, Sarnath or Mathura.

Historians have rejected Pusyamitra's alleged persecution of Buddhists. The allegations appeared two centuries after King Pusyamitra's death in Asokâvadâna and the Divyâvadâna. Historical facts confirm that Pusyamitra allowed and patronized the construction of monasteries and Buddhist universities in his domains, as well as the still-extant Stupa of Sanchi. Following Ashoka's sponsorship of Buddhism, it is possible that Buddhist institutions fell on slightly harder times under the Sungas but no evidence of active persecution has been noted. Etienne Lamotte observes: To judge from the documents, Pushyamitra must be acquitted through lack of proof. See Ashoka and Pushyamitra, iconoclasts? by Koneraad Elst. Furthermore, eminent Indian historian Romila Thapar has largely refuted the claims made of Pusyamitra Sunga's persecution of Buddhists as exaggerations.She writes that the idea of Pusyamitra being violently anti-Buddhist has been stated, but archaeological evidence suggests the contrary.Buddhist literature relates that Pusyamitra "wishing to gain notoriety decided that even a wicked action could be excused provided it made him well known".When questioning people as to why Asoka the great gained fame, he was told that it was due to Asoka having built 84000 stupas for Buddhism. Whereupon Pusyamitra decided that he would gain fame by destroying these 84000 stupas". Yet, an archaeological study of the Stupa at Sanchi proves that it was enlarged and encased in its present covering during the Sunga period.It is much more likely that the Asokavadana legend is a Buddhist version of Pusyamitra's attack of the Mauryas, and reflects the fact that, with the declining influence of Buddhism in the Imperial court, Buddhist monuments and institutions would naturally receive less attention<ref>Thapar, Romila, Asoka and the Decline of the Mauryas, Oxford University Press, 1960 P200</ref>.

The new Sunga ruler was attacked around 180 BCE by the Greek rulers of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, and they conquered the Punjab and ruled Mathura for a time, and may have campaigned as far as Pataliputra.

The Greco-Bactrians established in India the Indo-Greek Kingdom, which was to last until the end of the 1st century BCE, and under which Buddhism was able to flourish. One of the Indo-Greek kings, the "Saviour King" Menander, has been remembered as a great benefactor of the Buddhist faith.

Pusyamitra's kingdom of Magadha, and the capital of Pataliputra, was apparently attacked by king Kharavela of Orissa, who claims he made king "Bahasatimita" (thought to be a Sunga king Brhaspatimitra, or Pusyamitra himself) bow at his feet.

Pusyamitra Sunga was succeeded in 151 BCE by his son Agnimitra.

See also

• History of Buddhism

Reference

• Was Pusyamitra more secular than Ashoka? Article on the alleged Hindu persecution of Buddhism by Pushyamitra