A less known cause of prosperity of the Jainas in the Pala kingdom
Summary
Chitta Ranjan Pal explores why Jain communities prospered under the Pāla dynasty of Bengal and Bihar (c. 8th–12th centuries) despite the dynasty being primarily Buddhist. He argues that the commonly cited reason—royal patronage of Jainism—is insufficient; instead, a subtler cause was the Pāla state’s commitment to public welfare and religious tolerance. The Pālas developed an efficient administrative system that managed ferries, riverways, land routes, towns and ports and invested in welfare works like digging tanks and establishing new towns. Dharmapāla, who succeeded the dynasty’s founder Gopāla, adopted religious toleration as state policy; although a devout Buddhist, he declared himself “conversant with the precepts of the śāstras” and insisted that castes adhere to their proper tenets. His successors followed this policy, granting land and posts to Hindu temples and Brahmin officials. There was no evidence of religious discord during the Pāla period, and religious toleration and mutual coexistence characterised social life. In this stable environment Jain merchants and bankers were able to conduct long‑distance trade through ports like Tamralipta; guilds enjoyed royal protection and their surplus wealth supported temple‑building and scholastic activities. Pal analyses copper‑plate grants, inscriptions and literary references showing that several Pāla officials, feudatories and donors were Jains, and he suggests that the prosperity of Jain communities was built on their own enterprise harnessed within the Pāla state’s tolerant framework. The flourishing of Buddhist universities such as Nalanda and Vikramashila also created a climate of intellectual exchange that benefited Jain scholars, while the Pālas’ construction of roads and towns facilitated the movement of merchants. Thus, the “less known cause” of Jain prosperity was not conversion of Pāla kings to Jainism but rather the dynasty’s inclusive socio‑economic policies and commercial growth. This insight challenges simplistic narratives of religious patronage and highlights how economic and administrative factors underpin the fortunes of religious minorities.
Summary reviewed by a volunteer editor.
Conclusion
The article argues that the prosperity of Jain communities in the Pāla empire was driven more by the dynasty’s public welfare and tolerance than by direct royal patronage. Dharmapāla and his successors, though Buddhist, granted land to Hindu temples and Brahmins and maintained a society without religious discord. This stable environment allowed Jain merchants and bankers to prosper through trade and guilds, supporting temples and scholarship. By tracing inscriptions and economic history, Pal shows that inclusive governance and robust infrastructure were the hidden engines of Jain prosperity in eastern India.