Buddhism in Kamaripa
Summary
'Buddhism in Kamaripa' by Nalini Nath Das Gupta investigates the extent to which Buddhism penetrated Kamarupa (present‑day Assam) in ancient and medieval periods. Gupta contrasts Kamarupa’s religious history with that of neighbouring Bengal, where Buddhism flourished under the Pala dynasty between the eighth and twelfth centuries. He notes that when the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsang) visited Bengal around 637 A.D., he encountered Buddhist monasteries and a vibrant intellectual milieu, yet in Kamarupa he found no trace of Jainism and only scattered Buddhism. Gupta surveys epigraphic and archaeological evidence, including copperplate grants of the Varman and Salasthamba dynasties, but finds few references to Buddhist monasteries. He discusses literary texts such as the Yogini‑tantra and Kalika Purana, which, while composed in Kamarupa, are primarily Śaiva‑Śākta works that incorporate some Buddhist motifs but do not attest to institutional Buddhism. Gupta suggests that the rugged terrain and political autonomy of Kamarupa insulated it from Pala influence and that the region remained staunchly Hindu with a strong Tantric orientation. He examines legends of the Mahāsiddha Nāropā and other Tantric Buddhists visiting Kamarupa’s sacred sites, arguing that their presence reflects pilgrimage rather than local conversion. The article concludes that Buddhism in Kamarupa was minimal and transient, with the region remaining a bastion of Hinduism and indigenous cults despite its proximity to Buddhist Bengal.
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Conclusion
Gupta’s analysis demonstrates that, unlike Bengal, Kamarupa did not experience sustained Buddhist patronage. Sparse epigraphic references and the absence of monastic remains indicate that Buddhism never gained institutional foothold in Assam. The region’s geographic isolation and entrenched Tantric Hinduism limited Buddhist influence to episodic pilgrimages. This contrast underscores the regional diversity of medieval Indian religious landscapes and cautions against assuming uniform dissemination of Buddhist culture.