Notes on the Nagarjunikonda Inscriptions
Summary
Prompted by the publication of newly discovered Prakrit inscriptions from Nagarjunikoṇḍa in the Epigraphia Indica, this article discusses their significance for the history of Buddhism in the Deccan. The author begins by situating Nagarjunikoṇḍa on the banks of the Krishna River as a major centre of early Mahāyāna Buddhism, comparable to Bodh Gayā and Amarāvatī. He summarises the contents of the inscriptions, which record donations, construction of stupas and monasteries, and mention relics and teachers. The article notes that the palaeography suggests dates between the second and fourth centuries AD and that the term usnisa-siraskatā appears in one record. The author emphasises that these inscriptions bridge a gap in the history of Buddhism between the Sātavāhana period and later Andhra dynasties, shedding light on the early spread of Mahāyāna and the patronage networks linking local rulers and monastic communities.
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Conclusion
The newly edited Nagarjunikoṇḍa inscriptions enrich our understanding of Buddhist institutional life in the Deccan. By documenting donations, monuments and doctrinal terms, they illuminate a formative phase of Mahāyāna and underscore Nagarjunikoṇḍa’s importance as a pilgrimage and teaching centre.