The Date of Kanishka
Summary
This extensive article tackles the longstanding debate over the reign of the Kushan emperor Kanishka, whose era is pivotal for dating events in Central and South Asian history. The author surveys diverse evidence: Chinese historical works that record the arrival of the Yuezhi in India, references to Kanishka in Buddhist chronicles such as the Rājatarangiṇī and Chinese translations of Mahāyāna scriptures, inscriptions dated in Kanishka year found at Mathura and elsewhere, and sequences of coins. The article discusses the relationship between the Kanishka era and the Śaka or Azes eras and evaluates astronomical data such as cometary observations recorded in Han annals. It also considers the famous Sarvāstivādin council convened under Kanishka, exploring where and when it might have taken place. Scholars have proposed dates ranging from 78 CE to 144 CE for the start of Kanishka’s era; the author weighs arguments for these positions, noting that the 78 CE date aligns with the Śaka era used in western India, while evidence from the Rabatak inscription suggests a later date. By examining syncretic art styles at Mathura and Bactria, the article argues for a middle date around 120–130 CE when Kushan power reached its zenith. It emphasises that Kanishka’s reign marked a turning point in the spread of Mahāyāna Buddhism and the expansion of trade along the Silk Road. The article concludes by stressing that absolute certainty is elusive but that a careful synthesis of epigraphic, literary and numismatic data favours a start date in the early second century CE.
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Conclusion
The article concludes that Kanishka’s era most plausibly began around 120–130 CE. Although discrepancies among sources remain, the weight of combined evidence suggests a second‑century date rather than 78 CE. Recognising this has implications for dating Buddhist councils, Gandhāran art and the chronology of Central Asian interactions.