History of Indian and Eastern Architecture v1.c8.s8.6

v1.c8.s8.6

The history of this dynasty is more than usually interesting for our purposes, as it embraces nearly the whole period during which Buddhism reigned almost supreme in India. It became a State religion, it is true, somewhat earlier under Asoka, but there is no reason for believing that the Vedic religion or Brahmanism then vanished. During four or five centuries, however, after the Asoka Era we have not a trace of a Hindû building or cave, and, so far as any material evidence goes, it seems that Buddhism at the time was the predominant religion of the land. It is not, of course, to be supposed that the Hindû cult was wholly obliterated, but it was dormant, and in abeyance, and, to use a Buddhist expression, the yellow robes shone over the length and breadth of the land.