Ancient Indian Colonies in the Far East (Vol. I: Champa; Vol. II: Suvarnadvipa) v2.c13.s1.87

v2.c13.s1.87

But that Buddhism soon made its influence felt in Java, appears clearly from the story of Guṇavarman, preserved in ‘Kao seng tchouan’ or ‘Biography of famous monks’, compiled in A. D. 519¹. Guṇavarman (K’icou-na-pa-mo), grandson of Haribhadra (Ho-li-pa-t’o), and son of Saṅghānanda (Seng-kia-a-nan), belonged to the royal family of Ki-pin (Kashmir or Kapiśā i.e. modern Afghanistan). He was of a religious mood from his very boyhood. When he was thirty years old, the king of Ki-pin died without issue, and the throne was offered to him. But he rejected the offer and went to Celyon. Later he proceeded to Java ( Chö-p’o ). During the night preceding his arrival, the mother of the king of Java saw in a dream that a monk was coming to Java in a sailing vessel. Guṇavarman arrived in the morning, and the queen-mother was converted to Buddhism. Gradually the king, too, was persuaded by his mother to adopt the same faith. At this time Java was attacked by hostile troops. The king asked Guṇavarman, whether it would be contrary to Buddhist law, if he fought against his enemy. Guṇavarman replied that it was the duty of everybody to punish the robbers. The king then went to fight and obtained a great victory. Gradually the Buddhist religion was spread throughout the kingdom. The king now wished to take to the life of a monk, but was dissuaded from this course by his ministers, on the express condition, that henceforth no living creatures should be killed throughout the length and breadth of the country.