Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c18.s3.98

c18.s3.98

Kanishka's fame rests not so much on his conquests, as on his patronage of the religion of Śākyamuni. Numismatic evidence and the testimony of the Peshāwar Casket inscriptions show that he actually became a convert to Buddhism possibly at the commencement of his reign, if not earlier. He showed his zeal for his faith by building the celebrated relic tower and Saṅghārāma at Purushapura or Peshāwar which excited the wonder of Chinese and Muslim travellers.² He convoked the last great Buddhist council which was held in Kaśmīra or Jālandhar.³ But though a Buddhist, the Kushān monarch continued to honour the Greek, Sumerian, Elamite, Mithraic, Zoroastrian and Hindu gods worshipped in the various provinces of his far-flung empire.⁴ The court of Kanishka was adorned by Pārśva, Vasumitra, Aśvaghosha,¹ Charaka, Nāgārjuna,² Saṁgharaksha, Māṭhara, Agesilaos the Greek and other worthies who played a leading part in the religious, literary, scientific, philosophical and artistic activities of the reign. Excavations at Māt near Mathurā have disclosed a life-size statue of the great king.³