History of Kanauj to the Moslem Conquest c13.s1: Section A. Assembly at Kanauj
History of Kanauj to the Moslem Conquest c13.s1
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Section A. Assembly at Kanauj
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¹ This account is mainly based on the *Si-yu-ki* and the *Life*.
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Great as was Harṣa as a ruler and conqueror, he was greater still in the arts of peace, which “hath her victories no less renowned than war.” One of the latter class of events was the convocation of a grand assembly at Kānyakubja to give the utmost publicity to, and exhibit the refinements of, the doctrines of the Mahāyāna, which had captured the imagination of Harṣa on account of its lucid exposition by the illustrious pilgrim. He, therefore, sent “an order throughout the different kingdoms that all the disciples of the various schools should assemble in the town of Kānyakubja to investigate the treatise of the Master of the Law, of China.”² Harṣa marched from his camp with his accustomed pomp and pageantry along the southern bank of the Ganges, accompanied by Yuan Chwang and an enormous multitude; while his chief friend and ally Bhāskara-varman, king of Assam, kept pace with him on the opposite bank. Advancing up the river in battle array with their staff and soldiers the two kings arrived at the rendezvous *viz*., Kanauj, in the course of ninety days when the second month of spring was passing.¹ On arrival they found there were already present for their reception “kings of eighteen countries of the Five Indias;² three thousand priests thoroughly acquainted with the Great and Little vehicle, besides about three thousand Brahmans and Nirgranthas and about a thousand priests of the Nalanda monastery.”³ Harṣa had previously ordered two thatched halls, each capable of seating one thousand persons,⁴ to be erected at the place of the assembly for the accommodation of the vast concourse, and also a precious tower, about 100 feet high, in the middle of which was placed a golden statue of the Buddha, “of the same height as the king himself.”⁵ The proceedings of the assembly were opened by a huge and solemn procession starting from the king’s resting-hall (palace of travel), constructed for the occasion, and the main object of attraction was a golden statue of the Buddha, about three feet high, which was carried on a gorgeously caparisoned elephant. This was accompanied by Harṣa in person, who attired as the god Śakra held a precious canopy or cowrie, whilst his friend and ally, Kumārarāja, was also in attendance with a white parasol in the guise of the god Brahmā.⁶ Each of the two kings had an escort of two harnessed elephants, laden with jewels and flowers,⁷ while the Master of the Law and the chief state-officials were severally mounted on a great elephant. There were, moreover, three hundred other great elephants reserved for the princes, ministers, and chief priests of the different countries who rode in double file on each side of the procession course.¹ As the procession wended its way Harṣa scattered on every side pearls, gold, and silver flowers, and various precious substances in honour of the three objects of worship—the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. On reaching their destination Śīlāditya first washed the image at the altar, and then himself bore it on his shoulder to the western tower, where he offered to it thousands of silken garments embroidered with gems.² Then in order were allowed to enter the Hall the princes of the eighteen countries, one thousand renowned priests, and five hundred distinguished Brahmans and heretics with two hundred great ministers of the different kingdoms, while the unbelievers and secular people were seated outside the gate of the hall.³ These ceremonies were followed by a public dinner, of which all the people present, within and without, partook. This being over, Harṣa opened the conference by inviting the Chinese pilgrim to take his seat as "Lord of the discussion."⁴ Yuan Chwang began the proceedings by dwelling on the merits of the "Great Vehicle," and having fixed a subject for discussion he called upon Ming-hien, a shaman of the
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² *Life*, p. 176.
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¹ Beal, I, p. 218; *Life*, p. 176. According to the *Life* they reached the rendezvous “in the beginning of the last month of the year” (*Life*, p. 176).
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² *Life*, p. 177. The *Si-yu-ki* states that there were kings of twenty countries present (Beal, I, p. 218).
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³ *Life*, p. 177.
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⁴ Ibid.
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⁵ Beal, I, p. 218.
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⁶ Ibid., *Life*, p. 177.
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⁷ *Life*, pp. 177-78. According to the *Si-yu-ki* the escort
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¹ *Life*, p. 178. The *Si-yu-ki* says: "In front and behind the statue of the Buddha went one hundred great elephants, carrying musicians, who sounded their drums and raised their music" (Beal, I, pp. 218-19).
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² Beal, I, p. 219. According to the *Life* (p. 178) "the king and the Master of the Law, in succession, presented it with offerings."
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³ *Life*, p. 178.
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⁴ *Ibid.*
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consisted of five hundred war elephants clad in armour. (Beal, I, p. 218).
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Nalanda monastery, to give his discourse. The Master of the Law, anticipating Martin Luther, announced the subject to the assembled people by a placard nailed outside the hall, which stated: "If there is any one who can find a single word in the proposition contrary to reason, or is able to entangle (the argument) then at the request of the opponent, I offer my head as a recompense."¹ There was none to take up the challenge and Yuan Chwang remained in undisputed possession of the field until night, when very well satisfied at the event Harṣa retired with others, having declared the assembly adjourned. The next morning they again escorted the image as before, and thus five days elapsed when the "unbelievers of the Little Vehicle," mortified at the overthrow of their system of beliefs, entered into a conspiracy to take the life of the Chinese pilgrim. Scenting that his celebrated guest's life was in danger at the hand of theological rivals, the royal patron at once issued a threatening proclamation that "if any one should hurt or touch the Master of the Law, he shall be forthwith beheaded; and whoever speaks against him, his tongue shall be cut out; but all those who desire to profit by his instruction, relying on my goodwill, need not fear this manifesto."² This stern announcement had the desired effect; and we are frankly told by the pilgrim's biographer that "from this time the followers of error withdrew and disappeared, so that when eighteen days had passed there had been no one to enter on the discussion.”¹
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¹ *Life*, p. 179. It appears that such a formula was a part of the tradition of these public disputations. We may, as an instance, also cite the challenge issued by "a heretic of the 'Shun-si' sect (Lokātiya)" to the monks of Nalanda: "If anyone within can refute these principles, I will then give my head as a proof of his victory" (*Life*, p. 161). Yuan Chwang emerged triumphant from the discussion, but instead of demanding the head of his vanquished opponent he made him his disciple (*Ibid.*, pp. 161-64).
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² *Life*, p. 180.
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¹ *Ibid.*
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Thus though according to the *Life* the programme was gone through successfully to the utter confusion of all heretics and the joy of the Mahāyānists, the account preserved in the *Si-yu-ki* avers that the convocation terminated by startling incidents. It is stated that on the day of separation a great fire suddenly broke out in the tower and the pavilion over the gate of the hall erected at an immense cost. They were partly destroyed by the flames; when at the prayerful intervention of the king the fire was extinguished and the smoke disappeared making pious hearts thereby recognise a miracle.² Harṣa then ascended the top of the great tower in company with the assembled kings to survey the scene. As he was coming down the steps a fanatical heretic, knife in hand, suddenly tried to attack him. The attempt, however, was frustrated by the alertness of the king, who promptly seized the culprit. The princely train demanded the would-be assassin’s immediate death, but Harṣa, instead of giving any such decree, with unruffled countenance questioned his assailant about his intentions. At the royal interrogation the criminal openly confessed, “Great king! you have assembled the people of different countries, and exhausted your treasury in offerings to the Śramaṇas, and cast a metal image of Buddha; but the heretics who have come from a distance *have scarcely been spoken to*. Their minds, therefore, have been affected with resentment, and they procured me, wretched man that I am! to undertake this unlucky deed.”³ Five hundred Brahmans, “all of singular talent,” were then arrested on the strength of this confession, and being “straitly questioned” by the king they admitted that, inspired by jealousy against the Śramaṇas, whom he “had reverenced and exceedingly honoured,” they had fired the tower by shooting into it burning arrows, and had purposed to kill him in the resulting confusion. Their attempt having miscarried, they had hired this miscreant to lay in wait for the king in a narrow passage to assassinate him.¹ Although the ministers and the kings “demanded the extermination of the heretics”, Harṣa punished only the alleged principals in the plot, sending the five hundred Brahmans into exile and extending his royal mercy to the rest.
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² Beal, I, p. 219.
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³ Beal, I, p. 221.
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¹ *Ibid.*
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Whichever of the two accounts may be true, it is certain that the victory of Yuan Chwang in this assembly of public disputation considerably enhanced his prestige and influence over Harṣa, who reverencing him more than ever, lavishly bestowed on him 10,000 pieces of gold, 30,000 pieces of silver, and 100 garments of superior cotton. All the princes of the eighteen kingdoms, moreover, presented him with rare jewels.² But the generosity of the royal patrons was baffled by the extreme abnegation of the pilgrim, who in a rare but truly religious spirit declined to accept any of these gifts. Harṣa then requested the Master of the Law to mount a great elephant and go round the city in company with the ministers of state, so that proclamation might be made among the crowds that “he had established the standard of right doctrine, without gainsaying.”³ Yuan Chwang with his usual modesty desired to waive this mark of distinction, but the king said, “it has ever been the custom, the matter cannot be passed over.”
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² *Life*, p. 180.
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³ *Ibid.*
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Accordingly it was proclaimed throughout Kanauj that “the Master of the Law from the kingdom of China has established the principles of the Great Vehicle and overthrown all opposing doctrines; for eighteen days no one has dared to enter on the discussion.”¹ The whole multitude was immensely delighted by his success; some designated him “Mahāyāna Deva,” whilst others called him “Mokṣa Deva.”²
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¹ Ibid., p. 181.
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² Ibid.