History of Kanauj to the Moslem Conquest c13.s3.34

c13.s3.34

It would be evident from the above extracts that Buddhism, Brahmanism, and Jainism were the principal religions in Harṣa’s empire. Of these the last was not so popular excepting in certain parts, viz., Vaisali, Puṇḍravardhana and Samataṭa, where the Digambaras were numerous. These along with the Svetāmbaras or Svetapaṭas, as Bāṇa calls them, formed the two great sections of the Jaina community. To Yuan Chwang, who mostly saw things through Buddhist spectacles, the religion of the Enlightened One appeared to be in quite a flourishing condition, although it had suffered decline in several localities like Kosambi, Srāvasti, and Vaisali. The monastic establishments, whose very existence depended upon the support and charity of the laity, were the centres of Buddhist life and activity. Of the two broad divisions of Buddhism, Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna, the former seems to have considerably gained ground. We must, however, be extremely cautious in accepting the figures supplied by Yuan Chwang, as it is very doubtful if a proper census of the adherents of the rival religions was ever taken; and moreover the accuracy of his information is marred by such vague statements as “myriad Brethren,” “some tens,” “few,” or “several thousands in number.” The pilgrim further says in his general description of India that there were 18 schools of Buddhism, which differed widely in their practices and claimed intellectual superiority over one another¹.