Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s1.t4.3

v1.c7.s1.t4.3

*Bstan pa snga* started from King Songtsan Gampo (the middle 7th century CE) and ended in the period of Gldarma banning Buddhism (the middle 9th century CE) and it lasted for about 200 years, entering into a golden period of Buddhism spreading to Tibet and evolving into Tibetan Buddhism. In the 8th century CE, Tibet sent envoy to India to invite eminent monks such as *Santiraksita/zhi ba vtsho* (the 8th century CE), *pad ma vbyung gnas* (the 8th century CE), Bimalamitra (the 8th century CE) and Kamalashila (740-795 CE) to build temples, form monk groups, translate Sanskrit scriptures and teach