Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s2.t15.6

v1.c7.s2.t15.6

Under the patronage of the Pāla rulers, Vikramaśīlā Mahāvihāra rose as the major centre for studies on Tantric Buddhism and its offshoots – Vajrayāṇa and Sahajayāna. Tantric Buddhism originated in India in between the 3ʳᵈ and 5ᵗʰ centuries CE but it flourished largely in Tibet, China and Central Asian countries. In Tibet, it was introduced by Indian scholar-monks like Śāntarakṣita (700-770 CE), Padmasambhava (720-800 CE) and Kamalśīla (720-790 CE). The close connection between Eastern India, Nepal, Tibet and China during this period has led scholars to believe that certain features of tāntrism had their sources in the trans-Himalayan region, particularly in North-Eastern India or on its borders. By 7th century CE, we have definite evidence of an active land route connecting Assam in Eastern India with South West China through the Patkai Hills and upper Myanmar. A reflection of this close connection could be easily found in the race for supremacy in Tibet among the followers of Ch’an meditational school of China and Indian Buddhism, dominated by miracles and magic during the rule of Dharmarāja khri-srong-Ide-btsan (755-797 CE). The race ended with the declaration of the Indian School of Buddhism as the state religion of Tibet by the Dharmarāja. This declaration marked a significant turning point in the dynamics of future cultural exchange between India, Tibet and China. Vikramaśīlā Mahāvihāra thus became the central place of India’s relationship with Tibet. It also became the centre for translating Buddhist texts into Tibetan. Many Buddhist scholar monks from Vikramaśīlā – namely – Sarvajñādeva Jinamitra, Dānaśīla, Dharmakāra, Tilopā, Nāropā and Atiśa went to Tibet. Among them Atiśa, also known as Dīpaṅkara Śrijñāna, was the most prominent. During his stay in Tibet from 1041-1054 CE, he reformed Tibetan Buddhism and composed the famous texts *Bodhi-patha-pradipa* and *Ekavira-Sādhana-nāmā*. The most popular face of his reform was the worship of Goddess Tārā.