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The India ~ China Connection |
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by Radha Banerji "It was the period which offered Buddhism favourable
opportunities to spread far and wide beyond the geographical frontiers
of India. King Kanishka and his successors who ruled during the early centuries
of the Christian era and were eclectic in their religious outlook extended
their patronage to all the religions that flourished in their kingdom.
Among these religions Buddhism was the most prominent one. Kanishka was
a great patron of Mahayana Buddhism. As a result of this, Buddhism in general
and Mahayana Buddhism in special could spread without any obstacle in his
vast kingdom comprising India, Afghanistan, Bactria and also certain parts
of Xinjiang (Chinese Turkestan), viz. Kashgar,
Yarkhand and Khotan. Kanishka’s reign was an active force for the dissemination
of Buddhism in Afghanistan and Central Asia." Source
"In popular Indian cosmography Mt. Sumeru a magnificient mountain of gold and gems shaped like a cup or the seed vessel of the lotus, was believed to form the centre of the world, where all the planets revolved around it. On each face of this mountain a regent of the four quarters resided, and at the summit was the heaven of Brahma, and meeting place of the gods. This system was assimilated into Buddhism, where it later became part of the symbolic Triloka (three worlds) composing the Buddhist universe. The four regents were absorbed into the Buddhist pantheon to become important guardians of the faith. The fragments of the Bharhut railing dating around the middle of the 2nd B.C. indicate that their statue as Buddhist guardians was established atPainting of Mount Meru found in Buddhist that time. The protectors of the Four regions appear there ivariably as warrior longs arravyed in gorgeous dress and armour and accompanied by supporters symbolising the hosts of Yaksa, or demons, over whom they rule according to Indian notion." "The guardian monarchs of the four quarters (Tian Wang) are among the most widely known supernatural figures in Buddhist art of China. Sir Aurel Stein in his earliest finds in Chinese Turkestan found the stucco figure of Kubera in Dandan Uliq which shows him accountrad in elaborate scale armour and with his feet on a crouching demon without any trace of Chinese influence in the treatment and again the four Lokapala statues at the entrance of Rawak Vihara of Khotan are in Gandharan tradition. The worship of these god became very popular in Chinese Buddhism during the Tang period. Earlier they occur in the rock curvings of Yungang and Longmen. The Tang Lokapalas are represented as warriors as they are supposed to guard the temple as well as the terristial." Source |
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| Pyramids in China - Great White Pyramid
The pyramids of China are approximately 100 ancient mounds, many of which were used for burial. Most of them are located within 100 kilometers of the city of Xi'an, around Xianyang, on the Qin Chuan Plains in the Shaanxi Province, central China. |
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