Orissa Review

The Shadow of Buddhism on the Culture

Sunil K. Patnaik

Orissa was a cradle land of Buddhism at least Mahyamika and Upagupta popularized the school from the day’s of Emperor Asoka in 3rd century of Sravastivada, an important sub-sect of B.C. It is a well known fact in the Indian historical Theravada Buddhism in Kalinga1. Thus, science that the great Mauryan Emperor Asoka Buddhism in Kalinga received a new spirit under had undertaken Kalinga War and that became the rule of Asoka and assumed a pre-eminent the turning point in his career position among other and embraced Buddhism religions. Buddhism became soon after the war. The state religion from the time of remarkable archaeological Asoka. remains, as we know from the The story of Buddhism ruins of Dhauli and Jaugada in shape of Asokan edicts and continued to be thrived in rock-cut elephant (at Dhauli Kalinga after Asoka up to the near Bhubaneswar) speaks late medieval period. The about the metropolis of Tosali early Buddhist literature and the people of Kalinga suggests that the primary (then known Orissa). abode of Mahasanghikas in Emperor Asoka, made his the eastern region was Vaisali. earnest effort to preach They spread to Magadha and Buddhism in Kalinga. He sent travelled to Andhra regions a number of Buddhist scholars enroute Kalinga. In course of for propagation of religion in this migration, they also made 2 Kalinga. Tissa, the brother of their settlements in Kalinga . Asoka did choose Kalinga for Archaeological excavations his retirement in the at Salihundam, Sankaram, Bhojakagiri Vihara along with Buddha images in Madhav Temple, Ramatirtham (all are now in Dharmarakhita-the great Prachi Vally coastal Andhra) were part of propagator of Buddhism of ancient Kalinga shows the western India. The Mahasanghika Acharya Buddhist establishments were started during this Mahadeva also made his several visits to Kalinga. period. Recent Excavations at Lalitgiri (Cuttack Dhatika, the spiritual successor of both District), Langudi, Kayama, Tarapur, Kankia

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(Radhanagar), Udayagiri (Jajpur District), laid Nariso, Astaranga etc. Here, found the genesis bare early Buddhist settlements dating back to of Buddhism in the tradition of Jagannath. 3rd-2nd century B.C and continued to survive with 3 Buddhism was flourished tremendously all flourishing manner till 12-13th century A.D . under the Bhauma Rule or the Bhaumakara Sadharmapundrika Sutram generally believed Dynasty ( C.736 to 910 A.D). Buddhism got as a Mahayana text of early Christian Era speaks royal patronage and became the state religion about Viraja as a sacred land of Buddha during the period. Buddhism was under steady Padmaprabha. Several copper plate grants and decline during the rule of Somavamsis, Imperial inscriptions like Asanpat stone inscriptions, Gangas and Gajapatis (10th century to 16th century Neulapur copper plate grant, Ratnagiri copper A.D), but mingled with prevailing religious trend plate grant etc, mention about establishment of that is Vaisnavism and Jagannthism. The shadow Viharas and extended donations to Buddhist could be felt even now in the prevailing tradition establishments during historical period. In one of of Shree Jagannath Cult of Orissa. the copper plate of Gopachandra speaks that the students of Buddhist Monasteries (Viharas) were In fact, the traditions of Sri Jagannath has also practicing the and Smirit-Sastras apart its deep root as pre -Aryan or un-Aryan or Tribal from the Buddhist philosophy. So it is evident features. In the remote past, at the earliest phase, that during 5th-6th centuries A.D, there exists full the God represented a simple form of tree worship co-operation, harmony and tolerance among the or it may be that he was worshipped in the form different groups of preceptors4. of a wooden deity by aboriginal Savaras in Eastern India. Orissa was continued to be a tribal Hiuen Tsang—the great Chinese scholar dominated area for long period at least up to early pilgrim visited Orissa in about 639 A.D. His medieval period. We have references in Emperor accounts described in Si-Yu-Ki, says that Asoka's Edict (3rd C. BC) as well as in various Buddhism was in a flourishing state in the country. literatures. We believe that there must be He mentions about some hundred Asokan Tope, somewhere in ancient Orissa, wood or tree Sangharama, Puspagiri (Pu-se-po-ki-li), where worship (Daru) was in vogue at least up to 3rd an Asokan Stupa emits bright light. Puspagiri was century A.D.7 Scholars like B M Padhi, S.N a great centre of learning. He also mentions about Rajguru (1996) have focused Jagannath’s origin, a city called Che-li-ta-lo which is restored as again, in relation to the Sabara tribes of South Caritrapura. This was a sea side place where Orissa. K C Mishra (1971), A Eschman, (1978), merchants come and go and stop here on their came forward with the discovery of several way. Here are found all sorts of rare and precious peculiar relations between Jagannath cult and articles5. Scholars like G.Waddel suggest the word religious practice of the Sabaras (Tribals) of to be Chitrotpala. A.Cunningham suggests that Orissa8. So also the mighty river Mahanadi has Cheli-ta-lo is Charitrapura identified with modern provided a link with Rajim and Sirpur, the ancient Puri. Rhys Davids and other scholars like K.S (8th-9thcentury A.D) the seat of Vaishnava cult Behera also supported this theory6. As far as our developed under Sarabhapuryias and study goes the Charitrapura must be modern Puri, Panduvamsis whose close link down Sonepur and of course, more serious research is required. Boudh area throws some light on it. Here, the Because, number of early historical remains King of Sambala, Indrabhuti, the famous preacher encountered on the coastal line from Manikapatna, of Vajrayana compared Buddha with Lord Baliharachandi, Puri, Belesvara, Ramachandi, Jagannath by saluting both the Gods in his Khalkatapatna, Badatara, Chitreswari, Kuruma, Gayanasiddhi –a text of 8th century9.

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“Pranipatya Jagannatham Sarvajina bararchitam Dasavatara and the great poet of this time Jayadev Sarva budhamayamsiddhi byapinam Gaganopam” describe in Gita- Buddha as Jaganntha Puri emerges as a tirtha having pan- which reflected in the temple sculptural description Indian character since early part of 12th century of Jagannath Temple Puri and Madhava temple A.D., with the increasing process of ritual at Madhav in Prachi valley. royalization of the deity Lord Jagannath. Among Again, Jagannath consciousness was the prominent gods extensively portrayed in renewed and reached at its climax particularly Puranic mythology as being instrumental in tirtha Vaisnavism with the Bhakti movement of Sri formation were Visnu, Siva and Sakti/. It may Chaitanya.15 Further, on the principle of Prema be pointed out that in his milder and more Bhakti or devotion by was made only the popular aspects portrayed through his numerous path to attain Mukti and became the cult of mass incarnations, particularly those having tribal or and thus the Jagannatha as preceptor of love was pastoral affiliations, such as Narasimha, Krisna, spread over Orissa, Bengal and Assam. , Dattatreya, Purusottama, From first part of 16th country the pilgrim Venkatesvara etc., naturally bore closer affinity movement to Puri was grown and it becames the to those native groups that originally subscribed 10 epi-centre of Vaisnava cult in the whole of eastern to those cults . India. The rituals like Nagar Kirtan brought the It was during 12th century A.D, that the medium for popularization of Jagannath cult and temple town Puri might have assumed the greatest rested deep in to heart and mind of the common prominence under the rule of of Imperial Gangas people. All along with this movement, again in 16th (C.1078-1435 A.D). The present magnificent century the works of Pancha Sakhas like Balaram temple of Purusottama-Jagannath was Das, Ananta Das, Achyuta Das, constructed during this period. It is mentioned in Jagannath Das and Jossabanta Das revealed the an inscription in the temple Garttesvara (Siva) at gospel of devotion based on knowledge and Yoga Alagum, about 15 km from Sakhigopal that in preference to the doctrine of emotional love Chodaganga seems to have invited some selected and faith as professed by Gaudiya Vaisnavas. By Brahmana Pandits or Vaisnavas from Kanchi and the way, numerous traditions and cultural synthesis settled near Puri, for propagation of Dvaita- were taken place in the Jagannath cult starting philosophy. 11 from Vedas, Jainism, Buddhism, Saivism Saktasm Sri Jagannath temple was more organized and finally Vaisnavism. The shadow could be felt during the rule of Anangabhima III (1211-1238). on the rituals, traditions, festivals and on the It was this king who regarded Purusottama as temple art and architecture. real Emperor, himself being his representative. He After the death of Buddha the Buddhist used the title Paramabhattaraka, followers were divided into broad sections, i.e. Purusottamaputra, and Durgaputra12. the Sthaviras or Theravadins and the Madalapanji also states that this king introduced Mahasamghikas or Achariyavadins. The Sthaviras 36 types of duties for Sevakas, known as were ardent supporters and preachers of Nirvana, Chatisanijoga, and Panda system as tirtha faithful followers of Buddha’s teachings, gurus. The other Ganga kings like Bhanudeva-I, worshippers of Dharma and loyal to the Samgha. Narasimhadeva-II, Bhanudeva-II had made all Milinda Panho dealt with Nirvana, Asvaghosa efforts to make Puri as chief religious centre.13 in his Saundarananda compared Nirvana with Here again we find Buddha was included in the the putting out of a lamp. But, the new entrants to

July - 2011 111 Orissa Review the Buddhist religion tried to introduce changes The Buddhists who voiced the idea of in the food habits, behavioural patterns, morality, Mahayana narrated the story of the earlier births marriage laws, etc. in lieu of Nirvana. From this of Buddha. In those births Buddha is said to have time probably, they took fascination in magical preached love and affection as a Bodhisattva. In performances. order to remove ignorance from this world he is said to have taken recourse to meditation. The Buddhist God Avalokitesvara was Bodhisattva tried to spread religious ideas in this conceived as fully compassionate and utterly self- world and for this he had to sacrifice him for the sacrificing. In his attitude developed the eternal growth of humanity. From this point of view if we forgiveness. He was required to be worshipped look at the system of Lord Jagannatha, then we as the god embodiment of endless forgiveness and will find that, He is not like other gods of the Hindu compassion till the world is freed from sorrow. pantheon. He is expressed in a simple and happy Avlokitesvara decided that he will not attain form symbolized with austere thoughts and is Nirvana till a single person in the world remained widely known as Patitapavana, i.e the saviour without being freed. It is known from the of the downtrodden. This is the special quality of Karandavyuha that before Avalokitesvara the Boddhisattva in the Buddhist thought. attained Nirvana or mingled with Sunya he In the Mahayanic branch of Buddhism intended to impart religious preaching to his there is a section known as Mantrayana. In the worshippers, devotees, admirers, subjects and same Mantra, Mudra, Mandala and Dharani or children in the form of Siva, Ganesa, King, father the repeated utterances of mantra alongwith the and mother. The Jagannatha trinity is worshipped Vijamantra is included. This is the beginning of in the form of Visnu, Siva, Ganesa, King, etc. on the tantric worship in the Buddhist religion. In the various different occasions. Besides, the Oriya worship of Jagannatha Mantra, Mandala, Mudra nation considers Jagannatha as its father or and Vijamantra are usually used. But the presence guardian. From this it can be felt that this of Yoga, Samadhi and Dharani are not to be seen. philosophy of Avalokitesvara has been reflected It may be in a changed state that the worship in the Jagannath culture. pattern of Jagannatha has undergone a change. The followers of Avalokitesvara or his However, the above items go to a certain extent devotees got themselves prepared for enduring to prove that the Jagannatha probably in the initial stage belonged to the Mahayana cult. Again, sorrow of the subsequent births till the world is according to the nature of the Lord or Bhagavan free from sorrow and ignorance. From this point Sri-kala-cakra developed Vimala-Prabha. The onwards the idea of removing sorrow and worshipper bows down before the same as the ignorance, through a series of births or, so to say, embodiment of sunya. As per their nature, they in Navakalevaras occurred in the Buddhist represented the idea of nothingness. Wherever religion. If an analogy is drawn from the they appear they cause Sunya to be their prime Jagannatha cult, we find that Jagannatha comes factor. So there are four stages regarding the out each year from his sanctum on his way to appearance of the deities from the Sunya. The Gundichaghara with a view to free the sinner and first lays stress on the proper realization of Sunya. sufferers of this world devoted to him, particularly. The second connects the Vijaksara with the same. His car (Ratha) journey during Gundicha festival In the third is the connection of the image. Lastly performed after Navakalevara is very likely a comes the depiction of the outward appearance symbolic representation of this thought. of the deity. The Jagannatha and his trinity could

112 July - 2011 Orissa Review be considered from these points. According to the name of Vajra.The nature of this nothingness, the Pancha-karma, a work attributed to the if known as niratma or nairarma. Jagannatha, Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna, the Sunya is Balabhadra and could as well be divided into four sections. These sections are identified with the shapeless sunya images, i.e, stated as Sunya, Atisunya, Mahasunya and sunya, Vijnana and Mahasukha. Since no Sarvasunya. Sunya has been described in the proper evidence could be provided for the past Lalita Vistara and Panchakarma as knowledge and the future as in the case of the present so it and woman. Following this it will be proper to may be held that there can be no end to the consider Subhadra of the Jagannatha cult, as the continuous flow of consciousness and thought deity of nothingness or Sunya. Atisunya is taken process.That is called the indestructible science as the brightness or the abha- mandala. It dazzles like the moon-beam. Further , it is identified with or supreme knowledge. This philosophy as that of upaya, alokabhasa, sunya and atisunya. propounded by Maitreyanatha, probably This is also known as avidya (ajnana), provided a basis for the thought of a perpetual alokapalavdhi and svadhisthana citta. presence of Jagannatha. For the same, it is said Jagannath may be taken as symbolic at a later stage that Jagannatha or the embodying representation of this combination. Sarvasunya is image of all pervading thought is endless, and that itself dazzling. This is suddhajnana (pure is unending and much above destruction. It is said knowledge), sesasatya (the ultimate truth), in a much later modern version that Jagannatha aparivartaniya (un-changing), anakara does not cease to exist on the destruction of the (formless), advaita (undual), and avyakta temple and the image. (inexpressible). The existence and extinction of According to Vajrayana, recitation of this is not known. But sarvasunya is expressed through the presence and absence of its beginning, Dharanis brings indestructible merit (punya) to end, and the middle. There is no demotion or a person or he attains a fine personality through growth in it. It is both saguna (qualitative) and it. The sunya of Vajrayana remains far away from nirguna (non-qualitative). This may have been the earthly relations. It is un-involved like the ‘soul’ the representation of Sudarsana of the Jagannatha as mentioned in the Gita. In spite of the same the cult, Thus, the concept of Jagannatha may be symptoms or the colour in command, the feelings taken as the symbolic representation as ‘sunya- or the sufferings, the supreme knowledge chetana’ or the concept of nothingness. (Vijnana) attributed to five dhyani Buddhas of the Vajrayana cult is found implanted in the According to Yogachara philosophy of Vijnanavada of the Mahayanic Buddhism Jagannatha cult. Jagannath has the form; the propounded by Maitreya (C. 3rd Cen. A.D) sunya various festivals as functions, etc may be is attached with a particular consciousness. The considered to be his feelings and sufferings. He is Yogachara philosophy came into being from the present in the form of thought and in the worship concept of nothingness or sunya mingled with or purification (sanskara). He is also held as the supreme knowledge or conception of mind or consciousness (chetana) of all pervading Vijnana. After this the idea of Mahasukha was presence. In this consciousness there is accepted connected with the same. This was termed as widely in the human society. Similarly, in the image Vajrayana. The Nirvana of Vajrayana appeared concept, purificatory rites (samskara) etc. found from the combination of Sunya, Vijnana and related to Jagannatha cult, seem to have been Mahasukha. These three forms of Sunya go by connected with all types of human fascinations.

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In the worship pattern of the Vajrayana present in the Yogic speculation of Jagannath Cult, Buddhists there lays some sort of especially in where five out of the six plexuses (satcakra) of colours. In the same the white coloured full moon, the human body are presided over by five Devas, the colour of the full blown blue lotus and in viz. Ganesh, , , Visnu and Siva between then the presence of yellow coloured and the sixth one by Anadi, the analogue of Adi seeded incarnation (Vijamantra) ‘tam’ and its Buddha. The noticeable fact is that the five recitation is found applied to the invocation of Devas are represented with a number of Tara. The scholars also hold this that it is the accessories i.e, the divine Saktis, embodiment of the entire Vajrayana worship (mounts), Bijamantras, Colours, Karmas pattern. In the Jagannath culture the white coloured (Actions), Pranas and vital winds almost in the Balabhadra, yellow coloured Subhadra and the manner of five Tathagatas (Dhyani Buddhas); the black coloured Jagannath are strikingly similar to minor differences existing between the accessorial these Buddhist symbols. schemes of the Dhyani Buddhas and the Devas are probably due to the assimilative nature of the The theory of Dhyani Buddhas, Jagannath Cult itself. expounded in Tantric Buddhism, has found a striking exposition in “Visnugarbha Purana” of The message goes “Hatred never ceases Chaitanadasa, where it has been given a novel through hatred in this world: through love alone Vaisnavite setting.This great philosopher conceives they ceases. This is the eternal law”, reflected in of six Visnus, one of which known as Nirakar both Jagannathism and Buddhism. Visnu is characterized as the shapeless and References : figureless Sunya and hence, is the same as Vajrasattva, while the other five who are Mishra K.C., 1971, The Cult of Jagannath, Culcutta. emanations of Alekh Purusa, do undoubtedly Dash S.N, 2002, Jagannath Mandira O Jagannath resemble the five Dhyani Buddhas, i.e, Vairocana, Tattwa (Oriya), Cuttack, 5th Edn, Akssobha, Ratnasambhaba, Amitabha and Mishra S.K, Pratihari R.N, (ed.) 2009, Sri Jagannath Amoghasiddhi. The tradition about the position Chetanara Sastriya Vittibhumi, (Oriya) Puri. of the Panchadhyani Buddhas in the Mandalas Patnaik A.P, 2010, Mahadevata, (Oriya), Cuttack. and similar mystic diagrams is also found in literature. In the “Visnugarbha Purana” the six Das K.C, 2002, Sri Jagannath Chetanara Visnus including Nirakar Visnu are given similar Analocitadiga (Oriya), SJSU, Puri. positions in Sunya Mandal. Even the colour Kulke H. Schnepel B, 2001,Jagannath Revisited, New scheme found in the Buddhist pantheon is not Delhi. missed and in the manner of six Tathagatas these Patnaik, S.K., 2008, Puri-The Divine Destination, Puri, six Visnus are represented in different colours like white, yellow, saffron, red, blue and green. Moreover as the five Tathagatas have their respective Boddhisattvas, four of these Visnus Sunil Kumar Patnaik, Archaeologist, Secretary, Orissan have four of their own, who are credited Institute of Maritime and South-East Asian Studies, with the creation of 84 worlds. It may be pointed Department of Culture, Bhubaneswar, at present- E/63 out that the conception of five tathagatas is Srikhetra Colony Puri-2, [email protected]

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