Lord Buddha in the Cult of Lord Jagannath

June - 2014 Odisha Review Lord Buddha in the Cult of Lord Jagannath Abhimanyu Dash he Buddhist origin of Lord Jagannath was (4) At present an image of Buddha at Ellora Tfirst propounded by General A. Cunningham is called Jagannath which proves Jagannath and which was later on followed by a number of Buddha are identical. scholars like W.W.Hunter, W.J.Wilkins, (5) The Buddhist celebration of the Car R.L.Mitra, H.K. Mahatab, M. Mansingh, N. K. Festival which had its origin at Khotan is similar Sahu etc. Since Buddhism was a predominant with the famous Car Festival of the Jagannath cult. religion of Odisha from the time of Asoka after (6) Indrabhuti in his ‘Jnana Siddhi’ has the Kalinga War, it had its impact on the life, referred to Buddha as Jagannath. religion and literature of Odisha. Scholars have (7) There are similar traditions in Buddhism made attempt to show the similarity of Jagannath as well as in the Jagannath cult. Buddhism was cult with Buddhism on the basis of literary and first to discard caste distinctions. So also there is archaeological sources. They have put forth the no caste distinction in the Jagannath temple at the following arguments to justify the Buddhist origin time of taking Mahaprasad. This has come from of Lord Jagannath. the Buddhist tradition. (1) In their opinion the worship of three (8) On the basis of the legend mentioned in symbols of Buddhism, Tri-Ratna such as the the ‘Dathavamsa’ of Dharmakirtti of Singhala, Buddha, the Dhamma (Dharma) and the Sangha scholars say that a tooth of Buddha is kept in the body of Jagannath. The image of Jagannath which denotes to the worship of Trimurti of the contains a mysterious substance thickly padded Jagannath cult, i.e. Jagannath, Balabhadra and in silk and replaced in the new image at the time Subhadra. of Navakalevara is taken as the tooth relic of Buddha. (2) The old Pali literature refers to Lord Jagannath. (9) There is a legend centering round the incomplete figure of Buddha at Bodhagaya which (3) In Buddhism, Dharma is considered as has similarity with the incomplete image of female and in Tri-Ratna, She is regarded as sister Jagannath. which is very similar to the worship of Subhadra (10) In Odia literature Lord Buddha has been as the sister of Jagannath. accepted as an incarnation of Vishnu instead of 85 Odisha Review June - 2014 Jagannath. Jayadeva, an Odia poet of 12th century ancient time which may not necessarily allude to has described Buddha as the incarnation of Lord the image of Jagannath at Puri. Further, Jagannath Jagannath. Later on, Sarala Das, Achyutananda has also been variantly used as an adjective to Das, Divakara Das, Balaram Das, Jagannath Das suggest the higher status of any God or even a and Sikhara Das have accepted Buddha instead king. As such, the word Jagannath in this context of Jagannath as the ninth incarnation of Lord in no way justifiably be associated with the Vishnu. Jagannath of Puri. On the basis of the above arguments it (3) Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha are Tri- will be difficult to conclude that the cult of Ratnas of Buddhism. Dhamma is considered as Jagannath originated from Buddhism. The female. Tri-Ratna emblems of Buddhism are following counter arguments can be taken as the found at Sanchi. General A. Cunninghham has basic points to reject the cult of Jagananth identified Dhamma with Subhadra of Jagannath originated from Buddhism. triad. But there is no similarity of Dhamma symbol (1) The identification of three images of the of Sanchi with Subhadra of Jagannath temple at Jagannath temple, Puri with Buddhist Trinity or Puri. Dhamma of Sanchi has hands whereas Tri-Ratna is not acceptable because the actual Subhadra has no hands. So it is difficult to identify number of images in the temple are not three but Dhamma of Buddhism with Subhadra of four namely Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra Jagannathism. and Sudarsana described in the Agni Purana, (4) Calling the image of Buddha as Jagannath Padma Purana, Brahma Purana, Narada Purana at Ellora does not mean Buddha and Jagannath and Skanda Purana as ‘Chaturddhamurti’. are identical. The sculptures at Ellora flourished Further, if the number of images are actually three during the rule of the Guptas. Though Guptas instead of four that can not constitute an argument revived Brahminical Hinduism yet they respected worth the name in support of the thesis that the the deities of other religions like Jainism and emblems are Buddhistic. In the Hindu or Buddhism. At Ellora one finds coexistence of Brahmanical traditions there are several groups sculptures relating to Buddhism and Hinduism. of three such as Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesvara; This assimilation of cults and coexistence of Rama, Laksmana, Sita; Krishna, Balarama and sculptures might have led the people to mistakenly Subhadra. So, there can not be any valid reasons call the image of Buddha as Jagannath at Ellora. as to why the three incomplete images are to be It is not a matter of surprise to link one image of a taken Buddha, Dharma (Dhamma) and Sangha cult with that of the other. For example, the image or the Tri-Ratna of Buddhism. of Mahavir Jaina of Jainism at the Beherana In addition to these, the Buddhists do not Dwara (gate) of the Jagamohan of the Jagannath refer about the images of Laksmi, Goddess Earth, temple of Puri is very often called as Mahavir Madhava etc. which are a part of the seven Hanuman of Hinduism by some people. In similar images besides the four. Thus all the deities way the image of Buddha at Ellora might be called worshipped in Ratna Simhasana of the Jagannath as Jagannath. temple, Puri are seven instead of Tri-Ratna of (5) The evidence of the Car Festival to prove Buddhism. that the Car Festival of Puri is an imitation of the (2) The word Jagannath has different Car Festival of Lord Buddha at Khotan has no connotations in the Pali literature of Buddhism in base at all because the chariots were in use since 86 June - 2014 Odisha Review the time of Vedic and Upanishadic periods. In Puranas. Buddhist might have been influenced Atharva Veda, there are references as to how the by such a catholic Hindu practice rather than Gods were coming down by chariots. Attempt Buddhism influencing the cult of Jagannath. The has been made by some scholars to link Ratha practice of taking Mahaprasada regardless of Yatra of Puri with the Buddhist Car Festival held caste distinctions can not prove the Buddhist at Khotan which is described by Fahien. origin of Jagannath cult. It is mentioned in the The Car Festival is the source of Puranas and the Tantric texts that Mahaprasada amusement of all over the world. It would is to be taken regardless of caste or sex. Those therefore, be erroneous to link the festival of one Puranas are Padma Purana, Visnu Purana, place with that of the other. For instance, Bhavisya Purana, Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Bhubaneswar celebrates Ratha Yatra (Rukuna Varaha Purana, Garuda Purana and the Tantric Ratha) festival in honour of Lord Lingaraj. texts like the Brahmayamala and Rudrayamala. Likewise a Car Festival is performed in Konark. (8) The Buddhist legend suggesting that a Undoubtedly, each Ratha Yatra has its own tooth of Buddha was kept inside the body of individuality and origin. It thus logically follows Jagannath has no basis. That a Buddhist monk that the Ratha Yatra of Jagannath at Puri should named Ksematthera presented a tooth of Buddha not be considered to have Buddhist origin. to the king of Kalinga who built a stupa for its (6) The Dhauli region of Odisha was once a worship has also no historical basis and is not Buddhist centre particularly after the Kalinga War supported by any other evidence. Even of Ashoka. It is therefore, likely that Buddhism H.K.Mahatab, a staunch supporter of the might have exercised some influence over the cult Buddhist origin theory does not even accept the of Jagannath. Possibly, there arose a conflict story since it has no historical base. Further, the between the Buddhists and the Hindus in the 7th Buddhist tradition also prescribes that no symbol or 8th century as a result of which Indrabhuti, a of Sakya Muni is to be worshipped secretly. Buddhist of Sambalpur region effected a Apparently, there is no relation of this story with compromise by using the epithet Jagannath as a the development of the cult of Jagannath. synonym of Buddha in his work ‘Jnana Siddhi’. Moreover, the Nabhi Brahma of Jagannath, This religious conflict between Hinduism and rescued by Bisara Mohanty from the attack of Buddhism is evident in the Bhaskaresvar temple Kala Pahada is not to be confused with tooth. in Bhubaneswar where a huge Buddhist Ashokan This Nabhi Brahma transferred by the Daitas on pillar is converted into Sivalinga which is still the occasion of the Nava Kalevara festival is never worshipped today. So Indrabhuti might have called a tooth. made a compromise between Buddhism and Again, some of the temple ministrants are Hinduism through his writing which seems to be of the opinion that the sacred objects inside the an influence of Buddhism over Jagannath cult. Vigrahas are not bones but Tantric yantras with (7) Buddhism is sectless or castelessness the Salagramasila. It will be too hazardous to take appears to be wrong. Lord Buddha, desired to them as tooth relics of Buddha. In the Hindu be born in a higher caste family as is cited in the Dharma Sastras, the worship of bone is not ‘Lalitavistara’.

Load more