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Its Influence in Spreading of Buddhism in Ancient Andhradesa

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Its Influence in Spreading of Buddhism in Ancient Andhradesa Role of Waterways in Social Mobility: Its Influence in Spreading of Buddhism in Ancient Andhradesa V. Ramabrahmam1 and Sivakumar Challa2 1. Department of History and Archaeology, Yogi Vemana University, Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, India (Email: [email protected]) 2. Archaeology Research Group, No. 282, New street, Tirupati, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, India (Email: [email protected]) Received: 10 September 2014; Accepted: 15 October 2014; Revised: 19 November 2014 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 2 (2014): 883‐889 Abstract: This paper gives a perception through the study of waterways and their role in social mobility which points towards the means of propagation of Buddhism in ancient Andhradesa. A linkage between water navigation channels and trade routes has been professed to explain the pattern of social mobility. The paper discusses the entry of Buddhism into the land of Andhra since the Mauryan times. Keywords: Andhradesa, Buddhism, Rivers, Navigation, Megaliths, Trade, Social Mobility Introduction Andhradesa witnessed a tremendous spread of the dhamma since ancient time. After the down fall of the Mauryan Empire, Satavahanas the immediate successors continued. Even during the rule of Ikshvakus the same fervor prevailed. Buddhism in Andhradesa is envisaged from the early Brahmi inscriptions of Andhradesa datable to the period between the 1st and 4th centuries AD (Reddy 2006). After the Third Buddhist Council in the 3rd century BC, several missionaries were dispatched for the propagation of dhamma to a number of countries and places, of these two to north and west, i.e., Thera Majjhantika to Kashmir and Gandhara and Thera Maharaksita to yona. This may be pointed out here that both these regions were parts of the Asokan Empire. Yona was next to Gandhara where the Bactrians had settled after the departure of Alexander. Seleucus had ceded this territory to Chandragupta Maurya in the 4th century BC. It was after the Third Buddhist Council that Asoka sent Buddhist missionaries to foreign countries as well as to the non – Buddhist parts of India. The following are the south Indian regions and the missionaries they received: 1. Mahisamandala, 2. Vanavasa, 3. Aparanta, 4. Maharastra, 5. Mahadeva, 6. Rakhita, 7. Yona Dharma Rakhita, 8. Maharakhita. The Mahavamsa states that Mahadeva was accompanied to Ceylon by 14, 60,000 monks from Pallavabogga. Andhra was under the ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 2: 2014 general supervision of great monk and missionary, Mahadeva. The Mahavamsa tells us that Asoka built 84,000 Viharas with Stupas all over his empire. A very interesting fact is that the implementation of the resolution of the Third Buddhist Council for selecting a monk from the yona country to preach in Aparanta (Konkana) in the western part of India. This suggests that the Buddhist scholar yonaka Dharmmaraksita who participated in the Council was a great scholar and devout Buddhist. Before coming to India he must have undergone vigorous scriptural and religious training in his own country and on the basis of his background, he was asked to preach dharma in India itself. As a result of this 37,000 people received Pabajja (monkhood). We are informed by the Mahavamsa that same sutra was delivered by Mahendra who went to Simhal (Sri Lanka) on the same mission (Sharma 2004). Methods of Study The study extends from systematic recording to broader syntheses and explicit theorization. The concentration of Buddhist stupas is more in the coastal region compared with the other regions of Telangana and Rayalaseema. This paper is a verification of the former statement through the logical investigation of the evidences. So far no systematic study on such aspects was under taken in Andhradesa. Megalithic Practices and Buddhism Almost all over Andhra, megalithic burials have been found in large numbers (Sankalia 1963). Erection of tombs over the dead or the remains of the dead signifies the belief in life after death and ancestor worship. The iron implements and gold ornaments found in the megalithic tombs are testimony to the developed economy of the age. The period from c. 600 to 100 BC is termed as the active megalithic period in Andhra. It was during this period (around 300 BC) Buddhism entered Andhra. The megalithic folk who worshipped burials like dolmens and menhirs easily accepted the new faith which was nothing but an extension of their custom. In other words, the ‘burials’ (i.e., the stupas) were more elaborate in size, shape, architecture and grandeur but the basic idea and theme were similar in both the ‘stupa’ and the megalithic burial monument. Likewise, the symbols like wheel, swastika etc., are venerable to the megalithic folk of Andhra. The symbols of the wheel and swastika are engraved on some megalithic monuments from Andhra (Sastry 1983). They also followed the custom of erecting anthropomorphic figures (Rao 1991). The megalithic background of the masses quickened and amplified the process of propagation of Buddhism which was principally generated by the monks. The megalithic culture succeeded and sometimes overlapped into the historic period in some of the sites in Andhra strengthens such a possibility (Reddy 1998). History of Buddhism in Andhradesa During the period of our study (300 BC – AD 300), Buddhism underwent several developments in the country in general and Andhra in particular. I.K. Sharma (1988) says that under the patronage of the Mauryas, the Mahasanghikhas made progress in 884 Ramabrahmam and Challa 2014: 883‐889 Andhra. But the Third Council was a Vibhajyavada (Thervada) council and Asoka was opposed to all novel developments in the original (purana) gospel. In fact since the breakup of the sangha in the second council, Andhradesa had become a stronghold of the Mahasanghikas (Rao 1993). During the early centuries of the Christian era, the Caityakas branched off from the Mahasanghikas and became popular throughout the Deccan as evidenced by inscriptions from Ajanta, Junnar and Nasik, Dhanyakataka was the stronghold of Caityakas (Das 1993). Asoka sent Mahadeva to Mahisa mandala and erected edicts at Yerragudi, Rajaulamandagiri and a pillar at Dhanyakataka. The Andharas are mentioned in the 13th Rock Edict of Asoka in the list of subordinate people who lived in the dominions of the king (Das 1993). The age of the Satavahanas and Iksvakus was in fact the hay day in the history of Buddhism in Andhradesa. The large quantities of Satavahana coins can be considered as a proof of the economic prosperity of the land. Andhra region was involved in the maritime trade as attested by the ship marked coins of the later Satavahanas and find of large number of Roman gold coins (Gupta, P.L. 1965). The Guntupalli and Ghantasala inscriptions mention Mahanavikas. At Bhattiprolu, 24 silver coins are arranged in the shape of a swastika in a globular casket (Das 1993). River System in Andhradesa The rivers Godavari, Krishna and Penneru and their numerous tributaries drain Andhra Pradesh. Over all, there are about 34 major and minor rivers and hill streams. The Godavari (1450 km) is the longest river in South India and the Krishna (1300 km) is the second longest. The Godavari is the important river of Penninsular India and is reverentially called as the Daksina Ganga (Ganges of the South). Half of the coastal districts are made fertile which had become famous for rice production since ancient days (Das 1993). The Godavari flows through the deltaic region, popularly known as Konaseema, and branches into seven streams giving it its local name Sapta – Godavari. The seven streams are Vasisti, Vaisyamitri, Vamadevi, Gautami, Bharadwaja, Atreya and Jamadagni. The important tributaries of the Godavari are the Manjira, Manneru, Pranahita, Indravati and Sabari. The Krishna River rises in the Sahayadri hills, flows through Maharashtra and Karnataka and enters Andhra Pradesh at Sangameswaram. It cuts through the Eastern Ghats at Pulichintala and enters the plains. The tributaries of the Krishna in Andhra Pradesh are the Dindi, Musi, Paleru, Munneru and Tungabhadra. The rivers Tunga and Bhadra, which originate in Karnataka (in the Western Ghats) joins as a single river – Tungabhadra – and flows into the Krishna near Alampur. This river divides the western part of Andhra Pradesh into Telangana and Rayalaseema. The Penneru, with its tributaries, the Chitravati and Papagni, flows in a northerly direction into the Nandyal basin and takes an eastern course. Downstream, it is joined by two tributaries, the Kunderu and Sagileru (Murthy 2003). 885 ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 2: 2014 Navigation The Godavari, Krishna, Pennar and Vamsadhara were navigable up to a certain point and offered safe anchorage for vessels. The Godavari and Krishna, the two big rivers served as waterways of internal passenger traffic throughout the historical times (Schoff 1989). Pliny remarks that ships were assembled near the mouth of the Godavari and sailed up to the mouth, probably to Tamralipti and to Dhanyakataka and Vijayapuri in the south. Andhra is blessed with a long coast line and Ptolemy mentions a number of coastal ports and inland market towns of Andhra region which can be identified with some amount of certainty. Kantakossyla (Macrindle 1885) is identical as Ghantasala; Kodduru is identified as Koduru (Divi Taluk); Koringa or Kornaja (Kalingapattna) as port situated a little beyond Godavari. Not very far from Allosyngne was the point of departure for ships bound for Chryse (presumably Suvarnabhumi, lower Burma and Malay Peninsula) Ptolemy mentions Pityndra in the region of Maisolia which are identified with Bhattiprolu and Machilipatnam respectively. According to the classical and the Chinese writer the kingdom of Kalinga at that time extended up to the mouth of the river Godavari on the east coast (Rao 1993). Buddhist Sites of Andhradesa Several works dealing with the early history of Andhra comment that Buddhism was a popular religion in Andhra and numerous Buddhist centres spread all over Andhradesa (Gopalachari 1941).
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