Mauryan Empire:
Que. The development of art and architecture during the Sunga period belies the belief that they were anti-Buddhist. Discuss. [UPSC CSE-2019]
Approach:
(1) Introduction: Explain the foundation of the Sunga Empire.
(2) Mention the development of art and architecture during the Sunga Period.
(3) Mention the arguments in favour and opposing of Anti-Buddhist Rule.
(4) Conclude on balanced footing.
Introduction:
The last king of the Mauryas, Brihadratha, was assassinated by Pushyamitra Sunga in 188 BCE who laid the foundation of Sunga Dynasty. This is corroborated by Bana, the court poet of Harshavardhana of Kannauj.
Apart from Pushyamitra, Agnimitra (son of Pushyamitra & hero of Kalidasa’s drama “Malavikagnimitra”, Vasumitra and Dhanadeva, were other rulers from this dynasty whose historicity can be supplemented from few sources.
Development of Art and Architecture during the Sunga:
(1) Indian Art: The advent of the Sunga rule in India ushered in an important phase in the domain of Indian art. The period saw a remarkable growth in purely Indian art and thus a remarkable development in Indian form of sculpture.
(2) Places of Art: Bharhut, Bodhgaya and Sanchi bear evidence of the patronage received from the Sunga rulers.
(3) Stupa: The period saw the flowering of visual arts including small terracotta images, larger stone sculptures and architectural monuments like the chaitya hall at Bhaja, the stupa at Bharhut and the Great Stupa at Sanchi.
(4) Linear Rhythm: A most characteristic formal quality of Sunga art is its flowing linear rhythm that binds all isolated objects in one continuous stream of life.
(5) Relief Art: The vegetal world is intimately, engrossingly and luxuriously rendered in the Bharhut, Bodhgaya and Sanchi reliefs. Its radiating and continuous linear movements dominate the composition and all the figures of men and animals become equal and integral parts of the whole.
(6) Buddha’s Episodes: The Sunga artists appear to delight in the handling of the human figures. The reliefs illustrate episodes from the life of the Buddha and incidents that give us an idea of contemporary life.
(7) Organized Activity: Some sculptures of Bharhut, Bodhgaya and Sanchi represent the first organized art activity which was opposite to the court art of the Mauryas. It reflects for the first time the results of the ethnic, social and religious fusion and integration.
(8) The Besnagar pillar inscription of Heliodorus (around 113 BC): It was built in Vidisha during the Shunga rule. The pillar is commonly named after Heliodorus, who was an ambassador of the Indo Greek king Antialcidas from Taxila, and was sent to the Indian ruler Bhagabhadra.
(9) Sculpture: Shunga also witnessed the rise of Mathura school of art and is a more indigenous counterpart to the Hellenistic Gandhara school. Yakshas and Yakshis sculptures were also discovered from Mathura belonging to the Shunga period.
Arguments in favour and opposing of Anti-Buddhist Rule:
(1) Arguments in favour of Anti-Buddhist Rule:
(i) V.A. Smith & H.P. Shastri: Some historians believed that Shungas had persecuted Buddhists and contributed to a resurgence of Brahmanism. V. A. Smith and H. P. Shastri believed that Pushyamitra’s rebellion against the Maurya dynasty was a Brahmanical reaction to the rise of Buddhism.
(ii) John Marshall: According to archaeologist John Marshall, there is evidence of some damage to Buddhist establishments at Taxila around the time of Shunga rule.
(iii) Taranatha: Tibetan Buddhist historian Taranatha also states that Pushyamitra and his allies killed Buddhist monks and destroyed monasteries from Madhyadesha to Jalandhara. These activities wiped out Buddhist doctrine from the north, within five years.
(iv) Ashokvanadana: Ashokavadana (Buddhist Text) also mentions the persecution of Buddhism by Pushyamitra.
(2) Arguments Opposing the Anti-Buddhist views:
(i) H.C. Raychaudhuri: H.C. Raychaudhuri argued that Pushyamitra’s overthrow of the Mauryans cannot be considered as a Brahmin uprising against Buddhist rule, as Brahmins did not suffer during the Mauryan rule.
For e.g. Ashoka’s edicts mention the Brahmins before Shramanas, and the appointment of a Brahmin general (Pushyamitra) shows that the Brahmins were honoured at the Mauryan court.
(ii) Ashokavadana legend is likely a Buddhist version of Pushyamitra’s attack on the Mauryas, reflecting only the declining influence of Buddhism in Shunga’s court.
(iii) Similarly, Tarantha’s account seems to be an exaggeration as the strong legitimacy of a social movement like Buddhism could not be wiped out in such a short time.
(iv) Later Shunga emperors contributed to Buddhist Stupa at Bharhut and Sanchi. This negates the idea of them being anti-Buddhist.
(v) Romila Thapar: Romila Thapar writes that the lack of concrete archaeological evidence casts doubts on the claims of Buddhist persecution by Pushyamitra.
(vi) Shunga period contributions in Sanchi:
Great Stupa (No 1): During the later rule of the Shunga, the stupa was expanded with stone slabs to almost twice its original size. The dome was flattened near the top and crowned by three superimposed parasols within a square railing. With its many tiers it was a symbol of the dharma, the Wheel of the Law.
Stupa No. 2 and Stupa No. 3: The buildings which seem to have been commissioned during the rule of the Shungas are the second and third stupas (but not the highly decorated gateways, which are from the following Satavahana period, as known from inscriptions), and the ground balustrade and stone casing of the Great Stupa (Stupa No 1). The Relics of Sariputra and Mahamoggallana are said to have been placed in Stupa No 3.
Conclusion:
The artistic and architectural achievements of the Sunga period provide compelling evidence that contradicts the belief that they were anti-Buddhist. Instead, the Sunga dynasty continued and expanded upon the Buddhist legacy established during the Mauryan period. Their support for Buddhism is evident in the construction of Buddhist monuments, the elaborate decoration of stupas and toranas, and the inclusion of Buddhist motifs in inscriptions. While they were strong advocates of Buddhism, they also displayed religious tolerance, allowing for the coexistence of various religious traditions within their realm.
