{"id":152135,"date":"2025-09-22T16:09:58","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T23:09:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=152135"},"modified":"2025-09-22T16:09:58","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T23:09:58","slug":"buddhism-in-the-land-now-called-pakistan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2025\/09\/22\/buddhism-in-the-land-now-called-pakistan\/","title":{"rendered":"Buddhism in the Land now called Pakistan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shenali D Waduge<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

Buddhism entered the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent (today\u2019s Pakistan) around the 3rd century BCE through Emperor Ashoka\u2019s patronage after the Kalinga War with Gandhara (present-day Peshawar Valley and Taxila region) and Sindhu (Sindh) becoming major centers of Buddhist culture that prevailed for over 1200 years running parallel to Afghanistan\u2019s Buddhist era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ancient Buddhist Territories<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Before Pakistan existed as a nation, the lands were known by historical names:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Arachosia, Gandh\u0101ra, Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    These regions were flourishing Buddhist centers, monasteries, and universities, attracting scholars, pilgrims, and traders from across Asia. Gandh\u0101ra was particularly renowned for its unique fusion of Greek, Persian, and Indian artistic styles, producing the world-famous Gandh\u0101ra art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Buddhism in Pakistan<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • Buddhism entered the region through Ashoka\u2019s missionary efforts in the 3rd century BCE, later reaching its peak under the Kushan rulers (1st\u20133rd centuries CE), especially Emperor Kanishka, who actively patronized monasteries and convened major Buddhist councils.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Although earlier Achaemenid and Hellenistic influences shaped the cultural backdrop, it was Ashoka who firmly established monasteries, stupas, and centers of learning across Gandh\u0101ra, Punjab, and Sindh, transforming the area into one of Buddhism\u2019s most vibrant frontiers.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Over time, Buddhism absorbed both Hellenistic and local traditions and spread along extensive trade routes, making the lands of present-day Pakistan a flourishing hub of Buddhist civilization for more than a millennium before the Islamic conquests.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Vajray\u0101na Buddhismdeveloped in U\u1e0d\u1e0diy\u0101na (Swat Valley).- Padmasambhava, later known as Guru Rinpoche, who carried Vajray\u0101na Buddhism into Tibet in the 8th century, is believed to have drawn inspiration from Buddhist centers in Uddiyana (present-day Swat Valley in Pakistan). His legacy ties Pakistan\u2019s northwest directly to the spread of tantric Buddhism across the Himalayas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Major monasteries included\u00a0Taxila, Takht-i-Bahi, Swat Valley complexes, and hundreds across Punjab and Balochistan.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Archaeologist F.B. Flood notes:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Temple after temple was broken down by the foreign conqueror\u2026 the material evidence of Gandh\u0101ra art was systematically erased.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Flourishing of the Gandhara School<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

      The Gandhara region developed a unique Greco-Buddhist art style<\/strong>, blending Hellenistic naturalism with Buddhist symbolism. Taxila became a renowned university city attracting monks and scholars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Monastic Presence<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

      Archaeological surveys indicate hundreds of monasteries once existed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • In Gandhara and the Swat Valley, estimates range between500\u20131,000 monasteries<\/strong>\u00a0during the Kushan and Gupta periods.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Punjab and Sindh also hosted large viharas and stupas, though less numerous than Gandhara.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Baluchistan contained important cave monasteries linked to Silk Road trade routes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        The Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang<\/strong> (7th century CE) recorded over 1,000 monasteries<\/strong> in Gandhara alone, with tens of thousands of monks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

         <\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        Islamic Conquest and Iconoclasm<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        Buddhism in this region lasted nearly 1,500 years (3rd century BCE \u2013 12th century CE).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Its decline began with Huna invasions in the 5th century, but the decisive collapse occurred with the Arab conquest of Sindh in 711 CE under Muhammad bin Qasim, and later with Ghaznavid and Ghurid invasions. By the 12th century, Islamization had erased most living Buddhist institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        From the 7th\u201312th centuries CE, successive Arab, Turkic, and Persian Muslim conquerors entered these regions. Islamization resulted in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        • Destruction of monasteries and stupas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Iconoclasm targeting Buddha statues, reliefs, and inscriptions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Re-purposing of Buddhist sites into mosques or fortresses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Unlike Afghanistan, where the Taliban dynamited the Bamiyan Buddhas in 2001, Pakistan\u2019s state today preserves Buddhist sites such as Taxila and Mohra Moradu, partly for international tourism and revenue. Yet, local neglect, looting, and Islamist hostility continue to endanger these remnants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Scholars consistently link the destruction of Buddhist monuments to Islamic iconoclasm, rooted in the belief that images of worship are un-Islamic. Historian Richard Eaton notes that Muslim invaders often targeted temples and stupas not just for wealth, but also as religious duty. Archaeologist Ihsan Ali similarly observes that the Gandharan Buddhist heritage suffered systematic destruction under successive Islamic dynasties, though fragments survived in remote valleys.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Population Then and Now<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          At its height (1st\u20137th centuries CE), present-day Pakistan\u2019s lands may have been home to millions of Buddhists, with Xuanzang recording over 1,000 monasteries and tens of thousands of monks in Gandh\u0101ra alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Lay followers spread across Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and Swat, making Buddhism a living faith for entire populations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Today, by stark contrast, Pakistan has fewer than 40,000 Buddhists, mostly in Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          While official Pakistani records list fewer than 2,000 Buddhists (2017), independent community estimates place the number between 20,000\u201340,000, concentrated in Sindh and southern Punjab. Regardless of the exact figure, Buddhism is today only a faint shadow of the flourishing tradition that once dominated the region for over 1,200 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Note: minorities in Pakistan (including Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists) do not appear in official counts because they lack national ID cards, fear discrimination & may register as Hindu\u201d or Other\u201d resulting in lumping all together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          A civilization that once flourished for more than a millennium has been reduced to a near-vanished minority \u2014 a striking reminder of the irreversible cultural and demographic impact of conquest and religious transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Duration of Buddhism in Present-Day Pakistan<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
            \n
          • Flourished roughly\u00a0from 3rd century BCE to 10th\u201312th century CE.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Ran parallel with Afghan Buddhist civilization.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Survived\u00a012\u201315 centuries\u00a0before largely disappearing due to Islamic conquest and iconoclasm.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            Contrasts with Afghanistan<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

            The Islamization of Gandhara and Punjab unfolded parallel to that of Afghanistan. Both regions lost Buddhism by the 12th century, but while Afghanistan erased its Buddhist memory almost completely, Pakistan retains scattered monuments. This difference lies less in tolerance and more in modern state policy: Pakistan recognizes Buddhist heritage as an economic and diplomatic asset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            • Afghan Buddhists saw\u00a0systematic destruction without state protection, leading to near-total erasure of heritage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Pakistan, in contrast, has\u00a0retained and restored certain sites, acknowledging their\u00a0historical and economic value.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • This illustrates that Muslim-majority nations differ in their\u00a0approach to pre-Islamic heritage: iconoclasm rooted in religious doctrine versus pragmatic preservation of culture.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

              What Remains<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

              While Buddhism no longer flourishes, Pakistan\u2019s archaeological sites, stupas, and Gandh\u0101ra art remain globally recognized. Preservation efforts, however, face challenges: urbanization, neglect, and political shifts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Lessons for Today<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
                \n
              • Islamic iconoclasmwas historically motivated by doctrinal beliefs \u2014 destruction of non-Islamic imagery was part of conquering and consolidating rule.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Preservation requires foresight, not mere tolerance: Pakistan demonstrates how heritage can coexist with a majority religion while retaining cultural identity. This is a crucial and important factor that has to be applauded & appreciated.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                The Buddhist heritage of Pakistan demonstrates both the vulnerability of civilizations to religious conquest and the enduring power of cultural memory when safeguarded. It is a warning and a lesson for remaining Buddhist nations: heritage must not only be celebrated, but actively protected \u2013 the significance of Sri Lanka\u2019s Article 9 and Article 16 is re-emphasized in this regard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Shenali D Waduge<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                Shenali D Waduge Buddhism entered the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent (today\u2019s Pakistan) around the 3rd century BCE through Emperor Ashoka\u2019s patronage after the Kalinga War with Gandhara (present-day Peshawar Valley and Taxila region) and Sindhu (Sindh) becoming major centers of Buddhist culture that prevailed for over 1200 years running parallel to Afghanistan\u2019s Buddhist era. Ancient Buddhist […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-152135","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shenali-waduge"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152135","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=152135"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152135\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":152136,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152135\/revisions\/152136"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=152135"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=152135"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=152135"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}