Afghan ambassador inaugurates the seminar along with Dr. Singhvi
Participants at the Seminar on Xuanzang and Silk Route pose for a group photo
Exhibits in The Art of Afghanistan
XUANZANG AND THE SILK ROUTE
IGNCA looks at cross-cultural civilization as an important aspect of art and culture studies. Since inception, it has been organizing programmes that promoted better understanding between countries in the region. Significant among these programmes was a series ‘India-China, Looking at Each Other’. As part of this continuing exercise, IGNCA organized a three-day international seminar on ‘Xuanzang and the Silk Route’. Xuanzang was not just a Chinese pilgrim, he was also a chronicler and his accounts of the two countries, especially India are an important source of information for scholars on Buddhism. The seminar was attended by distinguished scholars from academic circles all over the world.
The Seminar was inaugurated by Dr. L.M. Singhvi, President IGNCA Trust. Speaking on the occasion he said the Silk Route that was a highway for merchandise became a highway of knowledge because Xuanzang had taken the route. He wanted the seminar to be dedicated to Xuanzang and travelers like him, who went in quest for knowledge. H.E. the ambassador of Afghanistan in India, Shri. Mosood, Khalili in an emotional speech said the image in Bamiyan was “our Buddha” (meaning of the Afghans). “We may not have worshipped him the way Buddhists do,” but we carried him in our hearts and minds, he said. He was amazed that Xuanzang had crossed the harsh mountains, (one needs oxygen, even flying over it in helicopter), in search of truth. “What determination” he said. Prof. N.R. Shetty, Member Secretary IGNCA in his welcome address generously acknowledged the help extended by the Archaeological Survey of India in lending 44 blown-up photographs on Afghanistan for the exhibition that was held coinciding with the seminar.
The noted Chinese traveler and Buddhist pilgrim, Xuanzang, reached India in A.D. 630, having undertaken an arduous journey across Central Asia. Nearly fourteen years of his life (A.D. 630-644) were spent visiting Buddhist temples and monasteries, cities and places of interest in the Indian sub-continent. A keen observer of men and places of interest in the Indian sub-continent. A keen observer of men and affairs, apart from being a devout monk, he left behind a fascinating and authentic account of India’s history, geography, economy and society. Xuanzang came to India following the famous Silk Route, which connected China with the Western regions.
On his way to India, Xuanzang visited many Buddhist sites, and shrines in Xinjiang and in Afganhistan. He has sites, and shrines in Xinjian and in Afghanistan. he has given a vivid description of them in his travel account. In Afghanistan, the colossal Buddhas of Bamiyan particularly attracted his attention. He returned to China with 657 volumes of sacred texts and spent his final years trnaslating and interpreting, and instructing his fellow monks.
The main theme of the seminar were : “Xuanzang, his education and religious zeal’; ‘His journey to the Buddhist Holy land i.e. India’; ‘Indian environs with reference to Nalanda, Bodh Gaya, Kanuja, Kashmir, etc.;; ‘Buddhism and Buddhist art along the Silk Route with speical reference to Xinjiang, Dunhang and Afghanista’; ‘Xyabzabg’s contribution to Chinese Buddhism’; and ‘Legends and Folklore.’ Marlyin M. Rhie in her paper on ‘Aspect of the Two colossal Buddhas at Bamiyan’ translated the writing of Xuanzang on Bamiyan. Based on these she concluded that the Eastern Great Buddha was probably made in the 4th century and the Western Great Buddha was comopleted ca. mid or 2nd half of the 5th century. It was necessary to fix the date of the very special colossal Buddhas of Bamiyan, which are momentous on many accounts for the Buddhist art of Asia and the world, she said Prof. S.K. Pathak from Shantiniketan, spoke on ‘Sanskritism had moved forward the Silk Routes when Xuanzang traversed’ said among the Buddhists, ‘language liberation’ pronounced by Gautama, the Buddha, opened a new vista of Sanskrit used by the Sarvastivadins who moved through the Silk Route upto the iddle kingdom of East Asia, China, by the Christian era. Sanskritism moved forward by the patronage of Greeco-Bactrians, he said.
Dr. C. Willemen, from the Belgian Royal Academy of Sciences, spoke on ‘India’s northwestern cultural area and its impact in China’ and said India’s northwestern area gave much more to China than Saravstivada Budhism. It gave Prajnasutras, dhyana manuals, five kinds of vinaya etc. Dr. Malati Shengde in her aper ‘Xuanzang’s contribution to Chinese Buddhism said Xuanzang did not come to India only to visit Budhist shrines and pay reverential homage, but he was also determined to study the Yagachakra and whished to acquire the basic text of the Vijnapatimatrata school. His main contribution was the harmonizing of the Madhyamaka and Vijnapati-mantra and founding of a new school in China called Dharma-lakshana, which continues in Japanese Buddhism with the name Kossoshu.
‘The spirit of Xuanzang: The common wealth of Chinese and Indian peopel’ was the topic of Prof. Ying Min Sun, for Henan, the same province as Xuanzang, who said he (the latter) was a cultural giant and an outstanding envoy of cultural exchange. He said ‘The Master’ before he left for India visited all the famous temples in China and learned many scriptures. When his task in India was complete, declining the many offers of royal patronage, he went back to his country to translate the scriptures he had acquired in India. In 19 years he translated 1335 volumes of Buddhist scriptures. Prof. Wang Bangwei, from Peking University, discussing ‘Buddhism in 7th Century India: Reflections on Xuanzang’s Accounts’ focused on the geographic distribution of Buddhism in 7th Century in the Indian sub-continent, the Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhism and their relatin to nikaya Buddhist communities and the menaning drawn from the description in Xuanzang’s accounts.
Dr. Lotika Varadarjan in her presentation on ‘Silk – the extra Silk Route story’ discussed the silk history in India and China, their various traditions and status in the two countries over the centuries. She sought to make a distinction between sericulture and ‘silk’ in the genric sense. Xuanzang is now a legend with many stories being narrated revolving around him. In a paper ‘Legendary Xuanxang: Some of his narrative reflected in Central Asian art’. Dr. Chhaya Bhattacharya-Haesner discussed some of the legend about Xuanxang (his several incarnations etc.) and the legends he has narrated like the Silk Princess, Hariti which were popular during his time in Central Asia which have been represented in the Central Asian paintings.
Prof. V.C. Srivastav, Director, Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla, in his paper on ‘Maitreya on the Silk Route’ said the development of an intensive cult of Maitreya in Afghanistan and throughout the pilgrim route from Afghanistan to China through Central Asia may be understood in terms of socio-religious crisis that the region had been facing. This cult provided a satisfying response to the social crisis prevailing the region due to political destabilizations in the wake of ethnic movements, he said. Prof. Semenov speaking on ‘Suye and the journey to the West’ said Suye (Suyab) controlled an important section of the Great silk Route. People of several nations used to live the visit the city, which was thickly populated then.
The site now lies 60 km east of Bishkek. Prof. Lokesh Chandra, one of the most renowned Buddhist scholars, discussed ‘The Khotanese mural of Hariti in shrine DII at Dandan-Uiliq.’ Hariti was a cannibal ogress who devoured all the children of Rajgarha. She had 500 sons from her marriage and the dearest to her was her youngest son Priyankara. Buddha in order to instruct Hariti, once hid Priyankara under his bowl and she came running to him crying. Seeing the radiance of Buddha she gave up the human flesh. In the sutras Hariti is invoked as the giver of children, bestower of wealth, goddess to ward off ill health and the one who gives protection. He discussed the murals as well as the various contexts in which Hariti is protrayed.
‘The Japanese perception of Xuanzang’s journey to India’ was presented by Prof. Ineke Van Put. He quoted mainly from references to Nalanda, from the Scroll on the Tripitaka Master Xuanzang.’ The scroll is exhaustive and 20 metres long. ‘The culture relations between western Indian and the Silk Route’ presented by Dr. Shobana Gokhale from Pune highlighted the mutual influence in architecture and sculpture of various cultures that mingled in the Silk Route. Dr. I.K. Sarma’s paper ‘Images of Buddha, origin, spread and relgious significance’ traced the history of Buddhism as a religion and its rise in ppularity as a ritualistic religion in Inda. In this context he discussed the various images of Buddha. Speaking in the valedictory, several scholars felt that the seminar had helped focus once again on the importance of saving Buddhist heritages as they were an important documentary evidence of the unexplored past. The co-hosts of the seminar were : Dept. of Culture, Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda and K.J. Somaiya Centre of Buddist Studies, Mumbai.
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