Spread of Buddhism in Sri Lanka during Early India

Saransh Srivastav
Ambedkar University Delhi

From the beginning to 20th century A.D an even now, Indian Ocean has been crucial part of
the history of Indian subcontinent and other countries surrounding it. The Indian ocean has a
rich history of trade, migration and has also been characterized as a culturally diverse section
of the world. According to KN Chaudhary this diversity was rooted in four different
civilization: the Indi-Arabic, the Hindu, the Indonesian, and the Chinese.1 Maritime trade
through Indian ocean had created a strong sense of unity. This nature of trade and cultural
networking in Asia has developed in stages over long period of time. The routes of trade
voyages developed fully only after the diffusion of knowledge of the monsoon winds for
navigation by Roman Empire.2 But when westerners reached India in the first century they
found that there was already a existing maritime networking between India and south east Asia.
There had been regular voyages between India or Sri Lanka, Ceylon at that time, to south east
Asian ports.3 Historically if we see the Indian Ocean rim was socially progressive for its time
with cultural interrelation between different south Asian and South East Asian Countries.

The spatial boundaries of the Indian Ocean have varied according to the nature of cultural,
economic, and political interactions and have certainly altered over time.4 The ocean subjects
a different kind of unity and influence. It offers means of travel, movements of peoples,
economic changes and in some cases cultural exchange. The sea, Braudel emphasizes, is
everything it is said to be: it provides unity, transport, the means of exchange and intercourse.5
MN Pearson calls ocean a transmitter of disease, religion, tourists, goods, information, and not
just pepper and cotton cloths.6 The trade between countries were not mere a exchange of
products. There are many examples of outspread of one culture to far regions through trade
only, as a voyage sailing in ocean didn’t only carry products for sale but humans too along with
their identities, customs and lifestyles. At the broadest level the rhythms of long-distance
oceanic trade can be recognized as having provided a basis for the unity of the Indian Ocean
until the eighteenth century. There are many principles of unity and disunity that could be seen
to have secured the Indian Ocean as an interregional arena of economy and culture. There are
also many problems of unity and commonalities, that has been addressed in various ways by
different historians of the Indian Ocean. There are several references of Indian foreign trade
via sea during the ancient and early medieval period. Initially this oceanic trade was shared

1
K. N. Chaudhuri, Trade and Civilisation in the Indian Ocean: An Economic History from the Rise of Islam
to 1750 (2008), 21.
2
Keneth R. Hall, Networks of Trade, Polity and Societal Integration in Chola-Era South India, C. 875-
1279 (2014), 21.
3
ibid.
4
Sugata Bose, A Hundred Horizons: The Indian Ocean in the Age of Global Empire (2009),10.
5
K. N. Chaudhuri, Trade and Civilisation in the Indian Ocean: An Economic History from the Rise of Islam
to 1750 (2008), 2.
6
Michael Pearson, The Indian Ocean (2010), 10.

between Romans, Persians, Indians, Indonesians and Ceylonese but after the rise of Arabs, they
established their dominance by replacing Persians, who were major participants in this trade.
After eliminating Persians, Arabs became the foremost maritime power by ninth century and
expanded their influence in the east. Historians have written much on trade. KN Chaudhuri
writes that the assumption behind the desire for trade and the consequences following it were
responsible for many important historical events and movements.7 The overemphasis on trade
has tended to obscure much else that went along with it, especially the flow of ideas and culture.
To understand the nature of Indian ocean one needs to look beyond the general aspect of trade,
and explore its impact on human culture of one region. The exploration of the Indian Ocean as
a cultural milieu is quite as important as its role as a trading zone. The impact of trade on human
civilization has been well recognized by anthropologists and archaeologists.8 In this paper, the
attempt will be made to understand the spread on Buddhism to Sri Lanka in context of Indian
ocean.

The relationship between India and Sri Lanka is more than 2,500 years old. Both countries
have a legacy of intellectual, cultural, religious and linguistic interaction. In recent years, the
relationship has been marked by close contacts at all levels. Trade and investment have grown
and there is cooperation in areas of defence and maritime. Situated in the middle of two historic
webs of commerce: one towards west Asia and Africa and another to the east and south east
Asia, Sri Lanka has been a nodal point of migration and maritime. Over centuries it has been
attracting waves of traders, conquerors, and holy men from India and West and East Asia.9
Over the year there has been a revival of interest in the Buddhist traditions in Asia. In past, the
spiritual and philosophical content of Buddhism has already acquired a degree of attention. In
Asia, Buddhism has been dominant cultural discourse with enormous branches and aesthetic
that has crossed borders and polities. It is in this aspect of Buddhism that this paper seeks to
address. The aim is to understand the the ways, with main focus on trade as a transmitter of
culture, through which Buddhism spread in Sri Lanka, Ceylon at that point of time, in context
of Indian Ocean. The ‘travelogue of Fa-Hein, a Chinese traveler Who travelled to Sri Lanka
crossing India and went back to china through Indian Ocean, and Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa,
the Buddhist Chronicle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka in its early phase are primary sources for this
paper. Through these two texts, Mahavamsa and Dipavamsa, I have tried to show the existence
and practice of Buddhism and popular narratives about the spread of Buddhism in Ceylon at
that point of time. Travelogue of Fahein has been used to see the reach of Buddhism in southern
Kingdoms of India and presence of trade connections and sea routes used by locals and
merchants for trade and personal use.

The early historic period, starting from about the third century BCE, witnessed the spread of
north Indian religions in the Deccan and further south to Ceylon. Archaeological and
epigraphical data is a major source of information for this study. Ashokan pillars and rock

7
K. N. Chaudhuri, Trade and Civilisation in the Indian Ocean: An Economic History from the Rise of Islam
to 1750 (2008), 17.
8
Ibid.
9
Sujit Sivasundaram, Islanded: Britain, Sri Lanka, and the Bounds of an Indian Ocean Colony (2014).

edicts are also important source to trace the spread of Buddhism in south India and Beyond.
Under the patronage of Ashoka Buddhism prospered like never before, the edicts he ordered
to be carved on pillars, rocks and caves throughout his empire provide the first tangible
historical evidence of Buddhism. Buddhism was brought to the Sri Lanka only in third century
BC after its development in north India.10 Buddhism’s intoroduction to the island proved to be
a remarkable catalyst which aided the transformation of a number of largely undifferentiated
societies into a single powerful kingly polity.11 According to Dipavamasa and Mahavamsa,
Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka by Ashoka in the form form of royal gift from emperor
to his Devanampiya Tissa, the king of Ceylon. The early history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka is
constructed from its two chronicles, the Deipavamsa which was composed at the end of fourth
century and Mahavamsa, composed in fifth century. According to these texts Ashoka sent his
son Mahinda , who had accepted Buddhism, to Sri Lanka. H.R. Perera in his book Buddhism
in Sri Lanka gives a excerpt from Dipavamsa;

“ Aham Buddhan ca Dhamman ca Sanghan ca saranamgato

upasakattam vedesim sakyaputtassa sasane
tvamp Imani ratanani uttamani naruttama cittam
pasadayitvana saddhaya saranam bhaja.”12
(“I have taken refuge in Buddha, his Doctorine and his order, I have declared my self a lay
disciple in the religion of the sakya son, seek then, O best of men, refuge in these best gems,
converting your mind with believing heart.”)

Mahinda reached Anuradhapuram, a Bodhi tree was also planted in the capital and at the end
of the journey the mahinda succeeded. The documents imply that the establishment of
Buddhism in Sri Lanka was a royal prerogative. Right after the conversion of Ceylon’s king,
Buddhism became the state religion. Thus from religious accounts it is known that the religion
of the Buddha was well established in Sri Lanka under the patronage of Devanampiya-Tissa.

Throughout the reign of Ashoka the Ceylon remained the friendly independent neighbor in
south. Ashoka’s relationship with Ceylon was not purely political. Both kings were on very
close terms. However, Romila Thapar provides a different story from the same source,
according to her it would have been more of a relationship emerged from mutual admiration
between Ashoka and Tissa as they knew each other for long and Ceylon already had political
ties and trading facilities with India.13 Apart from this, only the patronage sent from Ashoka
can’t be the only reason for the spread of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Both in the time of the
Buddha and in subsequent times, Buddhist monks went about from village to village spreading
the word. Of the beginning Buddhism started its campaign, winning over the hearts of the

10
Robin A. E. Coningham, "Monks, Caves and Kings: A Reassessment of the Nature of Early Buddhism in
Sri Lanka," World Archaeology 27, no. 2 (1995), 223.
11
Ibid,223.
12
H. R. Perera, Buddhism in Sri Lanka: A Short History (1988), 13.
13
Romila Thapar, Ashoka and the Decline of the Mauryas (1999), 134-136.

people by telling the great ideals of the Buddha. As a result of this they went out to each and
every village and city of South India and propagated the Buddha Dhamma, building
monasteries and erecting centres of Buddhist learnings. Buddhism spread rapidly in South
India. In history there are three main popular reasons for the transmission of Buddhism across
India and outside India were diplomatic missions, trade and commerce and emigration.
Buddhism is a missionary religion, though one that doesn’t aggressively seek converts. When
Ashoka sent Mahinda to Ceylon, Monks accompanied him. These Monks carried their
teachings with them and spread the teachings of Dhamma. Apart from royal patronage, trade
routes, covering the Asia by land and sea, were one of the main conduits for the transmission
of Buddhism. Monks would often accompany caravans on their over land journey or sea
travelling. The market towns which sprang up along these routes were host to most vibrant
communities made up of many races and nationalities, and made sure that ideas travelled
rapidly. At these coasts and communities’ merchants were wealthy and had the leisure to
indulge their curiosity about new beliefs as well as resources to make donations and sponsor
religious activities. Here trade acts as a driving factor between two different cultures and
provided a platform where it can happen.

Fa-hein (also known as Faxian) while travelling from north to south came across many stupas
and Buddhist shrines. Through his travel records Fa-hein highlighted the sites of Buddhist
practices. Following the course of Ganga he reached Champa and Tamalipti (Tamil Nadu).14
In Tamalipti he found from where he boarded the boat to Ceylon. Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka
had maintained close contacts since ancient times due to their geographical proximity. From
the early period, the South Indian mercantile communities has played an important role in the
economic and political history of the island. Proto-historic Sri Lanka was more closely linked
with South India. In the excavations conducted in Anuradhapura, Pomparippu, Kantarodai and
Ibbankatuwa, substantial quantities of potsherds were found which parallel the Iron Age and
early historical wares of South India, such as Megalithic Black and Red Ware and the Rouletted
Ware.15 There has also been appearance of same graffiti or owner’s mark or clan marks at
excavation sites, This occurrence of the same graffiti marks both in Sri Lankan and Tamil Nadu
sites enable us to suppose without much of a risk there was a continuous cultural and trade
contact between these two regions.16 There are many samples of ceramics, beads and coins,
that have been found at different excavation site, mainly at Arikmadu, in South India and Sri
Lanka highlight the close communication networks linking both countries. Hundreds of beads
made of crystal, glass, stone, ivory, bone, shell, clay and, were found at Ridiyagama and
Kelaniya(Sri Lanka). Another article found in excavation at Arikmadu, (Tamil trade port),
Rouletted Ware, which has Indian origin was also found in Sri Lanka at different excavation
sites indicating a close communication network. A large number of coins of the South Indian
dynasties belonging to the historical period were also found in Sri Lanka. There are many
epigraphic and literary evidence are available in Tamil literature for the active role played by
Tamil merchants in the early phase of Sri Lanka's history.

14
Travelogue of Fa-hein, translated by James Legge
15
Osmund Bopearachchi, Ancient Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu. P. 541
16
ibid.

The archaeological and anthropological sources emphasise that the Sinhalese traders and Tamil
traders had close connections with each other and had well established communication links.
These links also indicate that there would have been cultural exchange between both
communities. While the article so far has tried to establish the presence of Buddhism in the
south and South east Asian region of the Indian Ocean domain, I would like to conclude by
staring the possible reasons for Buddhism to sail and ground itself successfully while many
other religions of Indian origin have tried and failed. In contrast to brahmanical injunction
against sea voyage the philosophy of Buddhism has actively supported Voyage. Apart from
the earliest iconographies of Buddhism in India and Ceylon depicting seafarers and dangers
associated with sea voyage, certain cults of Buddhism were associated with the oceanic voyage.
Examples are the depiction of Avalokita, a Bodhisattva as a saviour of maritime traders in
sculptures and Tara, who is identified with maritime activity in both epigraphical and sculptural
remains. A folklore of Orissa also associates traders with the worship of Tara. For instance, the
folklore associated with the origin of Kakatpur refers to how goddess Mangala was worshipped
in Sri Lanka as Tara; a maritime trader brought her to the present site and worshipped her as
Mangala . On close examination, Kakatpur Mangala reveals to be Buddhist goddess Tara.
Therefore, if say that the Indian ocean acted as an agent for spread of Buddhism, it is because
of the accommodative nature of the religion and also the ocean was not just the passage for
trade but also a passage of cultural exchange.

Bibliography
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