Who destroyed Indian Buddhism? 🧵

People are surprised when they learn that Buddhism has disappeared in the land of Buddha. The convenient excuse is that Muslim invaders sacked Nalanda & destroyed Buddhism.

History is a bit more complicated. So lets delve a bit deeper.

1.
Meet Pushyamitra Sunga (184 -48 BC) who on advice of his Brahman priest destroyed stupas, monasteries, killed monks & went as far as to declare a bounty of 100 dinars per Buddhist head.

Such was his persecution - in 5 years Dharma - under his rule - was extinct.

2.
Meet Pushyamitra Sunga (184 -48 BC) who on advice of his Brahman priest destroyed stupas, monasteries, killed monks & went as far as to declare a bounty of 100 dinars per Buddhist head.Such was his persecution - in 5 years Dharma - under his rule - was extinct.2.
Meet Pushyamitra Sunga (184 -48 BC) who on advice of his Brahman priest destroyed stupas, monasteries, killed monks & went as far as to declare a bounty of 100 dinars per Buddhist head.Such was his persecution - in 5 years Dharma - under his rule - was extinct.2.
Meet Sasanka, a 7 CE Shaivaite king. According to Huang Tsang, Sasanka cut down the Bodhi tree at Gaya & burnt it.

He was described as - of wicked intellect, enamored of the words of the thirthikas (Sanatanis) burnt that great bridge of Dharma.

3.
Meet the Sankaracharya. He lead a religious expedition against Buddhists and "caused their destruction from the Himalayas to the Indian ocean".

His propaganda lead to the gutting of a famous 9 storey library building at Nalanda - yes that Nalanda - by Hindu miscreants.

4.
A Tibetan Buddhist traveled to Bodh Gaya Circa 1000 CE & noted that authorities had drawn image of Hindu deity Mahesvara on doors of Bodh Gaya temple - to protect it from non-Buddhists.

The rivalry was at such a peak that many converted to Islam or supported Muslim rulers.

5.
Another major strategy by Sanatanis was to incorporate Buddha as a re-incarnation of Vishnu - making Buddha a minor deity of the Hindu pantheon.

The Buddhist monks who opposed this left for China. The people who wanted some semblance of peace to prevail accepted this.

6.
Another major strategy by Sanatanis was to incorporate Buddha as a re-incarnation of Vishnu - making Buddha a minor deity of the Hindu pantheon.The Buddhist monks who opposed this left for China. The people who wanted some semblance of peace to prevail accepted this.6.
Another major strategy by Sanatanis was to incorporate Buddha as a re-incarnation of Vishnu - making Buddha a minor deity of the Hindu pantheon.The Buddhist monks who opposed this left for China. The people who wanted some semblance of peace to prevail accepted this.6.
Another major strategy by Sanatanis was to incorporate Buddha as a re-incarnation of Vishnu - making Buddha a minor deity of the Hindu pantheon.The Buddhist monks who opposed this left for China. The people who wanted some semblance of peace to prevail accepted this.6.
When the Muslim invasion of India started around 1190 CE., the rivalry was so advanced that Hindus were given assistance & patronage from Hindu rulers and Buddhists did not get the same level of support.

The already weakened Buddhists in India finally collapsed.

7.
When the Muslim invasion of India started around 1190 CE., the rivalry was so advanced that Hindus were given assistance & patronage from Hindu rulers and Buddhists did not get the same level of support.The already weakened Buddhists in India finally collapsed.7.
When the Muslim invasion of India started around 1190 CE., the rivalry was so advanced that Hindus were given assistance & patronage from Hindu rulers and Buddhists did not get the same level of support.The already weakened Buddhists in India finally collapsed.7.
Source: S. R. Goyal, A History of Indian Buddhism (Meerut, 1987)
Online Text Archive: https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.119634/page/n521/mode/2up
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