Buddhism in North India and Pakistan

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This book presents a historical survey of Buddhism through the ages in the modern states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh in India, and West Punjab, Sind and North West Frontier Provinces in Pakistan. In other words, it covers the area from Delhi to Peshawar. Buddhism came to the ancient Punjab – Gandhara region through the Buddha himself, and gained a good hold within 300 years of the Mahaparinirvana of the Buddha. Thereafter, for more than 1000 years, Buddhism was the predominant religion of the people. A galaxy of Buddhist saints, scholars, poets and philosophers not only enriched the culture of the Punjab – Gandhara region but also influenced and moulded the destiny of Buddhism as a whole. Three of the illustrious Buddhist kings of India : Milinda, Kanishka and Harsha flourished in this region, while a fourth, the first Buddhist Emperor of India, Asoka the Great also started his career in the Punjab. Though Buddhism later disappeared from the plains but it managed to survive in the hilly regions, and even today is a living faith in the valleys of Lahul, Spiti and Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR D C Ahir

D.C. Ahir (born 1928, Punjab) is a reputed scholar of Buddhist studies, and has made notable contribution to the history of Buddhism during the last 42 years. He retired as Director to the Government of India in February 1986, and since then is fully engaged in enriching literature. He already has more than forty published works to his credit, besides numerous articles on Buddhism. In appreciation of his noble and notable contribution to the Buddhist Literature as a Distinguished Scholarand Author, the Maha Bodhi Society of India, Sarnath conferred on him on 30 November 2001 the Honorary Title of Buddha Sahitya Shiromani.