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{{Use Indian English|date=December 2019}}
{{main|Buddhism|North Karnataka}}
{{Culture of Karnataka}}'''Buddhism in Northern Karnataka''' has seen major development after the discovery of an [[Ashoka]] inscription at [[Maski]] in [[Raichur District]] a few decades ago and of a Buddhist settlement through a series of archaeological excavations at [[Sannati]] which have shed light on the historic significance of [[Karnataka]].

During 1954-95, 81 stone inscriptions, 2 stupas, 3 dibbas or mounds and a defence fort have been discovered at [[Sannati]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2008040650900200.htm&date=2008/04/06/&prd=th&
|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125111636/http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2008040650900200.htm&date=2008/04/06/&prd=th&
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=2013-01-25
|title=Sannati set to regain its past glory
|publisher=
|accessdate=2008-09-12
}}</ref>

==History==
[[Buddhism]] had in fact entered Karnataka before the time of the Emperor Ashoka,
and that it enjoyed its heyday between the 3rd century B.C. and the 3rd century A.D.
<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vedamsbooks.com/no8991.htm |title=Buddhism in Karnataka/R.C. Hiremath |publisher= |accessdate=2008-09-12 }}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kamat.com/library/holdings/kml1240.htm |title=Age of Buddhism in Karnataka |publisher= |accessdate=2008-09-12 }}</ref>

===Mauryas===
Buddhism first emerged during [[Mauryas]] times when there was a missionary zeal.
Parts of Karnataka were subject to the rule of the Mauryas. Chandragupta Maurya's son Bindusara (298-273 BC) and Bindusara's son [[Ashoka]] (269-232 BC) caused some of his edicts to be put up here. Ashoka's grandson Samprati Chandragupta is believed to have come to [[Shravanabelagola]] where he spent his last years.

Eleven Ashokas edicts: 4 in [[Bellary District]], 3 in [[Raichur District]] and 3 others in [[Chitradurga District]] bear witness to the Mauryas presence in [[Karnataka]].

===Satavahana===
The [[Satavahana]] may have been a Karnataka dynasty, as [[Dharwad]] and [[Bellary District]]s are called Shantavahani Hara (or Shantavahana region). Some of their kings were called rulers of Kunthala, the old name for Karnataka.

The Satavahana were successors to the [[Mauryas]] and ruled in [[Banavasi]], as is evident from the Nasik inscription of Gautamiputra Satakarni and the copper plates from [[Hirehadagali]].

At Sannati in [[Gulbarga District]], as well as Vadgoan Madhavpur near [[Belgaum]] and Brahmagiri in [[Chitradurga District]], there are remains of monuments of their period. The [[Uttara Kannada]] area of Banavasi has their inscription at Vasan in [[Dharwad District]], and there are remains of a brick temple.

===Kadamba===
Kadambas capital was also Banavasi, known as Vaijayanti. They were tolerant towards Buddhism as epigraphic evidence shows. Recent excavations of the site of [[Banavasi]] have given the remains of a [[Stupa|Buddhist stupa]]. The large apsidal structure is what remains and it was planned like a [[Dharmachakra|dharma chakra]]. Kadambas century was a prominent one for Buddhism in Karnataka.

Chinese traveller, [[Hieun Tsang]], visited Banavasi in the 7th century AD and saw 1000 sangharamas and three stupas. He said "By the side of the royal palace was a great sangharama with 300 priests, all men of distinction. This convent has a great vihara 100 in height".{{citation needed|date=December 2017}}

==Buddhist temple in North Karnataka==

* [[Aihole]]
[[Aihole]], is today an insignificant village in [[Bagalkot District]] of [[North Karnataka]]. This place was a workshop for temple architects and sculptors patronized by early [[Chalukyas]] monarchs. Here are some of the earliest structural temples in stone in the country, dating from 450 AD, including one of the 4 Buddhist shrines in [[Karnataka]]. Aihole's hillock, Meguti, to the rock cut Buddhist shrine. It is the most important surviving Buddhist temple in Karnataka.

The Buddhist Chaitya at Aihole, is pre western Chalukyas and indicates the influence of
Mahayana. It was built around the 5th century and is 25 feet high.

* [[Sannati]]

Sannati,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=42,4841,0,0,1,0 |title=Facelift for Sannati monuments at Rs 5 crore (US$ 1.23 mil) |publisher=
|accessdate=2008-09-12 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=42,3433,0,0,1,0 |title=Authority set up to develop Sannati Buddhist centre |publisher= |accessdate=2008-09-12 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deccanherald.com/CONTENT/Jun42007/state200706035480.asp |title=INTERNATIONAL BUDDHIST CENTRE PLANNED IN SANNATI |accessdate=2008-09-12 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908085401/http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Jun42007/state200706035480.asp |archivedate=8 September 2008 }}</ref> [[Chitapur]] Taluk, [[Gulbarga District]], on both banks of the [[Bhima River|river Bhima]], that many Buddhist stupas of the Shatvahana times have been found. Sannati, which date back to the 1st to 3rd century AD, the oldest among the Karnataka Buddhist sites and monuments.

Sannati which resembles [[Amravati]] and was the Buddhist centre of the Shatvahana period of pre Christian era and stands as a significant cluster of dozens of Buddhist relics, which include 2 stupas, 3 mounds, 1 fortification, 4 major rock edicts and more than 75 contemporary inscriptions. All scattered across a compact area of about 10 square kilometres.

Sculptures can be seen all along and the Buddhist ruins found there are in large numbers.
They include remnants of stupas, stone pottery for holy bones and ayaka stambha
which has symbolic representation of birth, parinishnishkramana, enlightenment, preaching and nirvana (salvation) of [[Buddha]].

===Inscriptions===
Inscriptions in the Brahmi script contain names of those who gave grants to sangharama, stupas and viharas.

* [[Badami]]

Badami,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cultureholidays.com/Temples/badami.htm |title=Badami Cave Temples, Karnataka |publisher= |accessdate=2008-09-12 |archive-date=19 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419190057/http://cultureholidays.com/Temples/badami.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> the erstwhile capital city of the western Chalukyas in the 6th century. These rulers were also associated with Buddhism and relics here have survived in the shape of a Buddhist cave. There is also a figure, identifiable as Padmapani, the [[Bodhisattva]] of the same period.

The Chinese traveller [[Xuanzang]] (Hieun Tsang) has stated that during the time of [[Pulakeshin II]] in 642 AD in Banavasi or Konkanpura, there were 400 Sangharamas and 10000 followers of Buddhism.

* [[Dambal]] ''(in [[Gadag District]], there was a Buddhist centre as during 12th century)''

===Inscription===
A Dambala inscription of 1095 AD, begins with the customary invocation namo buddhyana and goes go to describe at length the greatness of Tara bhagavati.

Inscription of 1095 AD, a temple of the Buddhist deity [[Tara (Buddhism)|Tara]] and a Buddhist [[vihara]] were built by 16 merchants during the reign of Lakshmidevi, queen of Vikramaditya VI.
Another temple of Tara, built at Dambal was by Sethi Sangarmaya of Lokkigundi ([[Lakkundi]]).

* [[Kolivada]]

Kolivada, [[Hubbali]] taluk, [[Dharwad District]].

An icon of Tara has been discovered belonging to about the 13th century.

===Inscription===
Inscribed on the pedestal of this icon are the words "siddham om namo bhagavatayai Aryatarayai", and followed by the usual statement of the Buddha's teaching in brief.

==Buddhist Tibetan settlement at Mundgod==
[[File:Tibetan colony.jpg|thumb|300px|left| Tibetan colony [[Mundgod]]]]

The Tibetan settlement at [[Mundgod]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=42,7251,0,0,1,0 |title=Dalai Lama to guide mummifying Mundgod Monk |publisher= |accessdate=2008-11-13 }}</ref> is located 45 km from [[Hubli-Dharwad]]. and the settlement at Mundgod is the largest in [[India]]. It was founded in 1966. Now there are nine camps with two monasteries and a nunnery. One of the monasteries is [[Rato Dratsang]].
{{clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* [http://www.indiaprofile.com/religion-culture/buddhisminkarnataka.htm The Buddhist Legacy – Buddhism in KARNATAKA]
* [http://www.vbu.edu.vn/?aacecom=view&code=cate&id=10 Kanganhalli,A unique discovery of Buddhist site in India, Sannati, Karnataka]{{Dead link|date=June 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buddhism In North Karnataka}}
[[Category:Buddhism in Karnataka|North Karnataka]]
[[Category:Social history of Karnataka]]
[[Category:Buddhism in India by state or union territory|North Karnataka]]
[[Category:History of Buddhism in India]]

Buddhism in North Karnataka - Revision history

>InternetArchiveBot at 09:17, 13 June 2021