PAGES FROM HISTORY: INDIAN INFLUENCE ON TIBET

PAGES FROM HISTORY: INDIAN INFLUENCE ON TIBET

By Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy, former Head, Department of Ancient History & Archaeology, University of Mysore.

Exactly fifty years ago, His Holiness Dalai Lama came to India in exile after the Chinese aggression of Tibet. From then on, the fourteenth religious leader of Tibet has been living in India hoping to get back to his motherland when the congenial atmosphere sets in there.

Actually, Dalai Lama is not a personal name but it denotes the exalted position like Shan-karacharya, Jeeyar, Jagadguru etc. In about 1550 AD, a Tibetan guru of Lama faith visited the court of Mongol Chief Altan Khan. The Khan was pleased by the scholarship and compassionate attitude of this Tibetan monk (Blod-nams-rgya-mto) and gave him the title 'Tale' meaning ocean of knowledge and compassion.

In course of time 'Tale' became Dalai. As he was following Lama religion, he came to be called Dalai Lama, and all the succee-ding chiefs assumed that title. It is believed that Dalai Lama is the reincarnation of Bodhisatva Avalokitesvar, like the avataras of the Hindu religion, to help the people to attain salvation. Except the one Dalai Lama (Yantan) who was the great grandson of Altan Khan, all others are of Tibetan origin. The present Dalai Lama was born in 1935 and next year he will enter into 75th year and that will be a great occasion for the Tibetans.

Gampo of Ancient Tibet

Though India welcomed Dalai Lama and extended a hand of friendship fifty years ago, actually India's contact with Tibet goes back to more than 1500 years. Tibet was a group of small States and Gampo united all of them in about 620 AD and the Chinese king gave his daughter in marriage to him. Gampo defeated the Hindu king of Nepal and Nepal became a part of Tibet for sometime. Gampo introduced Buddhism to Tibet and hence he is considered as the Father of ancient Tibet. Tibet defeats China

During 6th-7th centuries AD Tibet became so powerful as to attack China and occupy parts of that country. Unable to drive the Tibetans out of their country, the Chinese king agreed to give fifty thousand rolls of silk cloth as tribute to Tibet. After sometime, the Chinese stopped this tribute and immediately Tibet waged a war on China and defeated it. The Chinese king made a treaty with Tibet by surrendering huge amounts of gold and silk and this is recorded on a stone dated 821 AD which is still available in Lhasa.

Padmasambhava

Then came another important Chief Trison Dexen who took great interest in the development of Buddhism. After visiting India many times, he was greatly impressed by the famous Nalanda University. There was a famous scholar by name Padmasam-bhava at Nalanda and Dexen invited him to visit Tibet and teach Buddhism. Padmasambhava accepted the offer and went to Tibet. It was he who started the Lama School of Buddism. Actually Lamaism is a harmoious combination of Saivism, Tantric cult and Mahayan Buddhism.

There was a competition in Tibet between the religious teachers who came from China and the scholars from India headed by Padmasambhava in 792 AD. The Chinese scholars were unable to explain Tao philosophy whereas Indian scholars could explain the tenets of Buddhism in attractive language and people voted for Indian Buddhism. Chinese scholars left Tibet. Indian scholars began translating Sanskrit and Pali texts into Tibetan.

Dipankara

Then came another scholar Dipankara, also called Atisha, who was the Vice-Chancellor of the Vikramashila University in India. He built many Buddhist monasteries and educational institutions and became a patron of Buddhism. Actually he stands next only to Buddha and Padmasambhava in religious hierarchy.

The Indian Buddhist scholars gave equal opportunity for women also in religious matters. Worship of Buddha, Bodhisatva and other deities also became popular. These concepts looked attractive to common people and by this Indian Buddhist scholars gained an upper hand in Tibet.

Mongol attack

When things were moving in this congenial way, the notorious Changez Khan attacked Tibet. He looted Lhasa, killed hundreds of people and carried all Tibetan wealth to Mongolia. The Tibetans were happy that Khan did not carry Buddhist manuscripts. Tibetan Sakya King Godan explained to his subjects thus: 'Money and wealth which we have lost at the hands of the Mongols can easily be earned but the Buddhist works if lost could not have been replaced or earned again'. However, the Mongolian influence on Tibet continued.

Panchen Lama

But Indian influence continued in Tibetan religious and social life as revealed by the stories of Naropa and Tilopa.

An Indian scholar started a monastery at a place called Samye which had rarest of Buddhist manuscripts. The Mongolian Gusri Khan died in 1655 AD and his successors did not show much interest in ruling over Tibet. In the meantime, Chinese began to interfere in Tibetan political affairs. Dalai Lama practically became the head of Tibet. Just to undermine the influence of Dalai Lama over Tibet, the Chinese appointed Panchen Lama as the head of Tibet. This inaugurated the tradition of Panchen Lama in Tibetan history.

The Chinese expected that there would be quarrel between Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama so that they could intervene. But they were disappointed as Panchen Lama accepted the superiority of Dalai Lama. Even now Dalai Lama enjoys a superior status. Without any other course, the Chinese made an aggression against Tibet which resulted in Dalai Lama coming to India fifty years ago.

I had the good fortune of presenting a research paper on Indian influence on Tibet at a conference held in Buddha Gaya which was inaugurated by Dalai Lama. After listening to my paper, His Holiness remarked that Indians know more about Tibetan history than the Tibetans themselves. He was further happy to know that I was from Mysore city close to Bylukuppe, the Tibetan colony.

Thus Tibetans are friends of India for the past 1500 years. A long standing friendship indeed !