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How did the Pala kings support Buddhist monasteries and Vajrayana Buddhism in India?
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Mahayana
Guanyin and attendant bodhisattvas, detail of a painted cave mural, Kansu province, China, early 8th century.
The Pala dynasty (8th–12th centuries) played a pivotal role in the survival and flourishing of Buddhism in India, particularly by providing extensive patronage to monastic institutions and fostering the growth of Vajrayana Buddhism.12
The Pala kings supported Buddhist monasteries through several key actions:
- Protection and Expansion: The kings protected existing Mahaviharas (great monastic universities) and built new centers, such as the one at Odantapuri.2
- Institutional Supervision: They established a formal system of supervision for these monastic institutions, ensuring their stability and continued operation.2
- Intellectual Support: Under their patronage, institutions like Nalanda thrived as major centers for the study of Mahayana and Vajrayana thought, attracting scholars and facilitating the refinement of Buddhist philosophy.23
- Cultural Promotion: The dynasty fostered a distinctive school of art, producing significant stone and metal sculptures that reflected the religious climate of the era.13
During this period, Vajrayana became the most dynamic component of Indian Buddhist life, with the Pala kings' support enabling its development into a major intellectual and religious force that eventually spread to Tibet.12