Palaeography as Found in Buddhism
By Dinanath Sharma
Summary
This paper surveys palaeographic evidence related to Buddhism from the third century BCE to the early medieval period. It begins with the Brahmi script used in Aśokan edicts and traces its evolution into regional variants such as Gupta and Siddham. The author explains how Buddhist missionaries carried writing to new areas, resulting in the adoption of Kharosthi in the north‑west and hybrid forms in Central Asia. The study analyses letter forms, ligatures and orthographic conventions in manuscripts from Gandhāra, Gilgit and Nalanda. By dating inscriptions and palm‑leaf manuscripts through palaeographic comparison, the author reconstructs chronological frameworks for Buddhist history. The article also highlights the impact of writing on doctrinal development: commitment of oral teachings to manuscripts enabled wider dissemination and textual commentary. Comparisons with Jain and Brahmanical scripts reveal mutual influences and regional styles.
Conclusion
By cataloguing scripts and manuscript evidence, the author shows that palaeography is crucial for dating Buddhist texts and understanding the spread of the tradition. The convergence of scripts across religions illustrates broader cultural exchanges in ancient India.