Buddhism in the Classical Age

Summary

In this comprehensive overview, Sudha Sengupta examines the development of Buddhism during India’s classical age, roughly from the fourth to the seventh century CE. She argues that this period witnessed both intellectual efflorescence and subtle decline. Under the Guptas and their successors, royal patronage of monasteries continued, and great universities such as Nālandā, Valabhī and Vikramaśīla flourished. The article surveys the proliferation of philosophical schools, including Yogācāra, Madhyamaka and early Buddhist logic. Important works like Vasubandhu’s Abhidharmakośa and Dignāga’s Pramāṇasamuccaya are placed in context. The author discusses changes in religious practice, noting the rise of devotional worship and the incorporation of Tantric elements into Buddhism. Architectural developments are also explored: stupa construction gave way to rock‑cut monasteries and elaborate temple complexes. Despite these achievements, Sengupta detects signs of decline, including internal doctrinal disputes, competition from resurgent Brahmanical traditions and diminishing support from merchants and rulers. She concludes that the classical age was a transitional era in which Buddhism reached new intellectual heights even as the conditions that had sustained its earlier expansion began to erode.