Buddhism in Kamarupa
By Maheswar Neog
Summary
This survey evaluates the presence of Buddhism in ancient Kamarupa (Assam) through inscriptions, archaeology and literature. Copper‑plate grants of Kamarupa kings use terms like ‘dharma’ and ‘tathagata’, but these words may denote Hindu as well as Buddhist conceptsfile:///home/oai/share/563027_compressed-117-200.pdf. Archaeological evidence is scant: only a few Buddhist images and stupas have been found, often imported from Bihar and incorporating Saivite motifs. The Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang reported that there were no monasteries in Kamarupa and that Buddhists practised secretlyfile:///home/oai/share/563027_compressed-117-200.pdf#:~:text=been%20supposed%20,the%20rule%20of%20his%20days. Later Tantric texts, such as the Kalika Purana and Yogini‑tantras, list Kamarupa and the goddess Kamakhya as Vajrayana pithas, but these references reflect medieval Tantric syncretism rather than early Buddhismfile:///home/oai/share/563027_compressed-117-200.pdf#:~:text=been%20supposed%20,the%20rule%20of%20his%20days. The article concludes that Buddhism never had a strong foothold in Kamarupa; the region remained predominantly Brahmanical, with limited Buddhist influence and later Tantric amalgamationsfile:///home/oai/share/563027_compressed-117-200.pdffile:///home/oai/share/563027_compressed-117-200.pdf#:~:text=been%20supposed%20,the%20rule%20of%20his%20days.
Conclusion
On the basis of epigraphic, archaeological and textual data, the article concludes that Buddhism was never widespread in Kamarupafile:///home/oai/share/563027_compressed-117-200.pdf. The few Buddhist images and Tantric references are late and syncretic, while Hiuen Tsang’s testimony of an absence of monasteries underscores Buddhism’s marginal statusfile:///home/oai/share/563027_compressed-117-200.pdf#:~:text=been%20supposed%20,the%20rule%20of%20his%20days. Kamarupa’s religious life was dominated by Brahmanical and Sakta traditions.