History of Buddhism in Modern
Nepal
•Buddhism in Shah Period
•Buddhism in Rana Period
•Public Contrubution
Worship of Vajra bhairava
• uperkot in Gorkha,
• Manjushree in the form of wrathful deity
Yamantaka,
• The priest of Manakamana was initiated by
the Vajracharya,
Gorakhanatha and the Nath sect
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Ramana Vajra as the Buddhist monk.
Later become the Gorakhanatha,
He was conversed into the Mahinatha sect,
That sect propagated Nirvana, Sunyavada and
other Vajrayana features,
• Gorakhanath grotto inscription mentions the
worship of Vajrabhairabha since ancent time
in Gorkha.
Prithvi Narayana Shah(1743-1785 AD)
• The son of Narabhupala Shah,
• Inscription dated 1741 AD Mentions that
Narabhupal Nakathali Gumba to Lopa Lama of
Rasuwa, and gave right to rule the near by
villages,
Cont’d…
• There was already the tradition of worshiping
goddess according to the Tantra,
• The People in Gorkha worshipped Kali,
• The Mother Kaushalyavati swallowed the Sun in
dream,
• Received the Prasad from Bhairabha,
• The blue lotus from Kumari,
• A farmer is said to have heard the conversation
between Machchhindranatha and Bhairabha
Prithvi’s Birth
• Lama Deva Dharma was invited in Gorkha,
• A decree was given to him ensuring the part of
the territory,
• Rana Bahadur Shah Gave land to the
representative of the Lama in 1786 AD.
• The Gorkhas wishe victory by reciting “Jai Jai
Kali Jai Jai Gorakh Jai Jai Manakamana”
His religious attitude
• Worshipped Bhairava in Nuwakot after victory,
• Bhairava of Nuwakot is worshipped in Tantric
Manner,
• Embellished with the Golden gate and Golden
and sacrificed 102 buffalos,
Cont’d…
• Jayaprakasha Malla proposed to conserve the
Svayambhu Mahachaitya,
• Vajra Chhewang Norbu took the role,
• The King of Gorkha offered the Central Timber
for Conservation
Cont’d…
• Revived the Samyek Festival observed in every
12 years,
• Singed the Dharmapatra with Lamas of Kuti,
• That mentions Svayambhu and the Buddha as
witness,
• He received Prasad from Kumari,
• Worshipped Ganesh and Bhairava,
Cont’d…
• Offered Land for the Jatra of Nuwakot Bhairavi
• Two women made Dharmadhatu Chaitya and
Ashokabari Chiatya During his reign.
• Expelled the Capuchin Missioneries from
Nepal in 1769 AD.
Pratapa Sinha Shah(1774-177 AD.)
• Tantric Practioner,
• Came in contact with a Young Newar girl
Maiju,
• She was used for ritual propose,
Cont’d…
• Concluded treaty with Tibet in 1775 AD.
• He and Gyalcha paribochhe Signed,
• Triratna and Tutelar Deity have been
mentioned as the witness,
Cont’d…
• Naran was celebrated and he was offered with
the Golden Stick,
• Bhairavi was worshipped in the Buddhist
tantric way,
• Nuwakot Bhairavi was worshipped (inscription
1792 AD)
• Made Land endowment to Nuwakot
Bhairavi.(1793 copper Plate)
Rana Bahadur Shah(1777-1798 AD)
• Was ordained as an ascetic by Vidhyadhara
Bhatta,
• Married Kantavatidevi,
• Lived in Pashupati area for three monts when She
was ill,
• Later shifted to Patan,
• Recitation of the Mantra was done for the
recovery,
• Performed Kalapurusha Sadhana for the recovery,
Cont’d…
• Kantavatidevi was dead,
• Became depressed,
• Destroyed temples and broke the images of
deities including the Harati temple of
Svayambhu,
Shantipura episode
• Intended to set fire on Shantipura,
• Put one step inside of the cave, one eye
became blind,
• Put another step, another eye was blinded,
• Offered golden coin and Kisali(rice and supari)
• Thus regained the vision,
• His faith on Mahasamvara became firm.
Cont’d…
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Confiscated the Veertaland in 1805 AD.
Prohibited animal sacrifice
Assassinated by his own brother in 1806 AD.
बासठ्ठी हरण त्रिसट्ठी मरण
General Bhimasena thapa(1806-18039
AD)
• Shifted Gana Maha Viahara to Bhote Bahala for the
extension of his own complex,
• Offered annual expenses to the different dieties in
1811 AD.
• Gave 8001 Taka to Svayambhu and 1600 Taka to
Nuwakot Bhairavi,
• In 1816 AD. the conservation of Svyamhu started,
• Katho Rinpochhe Lama was the guide,
• The task was over in 1817 AD. The strom destroyed the
Pinnacle and was reconstructed in 1818 AD.
Buddhism in Rana Period
• Principle of Equality, Brotherhood of Mankind
and non-discrimination was not tolerable for
the Ranas.
• Dr. wright collected the manuscripts one by
one.
• Hodgson exposed them to Europe.
• In the century old autocracy of Ranas
Hinduism had sweeping influence over
Buddhism.
Rana Period
• Professor of Sanskrit to the university of Petersburg,
Minayaff visited Nepal in 1875 AD.
• His student published Bibliotheca Buddhica.
• In 1884 AD. Cecil Bendall undertook the research of
Mansucripts and inscriptions handed over by D. wright
under Cambridge University.
• He came in Nepal in 1898 AD.
• Haraprada Shastri Came to Nepal in 1897 AD.
• He published the catalogue of Buddhist Sanskrit
Manuscripts Of Nepal and Published in 1882 AD.
• He afain visited in 1898 AD.
• These activities gave exposure to Nepalese Buddhism
Public contributions
• Dhana Singha Tamrakara Installed a Chaitya and Vajrapani
at the ground floor of his house at Yatkha bahal in 1862 AD.
• He offered the Golden image of the Dipangkara Buddha
wchich is worshipped in the Samyek festival.
• Offered Twenty Pathi of rice for regular worship of
Svayambhu and Vajrayogini.
• He started conservation of Svayambhu Mahachaitya in
1863 AD.
• He was the government representative to China. He had
earned enough money. So, he wanted to utilize the amount
but he died earlier. His son Harsa Ratna executed the desire
of his father in 1867 AD.
Cont’d…
• Dhana Singh Tamrakara renovated the image of
Dipangkara of Budhabari in 1863 AD.
• He celebrated Naran and Panchadana at Bhaskarakirti
Maha Vihara in Yatkha.
• Dhirajamuni Shakyavamsha and others celebrated
samyek at Laganakhela in 1881 AD.
• Dharmadhoja and the family celebrated the Samyek.
• King Surendra was invited over there.
• Nanda Bir Singh of Patan celebrated Samyek in 1882
AD.
• Jana Vir Tuladhar celebrated Samyek at Bhuikhel.
Cont’d…
• Dravya Ratna Tuladhar of Taudaha performed
recitation of Prajnaparamita by the Vajracharyas in
1880 AD.
• Stone Staircase at the eastern side down from
Shantipura were built by Nhuchhe Raj and Tirtha Raj of
Makhan Tol.
• On the eastern side of the staircase Chaturmaharaja,
Tejas Bhairava and Ganesh, Kumar were Placed.
• Two Buddha images and Mahakal were also installed.
• The vehicles of Pancha Buddha- peacock, horse,lion,
elephant and Garuda also were placed.
Cont’d…
• Chitrakaras of Takshyapala Tole erected the Mayurdhoj
Stambha at Svyambhu in 1883 AD.
• Dhiraj Laxmi Maharjan of Dhyachalakhu Tole installed
the images of Two Arya Taras.
• In 1897 AD. Darshan Das Nepali of Ikha Pokhari
installed the golden glided peacock at svayambhu.
• Bhanidas chitrakara of Asan Tole made conservation of
the temple of Vairochana in 1893 AD.
• Kulamana Vajracharya Installed the golden image of
Vajrasattva.
Cont’d…
• In 1906 AD. Kul Bir Singh organized Samyek
festival,
• Narman Shakya Bhikkhu of Bhaktapur celebrated
Samyek Festival in which king Tribhuvan was
invited.
• In 1947 AD. Motiman Shakya and Kadga Simha
Maharjan celebrated Samyek and Panchadana.
• Ratna Gupta Shakya Bhikkhu went to Jumla to
propagate Buddhism.
(To be continued into another Lecture.)