Kanishka

Kaniska, moreover known as Kanishka, Chinese Chia-ni-se-chia (thrived 1st century CE), was the greatest ruler of the Kushan dynasty who reigned over the northern region of the Indian subcontinent, Afghanistan, and perhaps regions of Central Asia north of the Kashmir area. He is, though, primarily considered an immense patron of Buddhism.

The majority of what is recognized about Kaniska originates from Chinese sources, predominantly Buddhist writings. When Kaniska ascended to the throne is unsure. His attainment has been guesstimated as happening between 78 and 144 CE; his rule is considered to have prolonged for almost 23 years. The year 78 attributes the commencement of the Shaka era, a scheme of dating that Kaniska might have commenced.

Through legacy and invasion, Kaniska’s kingdom wrapped a region expanding lower Indus basin from Bukhara (currently in Uzbekistan) towards the west to Patna through the Gangetic basin (Ganga) River valley lying the east and towards the Pamirs (currently in Tajikistan) through the north to central India lying the south. His capital perhaps was Purusapura (Peshawar, currently in Pakistan). He did cross the Pamirs and conquered the rulers of the city-states of Kashgar, Khotan (Hotan), and Yarkand (currently in the Xinjiang area of China), who had earlier been streams of the Han emperors of China. Contact between Kaniska and the Chinese in Central Asia might have stirred the communication of Indian ideas, mainly Buddhism, to China. Buddhism initially emerged in China during the 2nd century CE.

As a supporter of Buddhism, Kaniska is primarily renowned for having arranged the fourth great Buddhist convention in Kashmir, which manifested the commencements of Mahayana Buddhism. At the convention, as per Chinese sources, sanctioned commentaries on the Buddhist canon were planned and carved on copper plates. These texts have endured just in Chinese translations and versions.

Kanishka’s coins

Kanishka’s coins depict images of Indian, Iranian, Greek, and also Sumero-Elamite divinities, signifying the devout syncretism in his faiths. Kanishka’s coins from the start of his reign encompass legends in the Greek language and script and portray Greek divinities. Afterwards, coins abide legends within Bactrian, the Iranian language that the Kushans manifestly spoke, and Greek divinities were substituted by parallel Iranian ones. Every Kanishka’s coins were written in a customized Greek script that had one supplementary glyph (Ϸ) to symbolize /š/ (sh), as in the term ‘Kushan’ and ‘Kanishka’.

On the coins, the king is characteristically portrayed as a bearded man in an elongated coat and trousers congregated at the ankle, with flames originating from his shoulders. He bears large rounded boots and is winged with a long sword plus a lance. He is often seen to be offering a sacrifice on a tiny altar.

Kaniska was a broad-minded king, and his coins demonstrate that he respected the Zoroastrian, Greek, and Brahmanic deities in addition to the Buddha. Throughout his reign, contacts with the Roman Empire using the Silk Road led to a noteworthy boost in trade and the swap of ideas; possibly the most extraordinary instance of the combination of Eastern and Western influences in his rule was the Gandhara School of Art, where Classical Greco-Roman lines are observed in images of the Buddha.

Some significant facts connected to Kanishka are as follows:

• It was through Kanishka’s rule that Buddhism was segregated into Mahayana and Hinayana.
• He was the originator of the Shaka Era of A.D. 78.
• He had occupied Patliputra and took the Buddhist monk Asvaghosa to Purushpura.
• Charaka and Sushruta were there in the court of Kanishka.
• Kanishka was a sponsor of Buddhism, and he instituted the 4th Buddhist convention in the Kundalvana of Kashmir in 78 AD.
• The council was presided by Vasumitra, and throughout this convention, the compilation of Buddhist texts occurred, and the commentaries were carved on copper sheets.
• The scholars who dwelled in Kanishka’s court were Asvaghosa, Vasumitra, Charaka, Nagarjun, and Parsva.
• Kanishka had battled against King Han Ho-ti, who was the ruler of the Han dynasty in China. Kanishka took over the Chinese ruler in the second challenge.

Conclusion

Kanishka was the most influential king of the Kushan Empire. His empire’s capital was Purushpura (Peshawar). Throughout his rule, Kushan Empire expanded from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to Kashmir Yamuna & Doab and Mathura. Kanishka was the heir of Vima Kadphises, as displayed by an inspiring family tree of the Kushan kings, acknowledged as the Rabatak inscription.

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