Latest / The Hidden History of Bengal: Kingdoms, Empires, and Revolution — Fexingo History / The Palas of Bengal: Buddhism, Empire, and the Lost University of Somapura
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about Bengal's Hindu and Muslim periods — the Senas, the Sultans, the Mughals. But before all of that, for about four hundred years, Bengal was ruled by a Buddhist dynasty that built one of the great universities of the ancient world. Luna: Wait — a Buddhist empire in Bengal? I thought Buddhism had mostly faded from India by the medieval period. Lucas: That's the common assumption, but the Pala Empire was a major exception. They ruled from roughly the 8th to the 12th century, and at their height, they controlled most of the Gangetic plain, from Bengal to what is now Punjab. Their capital was at Murshidabad — or rather, an early city called Gauda, which later became Gaur. Lucas: The dynasty was founded by Gopala I around 750 CE. We don't know much about his early life, but he was elected by a council of chieftains to end a period of anarchy called the Matsyanyaya — literally 'the logic of the fish,' where the big fish eat the small fish. So he was a stabilizing figure. Luna: Elected? That's unusual for an ancient king. Lucas: It is. Some later texts claim he was chosen because of his virtues. But once he took power, he founded a hereditary dynasty. His son, Dharmapala, expanded the empire enormously. He waged wars against the Gurjara-Pratiharas and the Rashtrakutas for control of Kannauj — the ancient imperial prize of North India. Lucas: But Dharmapala's most lasting achievement was patronage of Buddhism. He founded the Somapura Mahavihara at Paharpur, in present-day Bangladesh. It was one of the largest Buddhist monasteries in the world — a massive quadrangle with 177 cells, a central temple that was a cross-shaped cruciform structure, and elaborate terracotta plaques. Luna: I've seen pictures of the ruins at Paharpur — it's huge. UNESCO World Heritage site, right? Lucas: Yes, it's a UNESCO site now. And in its day, it was a major center of learning — not just for Buddhism, but for philosophy, astronomy, medicine. Monks from Tibet, China, and Southeast Asia came there. It was like Nalanda, but in Bengal. Lucas: The Pala kings were patrons of Mahayana and later Vajrayana Buddhism. They built other monasteries too — Odantapuri and Vikramashila. The latter became especially important for Tibetan Buddhism, because the great scholar Atisha Dipankara studied and taught there before traveling to Tibet in the 11th century. Luna: Atisha — he's a huge figure in Tibetan Buddhism. So the Palas connected Bengal to Tibet? Lucas: Absolutely. The Pala period saw a flourishing of Buddhist scholarship and art. The distinctive black stone sculptures of Pala Bengal are found in museums around the world. They're known for their graceful, almost fluid lines, and they depict Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and Tantric deities. Many of them were taken to Tibet and are still venerated there. Lucas: The empire reached its peak under Devapala, Dharmapala's successor. But after his death, the Palas faced repeated invasions. The Gurjara-Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas kept pressing from the west. Internally, there were succession disputes. By the 11th century, the empire had shrunk back to just Bengal and Bihar. Luna: What finally brought them down? Lucas: The Senas — a Hindu dynasty from the south, who we covered in an earlier episode. They gradually took over Bengal in the 12th century. The last Pala king, Madanapala, held on for a while, but by 1161, the Senas were in control. The Buddhist monasteries were abandoned or converted into Hindu temples. Somapura was eventually deserted and swallowed by the jungle. Lucas: But the Palas left a remarkable legacy. They were the last great Buddhist empire in India. They preserved and transmitted Buddhist texts and art that might otherwise have been lost. And through figures like Atisha, they helped shape Tibetan Buddhism, which survives today. Luna: It's amazing how much history is hidden in Bengal. I had no idea about a Buddhist empire there. Lucas: That's the thing about Bengal — it's a crossroads. Every major religion and empire seems to have left a layer. The Palas are a reminder that Buddhism wasn't just a footnote in Indian history — it was a vibrant, dynamic force for centuries.