Buddhist heritage of Tamil Nadu and its links with Lanka

November 12, 2013, 4:43 pm 

By Dr. Nirmala Chandrahasan

The cultural affinities between Tamil Nadu our closest neighbour and Sri Lanka are many but little is known of the religious ties which bound the two countries between the early years of the Christian era and the 14th century AD, during which time Buddhism was prevalent in South India.

Buddhism came to South India before the 3rd Sangam period in the 2nd century BC. Pandit Hisselle Dharmaratana mahathera, in his Buddhism in South India states that there is evidence that Ven. Mahinda Thera, Emperor Asoka’s son also spread the Dhamma in Tamil Nadu. The Mahathera states "although the chronicles say he arrived through his supernatural powers, scholars are of the opinion that he travelled by sea and called at Kaveripattinam on the east coast of Tamil Nadu on his way to Sri Lanka". Dr Shu Hikosake Director Professor of Buddhism, Institute of Asian Studies in Madras in his book Buddhism in Tamil Nadu a new perspective also takes the same view. Hsuan Tsang the Chinese 7th Century, Buddhist monk, scholar traveller, mentions that in the Pandyan kingdom near Madurai there is a monastery built by Mahinda thera. He also mentions a stupa built by King Asoka in Kanchipuram. Stone inscriptions of the Emperor Asoka, Rock Edict no 3, refers to the Dhamma being spread in the Chola, and Pandya country (Tamil Nadu) and Tambapanni (Sri Lanka)

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