KUSHANAS

Origin

• Yueh-chi tribe, inhabiting North Western China

Founder- Kujula Kadphises

Sucessor- Vima Kadphises

Kanishka
 Gandhara Art

• Earlier Dhammakaya form of worship

During Kanishka’s reign shift to Roopakaya form of worship
Gandhara Art Mathura Art
Earliest image of Buddha at Shah ji ki dheri, Peshawar
Buddha’s depiction on Kanisha’s coins
Gandhara art Bodhisattavas
Fasting Buddha
 Buddha’s life and Jataka tales

Sibi Jataka
Dipankara Jataka
 Royal potraits

Potrait gallery of kings, Tokri Tila

 Coins

Coin of Kanishka with the Divinity Helios.

Greek Language Legend: Obverse: BASILEUS BASILEON
KANISHKOY (King of Kings Kanishka);
Reverse: ILIOS “HELIOS”. (From ‘Coins of the Indo-Greeks’,
Whitehead, 1914 ed.)
Zoroastrian divinities on Kushana coins
Indian deities on coins
Kushana Divinity Adsho (Carnelian Seal)
 Architecture

Kanishka Stupa, Shah ji ki dheri, Peshawar

 Literature

• Sanskrit Buddhist literature

• Ashavaghosha’s works – Buddhacarita and Saundarananda

• Saddharma Pundarika

• Mahavastu

• Lalitavistara

• Avadanas

• Milindapanho
 Buddhacarita

• Poetic narrative style

• The text begins with a description of Gautama Buddha’s

parents, King Suddhodana and Queen Maya, and ends with the events occuring shortly after the Buddha's
paranirvana.

• It is remarkably free from the mythological accretions that surrounded the Buddha at the time
 Saundarananda

• Narrative style

• Theme of conversion of Nanda, Buddha’ s half-brother, so that he might reach salvation.

• The first half of the work describes Nanda’s life, and the second half of the work
describes Buddhist doctrines and ascetic practices.
 Saddharma Pundarika sutra

• The sutra is presented in the form of a drama consisting of

several mythological scenes

• For many Buddhists in East Asia since early times, the Lotus Sutra contains the
final teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha — complete and sufficient for salvation