Somapura Mahavihara (সোমপুর মহাবিহার)
Somapura Mahavihara was one of
the most famous Buddhist monastic institutions of ancient Bengal. The excavated
monastic complex at paharpur has been identified with the Somapura Mahavihara
built by the second Pala king dharmapala (c 781-821 AD). Some clay seals from
the ruins bear the inscription
Shri-Somapure-Shri-Dharmapaladeva-Mahavihariyarya-bhiksu-sangghasya. Taranatha
and other Tibetan sources mention that devapala built it after his conquest of
varendra. Possibly what Dharmapala undertook may have received finishing
touches during the reign of his successor Devapala. The Pala rulers were devout
Buddhists and they founded a number of monasteries throughout their growing
empire. Some of them became great centres of learning and their reputation
quickly spread throughout the length and breadth of Asia. Somapura Mahavihara's
close relationship with the ruling dynasty implied that it shared the political
ups and downs of its benefactors.
The Paharpur pillar inscription
of the 5th regnal year of Mahendrapala, found in the ruins of the main temple,
records the name of Bhiksu Ajayagarbha. Mahendrapala of this inscription has to
be identified with the king of the same name, whose recently discovered
jagjivanpur copperplate has put it beyond doubt that he belonged to the pala
dynasty, son and successor of Devapala. So it is proved that Mahendrapala
continued patronage to this monastery. The monastery was repaired and renovated
during the reign of mahipala i (c 995-1043 AD), and it is recorded in the
Tibetan work, Pag Sam Jon Zang that the same king used to visit Somapura Vihara
to offer his homage to it.
The monastery flourished until
the 11th century AD when it was destroyed by fire during an invasion by a
vangala army, possibly the army of the Varman rulers of vanga. This is recorded
in the Nalanda inscription of Vipulashrimitra, where it is also recorded that
Karunashrimitra, ancestor of Vipulasrimitra, lost his life in the fire as he
refused to leave the monastery. About a century later Vipulasrimitra restored
the former glory of the Vihara through renovation work and by building a temple
of Tara. After the renovation the magnificence of the temple is alluded by the
expression jagatang netraika vishrama bhuh (a singular feast to the eyes of the
world).
It seems that the advent of the
Karnatadeshatagata Brahmaksatriya Senas in the second half of the 12th century
marked the beginning of the end of the Buddhist monastery. Somapura Mahavihara
gradually declined and was finally abandoned during the 13th century, when the
area came under Muslim occupation.
Tibetan works (Tibetan
translations of Dharmakayavidhi and Madhyamaka Ratnapradipa, Taranatha's
history and Pag-Sam-Jon-Zang) record the glory of Somapura Mahavihara. Many
Tibetan monks visited the monastery during the period between 9th and 12th
century AD. atish dipankar srijnan stayed here for many years and translated
the Madhyamaka Ratnapradipa into Tibetan. His spiritual preceptor, Ratnakara
Shanti was the sthavira of the vihara. Mahapanditacharya Bodhibhadra was a
resident monk of this vihara. Several other scholars like Kalamahapada,
Viryendra and Karunashrimitra spent some part of their lives at this monastery.
[AM Chowdhury]
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