Buddhism was widespread in coastal Karnataka in ancient times. Buddhist statues are found in various places like Kadri in Mangalore, Haigunda, Babruwada and Mulur-Udupi. Kadri also had a Vajrayana Buddhist vihara.
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Statues and Stupas from Sellur in Later Chola Period In 2004, T. Ramalingam, a farmer in Sellur (Kodavasal Taluk, Thiruvarur
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Around 350 statues of Buddha and Bodhisattvas and some stupas were uncovered from Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu a century back showing the widespread presence all schools of Buddhism including Mahayana and Vajrayana in this locality. Buddhists artifacts from this locality dates from the 2nd Century CE to 17th Century CE, making it one of the first as well as last citadels of Buddhism in South India.
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A 16th Century TIbetan Buddhist Master, Taranatha mentions about Tamil Nadu’s Pakshitheertham’s Buddhist past in his book ‘History of Buddhism in India’. This place continued to have that association with birds till recently.
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Pondicherry has a few ancient Buddha statues from the 10th to 12th Century. Two of them are in Museum and one is worshipped in a temple in Ariyankuppam. Another is lost.
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Poompuhar was probably the earliest of the cities in the Dravida Land to have a Buddhist presence, right from the early Sangam period itself. Remains of a monastery and ancient Buddha statues were obtained from this place.
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Kanchi (Kanchipuram) in Tamil Nadu was the most significant Buddhist center of learning in South India. Kanchi produced world-renowned scholars and masters of Buddhism such as Bodhidharma, Dignaga, Dharmapala, Buddhaghosa, etc., spanning across Sravakayana and Mahayana. It is also one of the twenty-four power places of Vajrayana Buddhism.
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Exploration of history and archeological evidence of Buddhism in South India shows that Buddhism had been widespread in the South at least till the middle of the last millennium. While historical explorations dispel the attachment to misperceptions about heritage, we should also take care not to turn these new findings into another object of attachment and a cause for negative emotions.
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Paramabuddha (Padampa Sangye), an Indian Buddhist Mahasiddha, taught Zhije & Chod in Tibet. his birthplace can be identified to be in Kerala, near Sabarimala hills. His connection with Ayyappa is also explored.
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The southern state of Karnataka has about ten edicts of Ashoka. Among those, Maski edict turned out to be of critical importance in archeologically discovering the history of India. This rock edict discovered by a gold-mining engineer contains a precious message that is worthier than gold.
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