Achievements of Kanishka

Achievements of Kanishka
The Kushan empire was most likely one of five subdivisions of the Yuezhi
confederation, which was composed of ancient Central Asian nomadic people.
The Kushan dynasty ruled until 350 CE. Kanishka (127-150 CE) was the
Kushana dynasty's most powerful ruler. He established the Saka era, which
began in 78 A.D. He was not only a great conqueror, but also a religious and
artistic patron. During Kanishka's reign, the Kushan kingdom was divided into
two capitals: Purushapura and Mathura.
Kanishka I, also known as Kanishka the Great, was a Kushan dynasty emperor
during whose reign the empire reached its peak. He is well-known for his
military, political, and spiritual accomplishments. Kanishka, a descendant of
Kujula Kadphises, the founder of the Kushan empire, rose to rule an empire that
stretched from Central Asia and Gandhara to Pataliputra on the Gangetic plain.
His empire's main capital was in Gandhara, at Purusapura (Peshawar), with
another major capital at Mathura. Kanishka coins were discovered in Tripuri
(present-day Jabalpur). His conquests and patronage of Buddhism were crucial
in the development of the Silk Road and the transmission of Mahayana
Buddhism from Gandhara to China across the Karakoram range. Around 127
CE, he replaced Greek with Bactrian as the empire's official language of
administration. Previously, scholars believed Kanishka ascended to the Kushan
throne in 78 CE, and that this date served as the start of the Saka calendar era.
Historians no longer consider this date to be Kanishka's accession. Falk believes
Kanishka ascended to the throne in 127 CE.
1. Kanishka’s Conquests
His empire included Afghanistan, Gandhara, Sind, and Punjab at the time of his
accession. He then conquered Magadha and extended his power all the way to
Pataliputra and Bodh Gaya. Kanishka, according to Kalhana, invaded and
occupied Kashmir. His coins have been discovered in a variety of locations,
including Mathura, Sravasti, Kausambi, and Benares, implying that he
conquered the majority of the Gangetic plain. He also fought against the
Chinese and took some of their territory. He was defeated during the first
expedition by the Chinese general Pancho. He launched a second expedition,
which was successful, and he defeated Panyang, Pancho's son. Kanishka
absorbed the territories of Kashgar, Yarkand, and Khotan into his empire.
Kanishka's empire stretched from Gandhara in the west to Benares in the east,
and from Kashmir in the north to Malwa in the south. His capital was
Purushapura, or modern-day Peshawar. Mathura was another important city in
his empire.
2. Conquests in South & Central Asia
Kanishka's empire was undoubtedly vast. It stretched from southern Uzbekistan
and Tajikistan, north of the Amu Darya (Oxus) in the north west to Northern
India, as far as Mathura in the south east (the Rabatak inscription even claims
he held Pataliputra and Sri Champa), and his territory also included Kashmir,
where there was a town named after him, Kanishkapur (modern-day Kanispora),
not far from the Baramula Pass, which still contains the base of a large stupa.
His control over Central Asia is less well understood. According to Hou
Hanshu, the Book of the Later Han, general Ban Chao fought battles near
Khotan with a Kushan army of 70,000 men led by an otherwise unknown
Kushan viceroy named Xie. Ban Chao claimed victory, using a scorched-earth
policy to force the Kushans to retreat. Kashgar, Khotan, and Yarkand were
Chinese dependencies in the Tarim Basin, modern-day Xinjiang. Several
Kanishka coins have been discovered in the Tarim Basin. One of Kanishka's
main imperial goals appears to have been to control both the land (the Silk
Road) and sea trade routes between South Asia and Rome.
3. Kanishka’s Coins
Kanishka's coins depict images of Indian, Greek, Iranian, and even Sumero-
Elamite deities, demonstrating his religious syncretism. Kanishka's coins from
the beginning of his reign have Greek legends and depict Greek divinities. Later
coins bear legends in Bactrian, the Iranian language spoken by the Kushans, and
Greek deities were replaced by corresponding Iranian deities. The king is
typically depicted on his coins as a bearded man wearing a long coat and
trousers gathered at the ankle, with flames emanating from his shoulders. He is
dressed in large rounded boots and carries a long sword as well as a lance. He is
often seen making a sacrifice on a small altar. The lower half-Iranian and Indic
of a life-size limestone relief of Kanishka dressed similarly, with a stiff
embroidered surplice beneath his coat and spurs attached to his boots beneath
the light gathered folds of his trousers, remained in the Kabul Museum until it
was destroyed by the Taliban.
4. Kanishka & Buddhism

Kanishka's reputation in Buddhist tradition is extremely important because he
not only believed in Buddhism but also promoted its teachings. As evidence, he
presided over the 4th Buddhist Council in Kashmir as its head. Vasumitra and
Ashwaghosha presided over it. During his lifetime, images of the Buddha were
created based on 32 physical signs. He supported the Gandhara School of
Greco-Buddhist Art as well as the Mathura School of Art. Kanishka appears to
have embraced both Buddhism and Persian characteristics, but he favoured
Buddhism more, as evidenced by his devotion to Buddhist teachings and prayer
styles depicted in various books related to the Kushan empire.
5. Kanishka’s Buddhist Statues
Several Buddhist statues, such as several Bodhisattva statues from the Art of
Mathura, are directly linked to Kanishka's reign, while a few others from
Gandhara are inscribed with a date in an era now thought to be the Yavana era,
ranging from 186 to 175 BCE.
Kanishka convened the fourth Buddhist Council in Kashmir at Kundalvana.

Although he was religiously tolerant, he patronised Buddhism. His coins feature
deities from India, Greece, and Zoroastria. He was also an art and architecture
patron. Under his leadership, the Gandhara School of Art flourished. He also
promoted the Mahayana school of Buddhism, which he was largely responsible
for spreading in China. It's unclear how he died.

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Achievements of Kanishka

4. Kanishka & Buddhism

Kanishka convened the fourth Buddhist Council in Kashmir at Kundalvana.

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