In the year 643 AD, King Harshavardhana the ruler of northern India, organized a grand assembly at his capital Kannauj. The purpose of the assembly was to honour the Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang and to propagate the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism.
This assembly was attended by all neighbouring kings, 1000 scholars from Nalanda University, thousands of Mahayana and Hinayana buddhists and hundreds of brahmins and jains. This assembly continued for 23 days. It was presided by Hiuen Tsang on Harsha's request.
As per the accounts of Hiuen Tsang, a splendid monastery with a shrine was built by Harsha on the banks of the river Ganges. There on a huge tower 100ft high, a golden image of Buddha equal to the height of Harsha himself was kept for view of the gathering. A smaller image of Buddha about 3 ft high was everyday carried in a procession joined by all kings and 300 elephants. Harsha himself dressed as God Sakra held a capony over the image and king Bhaskarvarman of kamrupa (Assam) dressed as God Brahma waved a white fly whisk around the image. This assembly established Harsha's unpresidented devotion towards Mahayana Buddhism and made it popular among his subjects.
This assembly was attended by all neighbouring kings, 1000 scholars from Nalanda University, thousands of Mahayana and Hinayana buddhists and hundreds of brahmins and jains. This assembly continued for 23 days. It was presided by Hiuen Tsang on Harsha's request.
As per the accounts of Hiuen Tsang, a splendid monastery with a shrine was built by Harsha on the banks of the river Ganges. There on a huge tower 100ft high, a golden image of Buddha equal to the height of Harsha himself was kept for view of the gathering. A smaller image of Buddha about 3 ft high was everyday carried in a procession joined by all kings and 300 elephants. Harsha himself dressed as God Sakra held a capony over the image and king Bhaskarvarman of kamrupa (Assam) dressed as God Brahma waved a white fly whisk around the image. This assembly established Harsha's unpresidented devotion towards Mahayana Buddhism and made it popular among his subjects.
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| Harsha holding a canopy over the image of Buddha |
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Thank you this helped me alot
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