Liberals love Buddhism, Ambedkar became one, its seen as a revolution that challenged Brahminic Hinduism, supposedly more egalitarian, emancipated Dalits (Not proven) etc etc. Why then was it displaced in Central Asia, Afghanistan & medieval India and who displaced them?
An expanding Islam under Arab leadership drove Buddhism out of Afghanistan and Central Asia.
Let's take case of Nava Vihara- It was a Buddhist monastery near the ancient city of Balkh in northern Afghanistan. Arabs conquered it from Turkisahis around 663 AD. Most of the non-muslims accepted Dhimmi status while one Abbott converted to Islam. In 708 AD, Turkmen king Nazaktar Khan with his Tibetan allies expelled Arabs from Bactria and established a fanatic Buddhist rule there. Arabs wrested Bactria by 715 AD and inflicted heavy damage on Nava Vihara for their role in insurrection.
Mainland India: The main centres of Buddhism had remained in Magadha and Northwest India, were finally destroyed when the Muslims took power in last decade of 12th century, thus destroying great monastic universities in Bihar (Nalanda and Vikramasila) and Bengal.
Khotan continued as one of the centres of Buddhism in Chinese Turkestan till first decade of 11th century. Khotan and Kashgar were considered the gate for all Indian influences in Central Asia. Karakhanid Sultan Satuq Bughra Khan converted to Islam in 934 AD, thus started a long struggle between Islamic Kashgar and Buddhist Khotan. In 1006 AD,KaraKhanid ruler Yusuf Kadir Khan of Kashgar conquered Khotan, ending Khotan's existence as an independent Buddhist state.
Anti-Buddhist sentiment is well-captured in a Kashgari folk song-
....We came down on them like a flood, We went out among their cities, We tore down the idol-temples, We sat on the Buddha's head..
So Balkh, Khotan, Nalanda all lost to sword of Islam, never recovered. Now, why would Hindus be blamed for their destruction?
An expanding Islam under Arab leadership drove Buddhism out of Afghanistan and Central Asia.
Let's take case of Nava Vihara- It was a Buddhist monastery near the ancient city of Balkh in northern Afghanistan. Arabs conquered it from Turkisahis around 663 AD. Most of the non-muslims accepted Dhimmi status while one Abbott converted to Islam. In 708 AD, Turkmen king Nazaktar Khan with his Tibetan allies expelled Arabs from Bactria and established a fanatic Buddhist rule there. Arabs wrested Bactria by 715 AD and inflicted heavy damage on Nava Vihara for their role in insurrection.
Mainland India: The main centres of Buddhism had remained in Magadha and Northwest India, were finally destroyed when the Muslims took power in last decade of 12th century, thus destroying great monastic universities in Bihar (Nalanda and Vikramasila) and Bengal.
Khotan continued as one of the centres of Buddhism in Chinese Turkestan till first decade of 11th century. Khotan and Kashgar were considered the gate for all Indian influences in Central Asia. Karakhanid Sultan Satuq Bughra Khan converted to Islam in 934 AD, thus started a long struggle between Islamic Kashgar and Buddhist Khotan. In 1006 AD,KaraKhanid ruler Yusuf Kadir Khan of Kashgar conquered Khotan, ending Khotan's existence as an independent Buddhist state.
Anti-Buddhist sentiment is well-captured in a Kashgari folk song-
....We came down on them like a flood, We went out among their cities, We tore down the idol-temples, We sat on the Buddha's head..
So Balkh, Khotan, Nalanda all lost to sword of Islam, never recovered. Now, why would Hindus be blamed for their destruction?
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