It is almost impossible to provide a continuous account of the near disappearance of Buddhism from the plains of India. This is primarily so because of the dearth of archaeological material and the stunning silence of the indigenous literature on this subject. Interestingly, the subject itself has remained one of the most neglected topics in the history of India. In this book apart from the history of the decline of Buddhism in India, various issues relating to this decline have been critically examined. Following this methodology, an attempt has been made at a region-wise survey of the decline in Sind, Kashmir, northwestern India, Bengal, Orissa, and Assam, followed by a detailed analysis of the different hypotheses that propose to explain this decline. This is followed by author's proposed model of decline of Buddhism in India.


Decline of Buddhism in India: A Fresh Perspective, K.T.S. Sarao, Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, Hardcover, 327 Pages, $35.00

Professor K.T.S. Sarao teaches Buddhism at the Department of Buddhist Studies, University of Delhi. He holds doctorates from the universities of Delhi and Cambridge. He has worked as a visiting professor/fellow at various universities including Singapore, Fagushan, Toronto, Sorbonne, Cambridge, and Dongguk. Dr. sarao has nine books and over 40 research papers written on ancient Indian history and Buddhism. He takes keen interest in trekking, moderm numismatics, animal right, and organic farming.