Integrity Score 570
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In an inscription dated A.D. 948 (translated by Charles Wilkins), the record ascribed building of the temple, and the erection of the image of the Buddha, to the illustrious Amara-deva, who is stated to be one of the nine gems of the court of King Vikramaditya. This makes his identification as Amara Sinha, who as a contemporary of Varaha mihira and Kalidas, must have lived in 500 A.D.
How and when the Great Temple was erected in relation to this earlier Vajrasana Temple has not been satisfactorily explained so far. It appears, however, clear that the erection of this great temple, of much larger dimensions, involved dismantling of the sandstone railing, which previously enclosed a smaller quadrangle with the Vajrasana Temple and the Bodhi Tree inside.
Further it is obvious that as a part of the scheme of the new construction a far larger length of railing was required which was provided by additions, as seen in the granite portion of the existing railing. Hieun Tsang gives a vivid description of the Great Temple as seen by him and has also handed down the tradition, current in his time, of the history of its construction. He says “On the site of the present Vihara Asoka-raja, at first, built a small vihara. Afterwards there was a Brahman votary of Siva-Maheshwara who reconstructed it on a large scale”. He then adds that a younger brother of the Brahman excavated the tank, called Buddha Pokhar, on the south, while a Brahman sculptor was employed by the builder for the purpose of executing the beautiful image of the Buddha enshrined inside. About the name and history of this Brahmin builder of the Great Temple Hieun Tsang does not give any more details.
He further indicated that the railing was enlarged by King Punarvarman of Magadha some time after Sasanka’s death. The pilgrim’s statements have, however, not been corroborated by a more authentic evidence and in the circumstances it would suffice to say that the temple and the enlarged railing existed in his time and were erected some time before his visit to it in early 7th century AD.
To be continued....