Sui Vihara

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Sui Vihara (सुईविहार) is a Buddhist monastery located about 25 km from Bahawalpur in Pakistan.

Variants

• Sui Vihara सुईविहार, जिला बहावलपुर, (सिंध, पाकिस्तान) (AS, p.970)
• Sui-Vihara
• Suē-Vihār

History

"But that these princes of foreign origin who governed the country of the lower Indus had at this period been forced to acknowledge the suzerainty of the Kushanas, is proved by the Sue Vihara inscription in the Bahawalpur State which is dated in a regnal year of Kanishka (year 11 = 89 AD)."

The next important chapter in Pakistan's history begins with the arrival of another wave of Central Asian tribes called the Yueh-chi. Because of the turbulent and unsettled conditions on the borders of China, one tribe was chasing out the other and occupying their grazing lands. One such movement brought the Yueh-chi to Pakistan, a branch of which was known as the Kushans. This was about the middle of the first century A.D. The Kushans overthrew the Saka-Parthian princes and established an empire which became one of the world's greatest and most distinguished both from the point of view of territory as well as cultural and religious achievements. The Kushan ruler who Conquered Pakistan was Vima Kadphises who was succeeded in about 78 A.D. by Kanishka. The Kushan rule, however, did not completely eliminate the Sakas from Pakistan. They had permanently settled down in these areas in large numbers and continued to be governed by their princes who merely extended allegiance to the Kushan kings.This is proved by the Sue Vihara inscription in the Bahawalpur Division which is dated in the regnal year of Kanishka 11 (89 A.D.). Even the era said to have been founded by Kanishka in 78 A.D. was known as Saka Era. "There is evidence to show that they (Sakas) still governed their own states, no doubt as feudatories more or less nominal of the Kushans."

Sui-Vihara copper-plate inscription

The Sui-Vihara copper-plate inscription, dated in the 11 th reginal year of Kanishka, mentions that a yathi was raised (in memory) of the Bhikshu Nagadatta.(p.607)

सुईविहार

सुईविहार (AS, p.970): एक ऐतिहासिक स्थल जो वर्तमान में पाकिस्तान के बहावलपुर से 16 मील की दूरी पर स्थित है। सुईविहार से कनिष्ककालीन एक बौद्धविहार के अवशेष प्राप्त हुए हैं। इस स्थान से सम्राट कनिष्क (78 ई.या 120 ई. के लगभग) का एक अभिलेख प्राप्त हुआ है, जिससे उसके राज्य का विस्तार इस प्रदेश तक सूचित होता है। सुईविहार में एक ऊँचे, संकीर्ण स्तूप से 46 ई.पू. का एक अभिलेख मिला है, जो ताम्रपट्ट पर उत्कीर्ण है। यह ताम्रपत्र ढ़ाई फुट लम्बा व चौड़ा है।

Also See

Sui, Balochistan (Pakistan)[1]