Kirats in Proto-Historic Period.

Our introduction to Kirati history has been gradual and deliberate; we have seen the Kiratis through the dimly lit periods of mythology during the epic age and presently we will see them emerge into proto-historic period.

The Age of the Historic Buddha

Our mind is conditioned into thinking the Buddha as a god but we are not quite so sure whether he was actually a man or a god divine. In my last chapter, I have portrayed the Buddha's picture in the image of a prince, contemporary to the Kirati King Jite Dasty; as a man, a cousin of the Kiratis.

The noted Oxford historian Professor Vincent Smith had written, "The more I consider the evidence of such traditions and the unmistakable testimony of the early sculptures as at Barhut and Sanchi, dating from about 200 B.C., the more I am convinced that the Mongolian or hill-men element formed a large percentage in the population of northern India during the centuries immediately preceding and following the Christian era. I think it highly probable that Gautama Buddha, the Sage of the Sakyas, and the founder of historical Buddhism, was Mongolian by birth, that is to say, a hill-man like a Gurkha with Mongolian features, and akin to the Tibetans."

Another prominent historian, Professor Percival Spear of Cambridge University had written, "...the tribe in the Nepal Hills from which the Buddha came is thought to have been of Mongolian stock."

By way of introduction, it needs to be emphasised here that in early twentieth century Professor Vincent Smith had begun the pioneering work of writing the Indian history ab initio. Before his time, save a few fragmentary pieces of chronicles of Moslem rulers and some mythological accounts of earlier period were all that were there to represent Indian history.

Throughout human history one notices a recurring phenomena that a personality has emerged from within to influence and lead them through a particular period of instability. We may call it a divine intervention and place Siddhartha Gout'm, who became the Buddha in that category.

Adi Buddha and the Pancha Dhyani Buddhas

Nepalese Buddhists, the Buddha Margis believe that Adi Buddha, the Primordial Buddha created the universe by vocalising the sound A, U, and M, or more simplistically, "aum". We have been informed Adi Buddha created the universe by uttering the word aum but know nothing more about the due process of creation.

A very similar act of creation is found narrated in the Holy Bible.

Adi Buddha desired* from his Self to be many and manifested in Pancha Dhyani Buddhas or Five Buddhas of Eternal Meditaion namely, Akshobhya, Amitabha, Amoghasiddha, Ratnasambhawa, and Bhairochana. Pancha Dhyani Buddhas, in turn, produced from their Self, five Bodhisattwas namely, Bajrapani from Akshobhya, Padmapani from Amitabha, Biswapani from Amoghasiddha, Ratnapani from Ratnasambhawa, and Samantabhadra from Bhairochana.

We know nothing more about them all with the sole exception that Padmapani was engaged by Adi Buddha to create three deities called Brahma, Bisnu and Mahesh. Bodhisattwa Padmapani then assigned the task of 'creation' to Brahma, 'sustenance' to Bisnu and 'destruction' to Mahesh, thereby relegating the supreme brahminic gods to lesser subservient roles.

Pancha Dhyani Buddhas are identified by their colors and the direction they face when represented in a temple; Akshobhya is Blue and faces East, Amitabha is Red and faces West, Amoghasiddha is Green and faces North, Ratnasambhawa is Golden and faces South while Bhairochana is White and is generally placed at the center but more often than not found seated next to Akshobhya facing East.

Ashok the Great and Spread of Buddhism

Ashok was undoubtedly one of the greatest conquerors of ancient historic world but is remembered less for his military genius than his acts of charity and compassion. When he had conquered the entire known world of the region he decided to give it all up to be the champion of faith. Upon making the resolve, he embarked upon a pilgrimage following his Master's footsteps and arrived in Kathmandu to offer worship to Swayambhunath.

Bungsawali records Kirati King Sthunko was the reigning monarch of Kathmandu when Ashok came calling. To commemorate his visit, Ashok founded the City of Deo Pattan, known today as Patan and gave his daughter Charumati in marriage to a Kirati nobleman.

Ashok then proceeded to Lumbini, the birth place of Siddhartha Gout'm and had a pillar erected to record the event which stands there till today in testimony of his charity and benevolence. From the date engraved in the Lumbini pillar we can precisely say that Ashok visited Kathmandu and Lumbini in or around 228 B.C.

Eleven more kings following Sthunko are known to have reigned over Kathmandu when the Kiratis yielded to the Mallas of the Thakuri dynasty. Thus ended the reign of the Kiratis over Kathmandu which had lasted for 1630 years. The Kiratis were however, simply pushed eastward where their sway continued until late eighteenth century when Nepal was finally unified under the leadership of another Thakuri dynasty founded by Prithiwinarayan Sah.

Geographically, the Kiratis had divided their realm in three segments, Wallo Kirat, Pallo Kirat and Majh Kirat where Wallo (This Side) meant the region this side of River Sun Kosi which included Kathmandu Valley, Pallo (The Other Side or Across) or the region eastward of River Arun, and Majh (Central) the region in between. Pallo Kirat was also colloquially known as Limbuwan, or the land of the Limbu tribe, one of the Kirati tribes.

Ashok's emissaries were monks and they travelled far and wide, from Myanmar and Sri Lanka to the Hellenic Kingdoms of the Middle East spreading the message of compassion and redemption. Buddhist monks thus became the first emissaries to have a vision of spreading the message of universal brotherhood to the end of the world transcending local frontiers.

*This divine will or desire is known as 'pra-gnya' the Wisdom that Existed before All, the Wisdom beyond human Comprehension, or the Unknowable God.

There is a parallel reference in the Holy Bible of God being referred to as 'the Wonder far beyond me to know'.