The Pala Period: A Significant Phase in the History of Buddhism in India

By the time the 8th century arrived, Buddhism in India was losing ground. Patronage had declined, and the faith needed a powerful supporter. That supporter turned out to be a dynasty from eastern India: the Palas. Founded by Gopala, the Pala dynasty ruled over Bengal and Bihar from the 8th century until the close of the 11th century, and during this long stretch they became the most important royal patrons of Buddhism on the subcontinent.

Tolerance that Shaped a New Philosophy

One of the most remarkable things about the Palas is that, even though they were Buddhist rulers, most of their subjects were actually Hindus. Rather than forcing conversion or suppressing Hindu worship, the Palas followed a deliberate policy of religious tolerance. Hindus and Buddhists lived side by side, and ideas flowed freely between the two traditions.

This peaceful coexistence had a profound consequence. Hindu Tantric practices gradually blended with Mahayana Buddhist thought, giving rise to a distinct new school called Vajrayana (the “Diamond Vehicle” or “Thunderbolt Vehicle”). Vajrayana Buddhism, with its emphasis on rituals, mantras, and esoteric practices drawn from Tantric traditions, became one of the most influential branches of Buddhism in Asia. Without the Palas’ tolerant environment, this fusion might never have happened.

Building Monuments for the Faith: Pala Architecture

The Palas were prolific builders. They raised mahaviharas (large monasteries for monks and scholars), stupas (dome-shaped reliquary structures), chaityas (Buddhist prayer halls), temples, and forts across their territory.

The crowning achievement in architecture was the Somapura Mahavihara at Paharpur (in present-day Bangladesh), built by the Pala ruler Dharmapala. This was one of the largest Buddhist monasteries in the entire Indian subcontinent, a sprawling complex that housed hundreds of monks and attracted scholars from distant lands. Its sheer scale reflected the seriousness with which the Palas treated their role as protectors of Buddhism.

A Buddhist Stamp on Stone and Bronze: Pala Sculpture

During the Pala period, the dominant source of artistic inspiration for sculptors shifted firmly towards Buddhism. Most stone and bronze sculptures created under Pala patronage drew their themes from Buddhist mythology and iconography.

Some of the finest examples include:

• Two standing Avalokiteshwara images from Nalanda — These are among the most celebrated works of Pala sculpture, showing the Bodhisattva of Compassion in graceful standing postures
• Buddha seated in Bhumisparsha Mudra (the “earth-touching gesture”) — This depicts the moment when the Buddha touched the ground to call the earth as witness to his enlightenment, a popular subject in Pala art
• Images of Avalokiteshwara seated in Ardhaparyanka (a relaxed seated posture with one leg folded and the other hanging down) — These convey a sense of calm and accessibility

A distinctive Pala innovation was the appearance of Crowned Buddhas. Earlier Buddhist art had always shown the Buddha as a bareheaded ascetic. Under the Palas, sculptors began depicting the Buddha wearing a crown, signalling a shift in how royalty and divinity were understood in Buddhist visual culture.

Painting the Tantric Vision: Pala Miniatures

The Mahayana school of Buddhism had, by the Pala era, developed its Tantrayana-Vajrayana aspects fully. Pala painters translated these esoteric ideas into visual form through miniature paintings, small, vivid illustrations created on the pages of manuscripts.

The most noted examples are the miniatures found on the text Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita (“Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Verses”). These tiny but detailed paintings serve as a visual window into the rituals, deities, and symbolic world of Vajrayana Buddhism. They are, in a very real sense, painted expressions of the Tantric-Vajrayana cults that flourished under Pala protection.

Universities as Engines of Buddhist Scholarship

Perhaps the single most effective way the Palas promoted Buddhism was through education. They founded and generously funded major universities that became the beating heart of Buddhist intellectual life.

Two universities stand out:

• Vikramashila — Founded by Dharmapala, this became one of the most prestigious centres of Buddhist learning in the world, rivalling even Nalanda in reputation
• Odantapuri — Another Pala-founded institution that served as an important hub for Buddhist studies

These were not small local schools. Scholars travelled from across Asia to study at Pala-sponsored universities. The curriculum centred on Buddhist philosophy, logic, and Tantric practice, and the quality of teaching was high enough to draw students from Tibet, China, Southeast Asia, and beyond.

The influence also flowed outward. Many Buddhist teachers trained in the Pala kingdom carried the faith abroad. The most famous example is Atisha, a Pala-era scholar who travelled to Sumatra to preach Buddhism, becoming one of the key figures in the transmission of Indian Buddhism to Southeast Asia and later to Tibet.

Diplomacy in the Service of the Dharma: Pala Foreign Policy

The Palas understood that Buddhism’s reach could be extended through trade and diplomacy, not just temples and universities. They actively built relationships with foreign kingdoms to open new trade routes, and the empire maintained strong connections with both Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

A vivid example of this international Buddhist network comes from the reign of Devapala. At the request of the Shailendra king of Java, Devapala granted five villages for the upkeep of a matha (monastery) that had been established at Nalanda for Javanese scholars. This single act captures the depth of the relationship: a Javanese king could request land in Bihar for his scholars, and a Pala king would grant it, because both saw themselves as part of a shared Buddhist world.

A Legacy Still Visible Today

The Palas created something rare: a political environment where Buddhism could not only survive but thrive, innovate, and spread. Their tolerance gave birth to Vajrayana. Their architects and sculptors filled eastern India with some of the finest Buddhist monuments and artworks ever produced. Their universities trained generations of scholars who carried the faith across oceans. And their diplomats wove a network of connections that linked Indian Buddhism to the wider world.

By the time the Pala dynasty declined at the end of the 11th century, Buddhism in India was entering its final phase. But the ideas, art, and institutions the Palas had nurtured had already taken root in Tibet, Southeast Asia, and beyond, ensuring that the legacy of Indian Buddhism would endure long after its heartland could no longer sustain it.