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FEATURES | EASTERN HORIZON 51

CE, previously known from coins and inscriptions, are a simply variants of those already known in Pali and other
remarkable and unexpected discovery that bolsters the languages. To some extent, this is also true of the new
historical value of these texts. Gandhari manuscripts.

These allusions permit us to situate the literary history Surprisingly, the vast bulk of about two dozen separate
of the discovered manuscripts within a historical writings these include have not yet been identified
framework, illuminating the previously hidden with works in other Buddhist languages and traditions.
formative period of Gandharan Buddhism during If this pattern persists as more detailed studies of the
the Indo-Scythian period. Our view of Gandharan individual texts are conducted, it would indicate that
Buddhism has been largely influenced by the Kushan the textual corpus of the Gandharan monastery from
Empire (1st to 3rd century CE) which, we now suspect, which these texts originated, and of early Gandharan
overshadowed and obscured the preceding Indo- Buddhism in general, may be significantly more distinct
Scythian period in later north Indian Buddhist tradition from the extant corpora than was initially anticipated.
in which the Kushan period and the reign of Kaniska So even though the doctrinal viewpoints offered in the
were portrayed as a golden age. new materials are not dramatically in conflict with what
is familiar from other traditions, the modes and forms
At the beginning of the Christian period, the Indo- of their presentation and study may differ from what we
Scythian dynasties played a role comparable to that now know.
of the Kushans in fostering Buddhism and Buddhist
institutions. The new manuscripts now reveal this
hitherto unknown but significant epoch. This historical
context may have a considerable bearing on another
major topic of interest, which is their likely relationship
with the Dharmaguptaka sect which have been a
mysterious presence in Indian Buddhism until now.
They are known to have played a significant role in the
early spread of Indian Buddhism throughout central
Asia and China and the collection provides the missing
link, or at least one of the needed links, between Indian
Buddhism and its earliest manifestations in Central
and East Asia. The new information, in conjunction
with other recent epigraphical discoveries, suggests If this trend stays true, it has far-reaching and perhaps
that the early success and subsequent decline of the profound consequences for our understanding of the
Dharmaguptakas may have resulted from shifting concept of a Buddhist canon as a whole. For instance,
patronage patterns as the Kushans replaced their Indo- we may be dealing with a period of development that is
Scythian supporters. The latter were more favourable to still pre- or proto-canonical, meaning that the contents,
the better-known Sarvastivadin sect. order, and delineation of a canon in the stricter sense of
the term are not yet fully developed.
Novel content of the scrolls

The quantity of novel content contained in the new It is also crucial to remember that these manuscripts
manuscripts is another significant and unexpected date back to a time when, if traditional tales are to
aspect. In general, a substantial amount, though by be believed, writing was only recently embraced as a
no means all of the textual material found in the later replacement for or in addition to the previous practises
manuscript traditions is more or less common to one or of memorisation and oral recitation of Buddhist
more canonical traditions. For instance, several central scriptures. If this is the case, then we may be dealing
Asian Sanskrit manuscripts contain passages that are with materials from the early phase of a lengthy period