Discovery & Significance
In 1904 (2447 BE), Sir John Marshall unearthed a copperplate inscription at Taxila, Pakistan—one of the most important Buddhist epigraphic finds. Dating to 78 CE (Year 78 of the "Maharaja Moga" era), it reveals:
Royal Patronage:
King Patika, son of the Kshatrapa Liaka Kusulaka, enshrined Buddha’s relics and built a monastery (sangharama) in Taxila.
Mentions Rohinimitra, the architect-supervisor—a rare nod to ancient engineers.
Doctrinal Clarity:
Explicitly names the Buddha as "Śākyamuni", countering claims that Gandharan Buddhism was "non-historical."
Geographical Proof:
Confirms Taxila’s ancient name (Takshashila) and its status as a Buddhist hub.
Key Inscription Details
Script: Kharoṣṭhī (used in NW India from 3rd c. BCE–3rd c. CE).
Language: Hybrid Sanskrit-Prakrit, typical of Kushan administrative texts.
Current Location: British Museum, London (Room 33).
Translation Highlights:
"In the 78th year of Maharaja Moga, on the 5th day of Panemos, Patika—son of Liaka Kusulaka, satrap of Taxila—established relics of the Bhagavān Śākyamuni and a monastery. [...] For the worship of all Buddhas, his parents, and the welfare of his family."
Why This Matters
Kushan Chronology: The "Year 78" likely marks the start of the Kanishka era (still debated).
Relic Cult: Shows lay-devotee kings funding stupas—a practice Ashoka pioneered.
Global Legacy: Taxila’s multiculturalism (Greek, Persian, Indian) birthed Greco-Buddhist art.
Did You Know? The Kshatrapas were Saka rulers—proof of Buddhism’s appeal across ethnic lines!
(Source: Marshall’s Taxila: An Illustrated Account, 1951)
