]
tells us that the inhabitants were devout Mahayanists but specially
expert in magic and exorcism. He also describes no less than four
sacred places in it where the Buddha in previous births gave his
flesh, blood or bones for the good of others. Have we here in a
Buddhist form some ancient legend of dismemberment like that told of
Sati in Assam? Of Kashmir he says that its religion was a mixture of
Buddhism with other beliefs.[316] These are precisely the conditions
most favourable to the growth of Tantrism and though the bulk of the
population are now Mohammedans, witchcraft and sorcery are still
rampant. Among the Hindu Kashmiris[317] the most prevalent religion
has always been the worship of Siva, especially in the form
representing him as half male, half female. This cult is not far from
Saktism and many allusions[318] in the Rajatarangini indicate that
left-hand worship was known, though the author satirizes it as a
corruption. He also several times mentions[319] Matri-cakras, that is
circles sacred to the Mothers or tantric goddesses. In Nepal and Tibet
tantric Buddhism is fully developed but these countries have received
so much from India that they exhibit not a parallel growth, but late
Indian Tantrism as imported ready-made from Bengal. It is here that we
come nearest to the origins of Tantrism, for though the same beliefs
may have flourished in Udyana and Kashmir they did not spread much in
the Panjab or Hindustan, where their progress was hindered at first by
a healthy and vigorous Hinduism and subsequently by Mohammedan
invasions. But from 700 to 1197 A.D. Bengal was remote alike from the
main currents of Indian religion and from foreign raids: little Aryan
thought or learning leavened the local superstitions which were
infecting and stifling decadent Buddhism. Hsuean Chuang informs us that
Bhaskaravarma king of Kamarupa[320] attended the fetes celebrated by
Harsha in 644 A.D. and inscriptions found at Tezpur indicate that
kings with Hindu names reigned in Assam about 800 A.D. This is
agreeable to the supposition that an amalgamation of Sivaism and
aboriginal religion may have been in formation about 700 A.D. and have
influenced Buddhism.

In Bihar from the eighth century onwards the influence of Tantrism was
powerful and disastrous. The best information about this epoch is
still to be found in Taranatha, in spite of his defects.

He makes the interesting statement that in the reign of Gopala who was
a