Azhaliism

History

Azhali (Acharya) emerged as a form of Tantric Buddhism around 821–824 when the Indian monk Li Xian Maishun arrived in Nanzhao (653–902). More monks from India came in 825 and 828, building a temple in Heqing. In 839, the acharya Candragupta entered Nanzhao; King Quanfengyou appointed him state mentor and married his sister Yueying to Candragupta. Candragupta meditated in a thatched cottage on Fengding Mountain east of Heqing, became an enlightened God, and established an altar on Changdong Mountain in Tengchong to propagate tantric doctrines.

He translated the tantric scripture The Rites of the Great Consecration, engaged in water conservancy projects, later left for his homeland, possibly traveled to Tibet to teach, and upon returning to Nanzhao built Wuwei Temple. In 851, an inscription in Jianchuan dedicated images to Maitreya and Amitabha. The last Nanzhao king made Buddhism the official state religion. In the Nanzhao Tushu juan, Buddhist elites are depicted with light skin, while opponents appear short and dark skinned.

Azhali is a hybrid Tantric sect with Chinese, Tibetan, and Burmese influences, and was the major religion of the Dali Kingdom (937–1253). Acharya means guru in Sanskrit; among the Bai, acharyas could marry and the position was hereditary. They served as state mentors in Nanzhao and held great influence until the Mongol conquest in the 13th century, during which they called for resistance against Mongol and later Ming rulers. Zhu Yuanzhang temporarily banned Azhali Buddhism before establishing an office to administer it. Nanzhao likely had strong religious ties with the Pagan Kingdom (Myanmar), Tibet, and Bengal (Pala Empire).