Kanishka-I was the most power ruler of the Kushana EmpireAs per the Chinese sources, the Kushanas (mentioned in Chinese texts as Guishuang) were one of the 5 tribes of Yueh-Chi or Yuezhi. Kushanas were ..... and is known for his military prowess.
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His main capital was Purushpura (Peshawar) and regional capitals were Taxila (Pakistan) , Begram (Afghanistan) and Mathura (India).
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His date of accession is disputed. However, most sources agree that Kanishka was the founder of the Shaka Era of AD 78.
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This has been mentioned as Saka kala or Saka Nripa kala, probably because he was thought to be a Shaka.
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Under Kanishka, Kushana Empire reached its climax and it extended from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan to Mathura and Kashmir.
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As per the Tibetan Sources, Kanishka is considered to have conflicted with the Pataliputra and Saket and had taken Aśvaghosa, the Buddhist Monk to Purushpura.
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A city kanishkpur in Kashmir is also connected to Kanishka.
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Kanishka conflicted with Chinese general of King Han Ho-ti, the emperor of Han Dynasty and defeated him in second attempt.
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He is also known to have subjugated the rulers of Khotan, Yarkand etc. and is considered to have established a great kingdom only after the Mauryas in India.
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He was a patron of Buddhism and convened the 4th Buddhist council in the Kundalvana of Kashmir (or may be in Jalandhar) in 78 AD.
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This council was headed by Vasumitra and it marked the collection of Buddhist texts and engraving of the commentaries on Copper sheets.
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Some scholars are of the view that the Abhidhama Mahavishasa was prepared in the 4th Buddhist council.
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Some of the scholars in the Court of Kanishka were Parsva, Vasumitra, Asvaghosa, Nagarjuna, Charaka and Mathara.
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Charaka has been called the Court Physician of Kanishka, though it is very much disputed.
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Sushruta who wrote Sushruta Samhita has also been connected to Kanishka.
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It was Kanishka's time when Buddhism got divided between the Hinayana and Mahayana. \
We know Sushruta, who had written Sushruta Samhita and Charak who had written Charak Samhita. However, both of them were from the Kushan period, earlier than the Guptas.
