Q3: King Pusyamitra Sunga (section A)
A large number of Buddhist texts hold Brahmanical king Pusyamitra Sunga responsible for following deliberate and systematic policies of persecution against Buddhism.
Pusyamitra Sunga is generally regarded as the symbol and leader of Brahmanical revival. Pusyamitra Sunga was the founder of the Sunga dynasty and ruled from 185 BC to 151 BC, about 50 years after Asoka’s death.
He assassinated the last Mauryan Emperor Brhadratha and subsequently founded the Sunga dynasty in Indian history. He reestablished the sacrificial ceremonies of Vedic Brahmanism. He did many anti-Buddhist activities. Pusyamitra slaughtered the monks and destroyed the residence of the Sangha. He destroyed 84,000 stupas and more than eight hundred Sangharamas.
A large number of Buddhist monasteries were converted to Hindu temples, in such as places as Nalanda, Bodh-Gaya, Sarnath or Mathura. Another tale, probaly older, and certaintly fuller of absur-dities, contains the notice that the king, wishing to abolish the Law of Buddha, destroyed the Kukkutarama at Pataliputra and afterwards killed the monks in the country about Sakala. Pusyamitra Sunga died after ruling for 36 years (187-151 BCE).