Greco-Buddhist monasticism

According to Edicts of Ashoka, Greek populations (generally described in ancient times throughout the Classical world as Yona, Yojanas or Yavanas, lit. “Ionians” [1]) were under his rule in northwestern India. "Here in the king's domain among the Greeks, the Kambojas, the Nabhakas, the Nabhapamkits, the Bhojas, the Pitinikas, the Andhras and the Palidas, everywhere people are following Beloved-of ...

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Greco-Buddhist monasticism, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Background, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Greeks monks under Ashoka, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Dharmaraksita, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Mahyantika, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Maharaksita, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Greek monks under Menander, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Mahadharmaraksita, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Reference, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - External link:

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The efforts of Emperor Ashoka to spread the Buddhist faith are described in the Edicts of Ashoka carved during his reign on stone pillars and cave walls: "Here in the king's domain among the Greeks, the Kambojas, the Nabhakas, the Nabhapamkits, the Bhojas, the Pitinikas, the Andhras and the Palidas, everywhere people are following Beloved-of-the-Gods' instructions in Dhamma." Rock Edict Nb13 (S. Dhammika) Ashoka also claimed to have sent emissaries beyond his borders, as far as the Greek kings of the Mediterranean: ...

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Dharmaraksita, Dharmaraksita - A Greek Buddhist missionary, Dharmaraksita - Dharmaraksita and Punabbasukutumbikaputta Tissa Thera, Dharmaraksita - Dharmaraksita and the Milinda Panha, Dharmaraksita - Reference

Read more here: » Dharmaraksita: Encyclopedia II - Dharmaraksita - A Greek Buddhist missionary

Greco-Buddhism, sometimes spelled Græco-Buddhism, is the cultural syncretism between the culture of Classical Greece and Buddhism, which developed over a period of close to 800 years in Central Asia in the area corresponding to modern-day Afghanistan and Pakistan, between the 4th century BCE and the 5th century CE. Greco-Buddhism influenced the artistic (and, possibly, conceptual) development of Buddhism, and in particular Mahayana Buddhism, before it was adopted by Central and Northeastern Asia from the 1st century CE, ultima ...

Including:

• Greco-Buddhism - Historical outline
• Greco-Buddhism - Religious interactions
• Greco-Buddhism - Alexander the Great in Bactria and India 331-325
• Greco-Buddhism - The Mauryan empire 322–183 BCE
• Greco-Buddhism - The Greek presence in Bactria 325 to 125 BCE
• Greco-Buddhism - The Indo-Greek kingdom and Buddhism 180 BCE –10 CE
• Greco-Buddhism - The Kushan empire 1st–3rd century CE
• Greco-Buddhism - Artistic influences
• Greco-Buddhism - The anthropomorphic representation of the Buddha
• Greco-Buddhism - A Hellenized Buddhist pantheon
• Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the rise of the Mahayana
• Greco-Buddhism - Conceptual influences
• Greco-Buddhism - Gandharan proselytism
• Greco-Buddhism - Intellectual influences in Asia
• Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the West
• Greco-Buddhism - Exchanges
• Greco-Buddhism - Religious influences
• Greco-Buddhism - Notes

Read more here: » Greco-Buddhism: Encyclopedia - Greco-Buddhism

The Milinda Panha is another famous non-canonical Pali Buddhist text that describes the religious dialogues between the famous Indo-Greek king Menander, whose kingdom was in Sagala in today's Punjab, and a Buddhist monk called Nagasena, around 160 BCE. It is today one of the texts of reference of Theravada Buddhism. According to the Milinda Panha (I 32-35), the monk Nagasena, before his encounter with Menander, was once a student of Dharmaraksita and learnt Buddhism and reached enlightenment as an arhat under his guidance in Pa ...

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Dharmaraksita, Dharmaraksita - A Greek Buddhist missionary, Dharmaraksita - Dharmaraksita and Punabbasukutumbikaputta Tissa Thera, Dharmaraksita - Dharmaraksita and the Milinda Panha, Dharmaraksita - Reference

Read more here: » Dharmaraksita: Encyclopedia II - Dharmaraksita - Dharmaraksita and the Milinda Panha

In another Pali reference, a Buddhist monk from Sri Lanka named Punabbasukutumbikaputta Tissa Thera is said to have been to India in order to study with "the Yonaka Dhammarakkhita", whereupon he attained the "patisambhida" (analytical knowledge). (VibhA.389, Sammoha-Vinodaní, Vibhanga Commentary). The place where Dharmaraksita resides is also said to be around 100 leagues (around 700 hundred ...

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Dharmaraksita, Dharmaraksita - A Greek Buddhist missionary, Dharmaraksita - Dharmaraksita and Punabbasukutumbikaputta Tissa Thera, Dharmaraksita - Dharmaraksita and the Milinda Panha, Dharmaraksita - Reference

Read more here: » Dharmaraksita: Encyclopedia II - Dharmaraksita - Dharmaraksita and Punabbasukutumbikaputta Tissa Thera

The length of the Greek presence in Central Asia and northern India provided opportunities for interaction, not only on the artistic, but also on the religious plane. Greco-Buddhism - Alexander the Great in Bactria and India 331-325. When Alexander conquered the Bactrian and Gandharan regions, these areas may already have been under Buddhist influence. According to a legend preserved in Pali, the language of the Theravada canon, two merchant brothers from Bactria, named Tapassu and Bhallika, visited the Buddha and became his disciples. They then ret ...

See also:

Greco-Buddhism, Greco-Buddhism - Historical outline, Greco-Buddhism - Religious interactions, Greco-Buddhism - Alexander the Great in Bactria and India 331-325, Greco-Buddhism - The Mauryan empire 322–183 BCE, Greco-Buddhism - The Greek presence in Bactria 325 to 125 BCE, Greco-Buddhism - The Indo-Greek kingdom and Buddhism 180 BCE –10 CE, Greco-Buddhism - The Kushan empire 1st–3rd century CE, Greco-Buddhism - Artistic influences, Greco-Buddhism - The anthropomorphic representation of the Buddha, Greco-Buddhism - A Hellenized Buddhist pantheon, Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the rise of the Mahayana, Greco-Buddhism - Conceptual influences, Greco-Buddhism - Gandharan proselytism, Greco-Buddhism - Intellectual influences in Asia, Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the West, Greco-Buddhism - Exchanges, Greco-Buddhism - Religious influences, Greco-Buddhism - Notes

Read more here: » Greco-Buddhism: Encyclopedia II - Greco-Buddhism - Religious interactions

In the direction of the West, the Greco-Buddhist syncretism may also have had some formative influence on the religions of the Mediterranean Basin. Greco-Buddhism - Exchanges. Intense westward physical exchange at that time along the Silk Road is confirmed by the Roman craze for silk from the 1st century BCE to the point that the Senate issued, in vain, several edicts to prohibit the wearing of silk, on economic and moral grounds. This is attested by at least three significant authors: Strabo (64/ 63 BCE–c. 24 CE). Seneca the Younger (c. ...

See also:

Greco-Buddhism, Greco-Buddhism - Historical outline, Greco-Buddhism - Religious interactions, Greco-Buddhism - Alexander the Great in Bactria and India 331-325, Greco-Buddhism - The Mauryan empire 322–183 BCE, Greco-Buddhism - The Greek presence in Bactria 325 to 125 BCE, Greco-Buddhism - The Indo-Greek kingdom and Buddhism 180 BCE –10 CE, Greco-Buddhism - The Kushan empire 1st–3rd century CE, Greco-Buddhism - Artistic influences, Greco-Buddhism - The anthropomorphic representation of the Buddha, Greco-Buddhism - A Hellenized Buddhist pantheon, Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the rise of the Mahayana, Greco-Buddhism - Conceptual influences, Greco-Buddhism - Gandharan proselytism, Greco-Buddhism - Intellectual influences in Asia, Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the West, Greco-Buddhism - Exchanges, Greco-Buddhism - Religious influences, Greco-Buddhism - Notes

Read more here: » Greco-Buddhism: Encyclopedia II - Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the West

Main article: Greco-Buddhist art Numerous works of Greco-Buddhist art display the intermixing of Greek and Buddhist influences, around such creation centers as Gandhara. The subject matter of Gandharan art was definitely Buddhist, while most motifs were of Western Asiatic or Hellenistic origin. Greco-Buddhism - The anthropomorphic representation of the Buddha. Although there is still some debate, the first anthropomorphic representations of the Buddha himself are often considered a result of ...

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Greco-Buddhism, Greco-Buddhism - Historical outline, Greco-Buddhism - Religious interactions, Greco-Buddhism - Alexander the Great in Bactria and India 331-325, Greco-Buddhism - The Mauryan empire 322–183 BCE, Greco-Buddhism - The Greek presence in Bactria 325 to 125 BCE, Greco-Buddhism - The Indo-Greek kingdom and Buddhism 180 BCE –10 CE, Greco-Buddhism - The Kushan empire 1st–3rd century CE, Greco-Buddhism - Artistic influences, Greco-Buddhism - The anthropomorphic representation of the Buddha, Greco-Buddhism - A Hellenized Buddhist pantheon, Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the rise of the Mahayana, Greco-Buddhism - Conceptual influences, Greco-Buddhism - Gandharan proselytism, Greco-Buddhism - Intellectual influences in Asia, Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the West, Greco-Buddhism - Exchanges, Greco-Buddhism - Religious influences, Greco-Buddhism - Notes

Read more here: » Greco-Buddhism: Encyclopedia II - Greco-Buddhism - Artistic influences

The interaction between Hellenistic Greece and Buddhism started when Alexander the Great conquered Asia Minor and Central Asia in 334 BCE, going as far as the Indus, thus establishing direct contact with India, the birthplace of Buddhism. Alexander founded several cities in his new territories in the areas of the Oxus and Bactria, and Greek settlements further extended to the Khyber Pass, Gandhara (see Taxila) and the Punjab. These regions correspond to a unique geographical passageway between the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush mountains, through which most of the interaction between India and Central Asia took p ...

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Greco-Buddhism, Greco-Buddhism - Historical outline, Greco-Buddhism - Religious interactions, Greco-Buddhism - Alexander the Great in Bactria and India 331-325, Greco-Buddhism - The Mauryan empire 322–183 BCE, Greco-Buddhism - The Greek presence in Bactria 325 to 125 BCE, Greco-Buddhism - The Indo-Greek kingdom and Buddhism 180 BCE –10 CE, Greco-Buddhism - The Kushan empire 1st–3rd century CE, Greco-Buddhism - Artistic influences, Greco-Buddhism - The anthropomorphic representation of the Buddha, Greco-Buddhism - A Hellenized Buddhist pantheon, Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the rise of the Mahayana, Greco-Buddhism - Conceptual influences, Greco-Buddhism - Gandharan proselytism, Greco-Buddhism - Intellectual influences in Asia, Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the West, Greco-Buddhism - Exchanges, Greco-Buddhism - Religious influences, Greco-Buddhism - Notes

Read more here: » Greco-Buddhism: Encyclopedia II - Greco-Buddhism - Historical outline

Through art and religion, the influence of Greco-Buddhism on the cultural make-up of East Asian countries, especially China, Korea and Japan, may have extended further into the intellectual area. At the same time as Greco-Buddhist art and Mahayana schools of thought such as Dhyana were transmitted to East Asia, central concepts of Hellenic culture such as virtue, excellence or quality may have been adopted by the cultures of Korea and Japan after a long diffusion among the Hellenized cities of Ce ...

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Greco-Buddhism, Greco-Buddhism - Historical outline, Greco-Buddhism - Religious interactions, Greco-Buddhism - Alexander the Great in Bactria and India 331-325, Greco-Buddhism - The Mauryan empire 322–183 BCE, Greco-Buddhism - The Greek presence in Bactria 325 to 125 BCE, Greco-Buddhism - The Indo-Greek kingdom and Buddhism 180 BCE –10 CE, Greco-Buddhism - The Kushan empire 1st–3rd century CE, Greco-Buddhism - Artistic influences, Greco-Buddhism - The anthropomorphic representation of the Buddha, Greco-Buddhism - A Hellenized Buddhist pantheon, Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the rise of the Mahayana, Greco-Buddhism - Conceptual influences, Greco-Buddhism - Gandharan proselytism, Greco-Buddhism - Intellectual influences in Asia, Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the West, Greco-Buddhism - Exchanges, Greco-Buddhism - Religious influences, Greco-Buddhism - Notes

Read more here: » Greco-Buddhism: Encyclopedia II - Greco-Buddhism - Intellectual influences in Asia

The geographical, cultural and historical context of the rise of Mahayana Buddhism during the 1st century BCE in northwestern India, all point to intense multi-cultural influences: "Key formative influences on the early development of the Mahayana and Pure Land movements, which became so much part of East Asian civilization, are to be sought in Buddhism's earlier encounters along the Silk Road" (Foltz, Religions on the Silk Road). As Mahayana Buddhism emerged, it received "influences from popular Hindu devotional cults (bhakti), Persian and Greco-Roman t ...

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Greco-Buddhism, Greco-Buddhism - Historical outline, Greco-Buddhism - Religious interactions, Greco-Buddhism - Alexander the Great in Bactria and India 331-325, Greco-Buddhism - The Mauryan empire 322–183 BCE, Greco-Buddhism - The Greek presence in Bactria 325 to 125 BCE, Greco-Buddhism - The Indo-Greek kingdom and Buddhism 180 BCE –10 CE, Greco-Buddhism - The Kushan empire 1st–3rd century CE, Greco-Buddhism - Artistic influences, Greco-Buddhism - The anthropomorphic representation of the Buddha, Greco-Buddhism - A Hellenized Buddhist pantheon, Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the rise of the Mahayana, Greco-Buddhism - Conceptual influences, Greco-Buddhism - Gandharan proselytism, Greco-Buddhism - Intellectual influences in Asia, Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the West, Greco-Buddhism - Exchanges, Greco-Buddhism - Religious influences, Greco-Buddhism - Notes

Read more here: » Greco-Buddhism: Encyclopedia II - Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the rise of the Mahayana

The Indo-Greek king Menander I (reigned 160- 135 BCE) had his capital in Sagala, in today’s northern Punjab, and is described by Strabo as one of the most powerful Greek kings of the period, even greater than Alexander the Great. Menander probably converted to Buddhism, and seems to have encouraged the spread of the faith within the Indian subcontinent, and possibly into Central Asia as well. A documented example of the influence of a Greek Buddhist monk is found in the Mahavamsa again: ...

See also:

Greco-Buddhist monasticism, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Background, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Greeks monks under Ashoka, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Dharmaraksita, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Mahyantika, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Maharaksita, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Greek monks under Menander, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Mahadharmaraksita, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Reference, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - External link:

Read more here: » Greco-Buddhist monasticism: Encyclopedia II - Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Greek monks under Menander

Emperor Ashoka convened the third Buddhist council around 250 BCE at Pataliputra (today's Patna). It was held by the monk Moggaliputta. The Pali canon (Tipitaka, or Tripitaka in Sanskrit, lit. the "Three Baskets"), which are the texts of reference of traditional Buddhism and considered to be directly transmitted from the Buddha, was formalized at that time. They consist of the doctrine (the Sutra Pitaka), the monastic discipline (Vinaya Pitaka) and an addition ...

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Greco-Buddhist monasticism, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Background, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Greeks monks under Ashoka, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Dharmaraksita, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Mahyantika, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Maharaksita, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Greek monks under Menander, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Mahadharmaraksita, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Reference, Greco-Buddhist monasticism - External link:

Read more here: » Greco-Buddhist monasticism: Encyclopedia II - Greco-Buddhist monasticism - Background