Greco-Buddhism
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Greco-Buddhism, sometimes spelt Graeco-Buddhism, refers to the cultural syncretism between Hellenistic culture and Buddhism, which developed between the 4th century BCE and the 5th century CE in the area covered by modern Afghanistan, Pakistan and north-western border regions of modern India namely western portions of Jammu and Kashmir. It was a cultural consequence of a long chain of interactions begun by Greek forays into India from the time of Alexander the Great, carried further by the establishment of Indo-Greek rule in the area for some centuries, and extended during flourishing of the Hellenized empire of the Kushans.Template:Fact Greco-Buddhism influenced the artistic, and perhaps the spiritual framework, developments of Buddhism, particularly Mahayana Buddhism, founded in India, which represents one of the two main branches of Buddhism. The Buddhist religious system was then adopted in Central and Northeastern Asia, from the 1st century CE, ultimately spreading to China, Korea and Japan.
See also
- Greco-Bactrian Kingdom
- Gandharan Buddhism
- Gandhāran Buddhist texts
- Greco-Buddhist Art
- Indo-Greek Kingdom
- Milinda Pañha
- Nāgasena
- Religions of the Indo-Greeks
- Silk road transmission of Buddhism
- Buddhism in Central Asia
- Buddhas of Bamyan
- Kushan Empire
- Ancient Greece–Ancient India relations
- Index of Buddhism-related articles