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Re: Buddhism in the Middle East
In article <1994Aug4.011238.27664@Princeton.EDU> Arun Sinha,
sinha@lobby.ti.com writes:
>Can anyone provide me with references to the spread and practice
>of Buddhism in the Middle east from the earliest times.
>
>Thanks in advance,
>
>Arun Sinha
You should look into the early history of India (a couple of centuries
B.C.). The greatest buddhist king of that time was Ashoka(?). He ruled
over much of India and a good part of what is today Pakistan,
Afghanisthan and eastern Iran. He introduced buddhism to many places in
Central Asia. Still today you can see the relics of this great past in
Afganisthan where Ashoka ordered the erection of giant buddhas statues.
The buddhist past of central Asia is indeed a very fascinating question.
I don't know how far west did buddhism went under Ashoka.
