According to Mesopotamian mythology, the gods had made humans of clay, but to the clay had been added the flesh and blood of a god specially slaughtered for the occasion. God was, therefore, present in all people. The sole purpose of humanity’s creation was to serve the gods, to carry the yoke and labour for them. Offended gods withdrew their support, thereby opening the door to demons, whose activities the malevolent could invoke.
However, after Alexander’s campaign, the Buddha was then symbolised in human form. The Buddhists were clearly inspired by the Greeks and adopted Hellenistic methods to glorify the Buddha and the spiritual journey to Nirvana.
Did Ashoka killed 18,000 ajivikas and jains? A controversy in world history.
The Ashokavadana (Sanskrit: अशोकावदान; IAST: Aśokāvadāna; “Narrative of Ashoka”) is an Indian Sanskrit-language text that describes the birth and reign of the Maurya Emperor Ashoka.
There are several versions of Ashokavadana, dating from 5th century CE to 16th century CE.[4] Some date the earliest finished form of the text back to 2nd century CE, although its oral origins may go back to 2nd century BCE.[5]
The extant version of Ashokavadana is a part of Divyavadana, a Sanskrit-language anthology of Buddhist legends. However, its ancient Chinese translations A-yu wang chuan (c. 300 CE), and A-yu wang ching (
[...x]c. 512 CE) suggest that it once existed as an independent text.
[6]
It highly praises the city of Mathura, its monasteries and its monks.[2][3]
According to the prominent Indologist, A. L. Basham, Ashoka’s personal religion became Buddhism, if not before, then certainly after the Kalinga War. However, according to Basham, the Dharma officially propagated by Ashoka was not Buddhism at all. Nevertheless, his patronage led to the expansion of Buddhism in the Mauryan empire and other kingdoms during his rule, and worldwide from about 250 BCE.
thousand of miles to the east another teacher of similar ideas was going to receive the Alexander treatment. The features of buddhism before Alexander says buddha was a philosophical figure like Plato. It didn’t emerge as a superman. In the first 2 centuries ad buddhism undergoes a major transformation where buddha is elevated from a philosopher, simple human being to godlike.
So statues come from part of India which Alexander conquered. They retain their connection to western world. Buddha with hallow and Greco-Roman ropes type.
The same thing for hinduism. Dr. Michael willis asst keeper oriental antiquities, British museum.
Several Greek philosophers, including Pyrrho, Anaxarchus, and Onesicritus accompanied Alexander in his eastern campaigns. During the 18 months they were in India, they were able to interact with Indian ascetics, generally described as gymnosophists (“naked philosophers”).
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