Samsara: An Antiquity Greco-Buddhist Timeline
- Thread starter Sarthak
- Start date
Well, this will be one fun ride, especially with the Romans and Carthaginians as well as the Diadochi in mind.
Yes. By the mid diadochi wars ittl, it will be vastly different than the otl ones.
Thanks.
In the first post, the way the book's author used Greek mythological and philosophical references to explain Buddhist concepts, with direct loans from Sanskrit being limited to the names of deities and to the epithet of "Buddha", really underscores how seamless the integration of Buddhist philosophy and Greek religion will be; IMO, given how similar certain strains of Greek philosophy were to Buddhism (even before the brief establishment of a direct link between the two under Alexander) such a hybridization is one of history's greatest missed opportunities.
If Greek becomes the standard liturgical language of Greco-buddhism throughout the remnants of Alexander's empire, I wonder how that would effect the Hellenization of these newly conquered lands. I'd assume Greek probably wouldn't displace many more languages than they managed OTL, as the further east you go it makes more sense for the Greeks to go native than for the natives to go Greek, but maybe the influence of Greco-buddhist scripture could eventually lead to things like Persian being written in the Greek alphabet? Don't know how likely that would be, but it could make the transfer of knowledge and ideas between india and the Hellenic world easier which would be neat
Is Elysium considered same as Nirvana? Does that mean it is not ruled by Hades and Gods themselves are insignificant compared to Buddha and Bodhisattva?
Will we see Vimalkirti and Lotus sutra incorporated by indo greeks?
will Philosophy of Pyrrho of Elis assimilated by buddhism?
Will we see Vimalkirti and Lotus sutra incorporated by indo greeks?
will Philosophy of Pyrrho of Elis assimilated by buddhism?
Thank you!
Yes, the first post is simply a brief example from a very wide span of what i intend to do/show.
It is too early to call that the Iranians will become Buddhists as well. I don't intend to make a TL dominated by one religion, where's the fun and diversity in that? But, yes the ancient greek language will play and important role to play in the western strand of Buddhism.
Elysium whilst a paradise in its own right, is not the Fortunate Isles in Greek Mythology where souls of peoples who lived 3 - 7 continuous virtuous lives were sent to. So Elysium is considered a path to Nirvana in the Greek Underworld, whilst not being Nirvana itself. It is not ruled by Hades persay, but supervised by Hades, a better comparison. And no, the Gods and the Buddha/Bodhisattvas will have an equivalent relationship with one another, with neither overshadowing the other.
Influences, yes, but full adoption is difficult to say.
Parts of it, definitely.
Maybe Elysium similar like various Buddhist realms like Pureland buddhism?
Will Mahayana be more organized in this timeline?
Will Indogreeks defeat Sunga Dynasty?
What about more negative aspects of Greek Gods? Will those slowly removed by Greek Buddhists from scriptures?
Will Hinduism subsumed by buddhism? Maybe like Cambodian buddhism?
Will various Buddhist and hindu gods assimilated by Greek Gods? Yama, indra, saraswati etc?
Will Mahayana be more organized in this timeline?
Will Indogreeks defeat Sunga Dynasty?
What about more negative aspects of Greek Gods? Will those slowly removed by Greek Buddhists from scriptures?
Will Hinduism subsumed by buddhism? Maybe like Cambodian buddhism?
Will various Buddhist and hindu gods assimilated by Greek Gods? Yama, indra, saraswati etc?
Honestly, I am more interested in how Greco-Buddhism influences Hinduism and vice versa. I am guessing Greco-Buddhism becomes synonymous with Western Buddhism ITTL.
When it comes to Buddhism and the afterlife, it feels like Hades and his appointed judges would make a good Western stand-in for the Ten Kings of Chinese Hell.
There will be similarities, but also differences. Due to the nature of the Greek Underworld, Fortunate Isles ---> Elysium ------>Fields of Asphodel -------> The Fields of Punishment --------> Tartarus/Erebus/Nyx it won't be the same at all.
Modern Mahayana Buddhism dates back to the 1st Century BCE. Considering the PoD of the timeline is in the 3rd Century BCE it is far butterflied away my friend. Like I told @Glory2Cabinda I am not going to be conservative with butterflies.
Like above, butterflied.
Considering the negative aspects of the Hindu, Chinese, Shinto gods aren't removed despite their syncretism with Buddhism in OTL, I'm gonna go with no. Buddhism didn't really negate older myths, but simply added their own feel to it.
We'll see.
Under the Satrapy of Gandāra under the Achaemenids, the Vedic Religion was virtually annihilated, leaving only Buddhism and some elements of Zoroastrianism in the region. So the Hindu Gods that will be brought over are most going to be Hindu Gods appropriated by Buddhism like the Garuda and nothing much else.
Not really know. Schisms exist, and as it expands beyond the Hellenic world, so will branches start to form, as it did in the Sinosphere otl.
Thanatos in particular is a good icon for that.
Ah so you mean like Buddhism is more "diversified" the further it is away from its point of origin?
Yes. Honestly the Shinto version of the Bodhisattvas are considered heretical by the Thai/Indochinese/Burmese Buddhists. Just like that in OTL, ITTL there will be a lot of diversification going on as well.
On that note, what would be wack would be how Buddhism interacts with Semitic religions here.
Will Hellenistic Judaism influenced by Buddhism rather than NeoPlatoism? Also any changes regarding Bene Israel and Cochin Jews in india due to influence of buddhism?
Buddhism does interact with the semitic religions. the Canaanites and Punics in particular.
Again, butterflies my man. The Cochin Jews are so far butterflied away.
I wonder do the Nepilim play a more prominent role in Jewish thought in this timeline? The text in your first post seem to suggest they are associated with spiritual beings of other religions.