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I'm assuming Cyrus the Great and Gautama Buddha need no introduction to this board.

Cyrus the Great, founder of the Persian Empire, reigned from about 560 to 530 BCE; his empire, at the time of his death, bordered the western Mahajanapadas of Northern India (and would, in future decades, come to include said kingdoms).

In the eastern Mahajanpadas (supposedly) lived one Siddhartha Gautama; the historical period (or even existence) of his life is somewhat disputed, with some saying he lived in the 5th Century BCE, while others say he lived 80 years earlier; if the latter were right, that would put his enlightenment under the bodhi tree (when he was about 35) around 530 BCE, about the time of Cyrus' death.

Now, Cyrus' record on human rights and the teachings (or even existence) of the historical Buddha are both subject to their share of debate and skepticism, so I won't go into any detailed comparison (at least not in this post). But one thing I will say -- I see little to no reason that an ascetic living in Bodh Gaya wouldn't have heard, by word of mouth, about such massive events in the west as the founding of the Achemenid Empire. (The image of a religious student talking about stories he heard from his merchant relatives or friends strikes my mind, for instance.)

But for those who feel familiar enough with both historical figures -- what do you think? Is there something here?
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