WI: Buddhism becomes popular in Ancient Greece

Beyond the butterflies and all, a lot of (what I know of) Buddhist concepts could be mixed with modern Chrisitianity.
The notion you have to get better through your own actions to reach a higher plane of existence is close to Catholicism if you take away the concept of Grace (even then, "God helps those who help themselves" can be mixed in there)
Buddha would be a man touched by the Holy Spirit or something along those lines. Easily mixable with a bit of imagination
 
You could see a vary buddhist christianity. Eitheir a merger or a christianity that has reincarnation and karma in its teaching.
 
From memory, Epicurus was influenced by Buddhism. His teacher, whose name escapes me, was said to have traveled to India and met Buddhists. Given that this was after Alexander's conquests, it is entirely plausible.
It's quite plausible that Buddhism could gain popularity in the Mediterranean world in a similar way to how it did in China and its surrounds.
 
From memory, Epicurus was influenced by Buddhism. His teacher, whose name escapes me, was said to have traveled to India and met Buddhists. Given that this was after Alexander's conquests, it is entirely plausible.
It's quite plausible that Buddhism could gain popularity in the Mediterranean world in a similar way to how it did in China and its surrounds.
I think the interesting thing we should discuss here is WHY Buddhism didn’t gain traction in the Mediterranean world.
 
Well on some level the reverse happened. If you look at where the main canons of Mahayana Buddhism were written it is in the area of Greco India. This has lead some scholars to theorise that Mahayana Buddhism was influenced by Greek Philosophy
 
Well, the Indo-Greeks were bug on Buddhism, for 500 years or so
(And if you believe the Malay (elites) we're descended from Indo-Greeks, then another 1200 years or so)
 
Top