Interview - Greco Buddhism in Central Asia and India with Lee Clarke

In the wake of Alexander the Great, the traditions of Hellenism and Buddhism thought came into close contact in Central Asia and India. Lee Clarke, a PhD student in cross-cultural philosophy at Nottingham Trent University, joins the show to discuss the idea of “Greco-Buddhism”, tracing the origins of the Buddha and the establishment of his teachings in Gandhara, before comparing and contrasting the philosophical outlooks of Greek and Indian schools of thought like Pyrrhonian Skepticism and Mahayana Buddhism.
Episode Notes:
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Lee Clarke:
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[@Alyascherry]

Excellent podcast ! It feels like on point for me because I am currently reading an English translation of the Debate of Milinda. I've known about Greco-Buddhist for a long time but it still blows my mind to know such a cultural interaction existed.
I would have one request : as I don't want to listen to the whole podcast only to look for the mentioned books and literature, would it be possible to add a list of the books mentioned by Mr. Lee Clarke please ?

[@Mayadanava]

thanks for a wonderful podcast

[@uprightwalkingape3483]

Very interesting to get peek into ancient Punjab. Actually there was big culturally united country that included today’s east and west Punjab to Bamyan in Afghanistan.

[@mishkosimonovski23]

Very interesting conversation, Hellenistic podcast never dissapoints.

[@theletterw3875]

Noice Dr. D!

[@darktyrannosaurus22]

Amazing video! Could make one about Hyrcania and the Caspian Sea region during Hellenistic times?

[@whitepath6295]

Great interview! But I was disappointed that the topic of Buddhist art was not taken up. The evidence suggests that it was under the influence of the Indo-Greeks that the first representations of the Buddha in human form were produced in Gandhara around the beginning of the common era. Previously, it had been a taboo to depict the person of the Buddha, but this would have seemed curious to Greek converts who were used to honoring their religious figures with sculpture. Indeed, the first carvers appear to have taken a cue from Greek statues of Apollo in their rendering of Shakyamuni. This trend would have also coincided with the proliferation of "visualization" sutras in the region, as images of the Buddha would have been seen as an invaluable aid to attaining meditative contact with the Buddhas of the ten directions.

[@HellenisticAgePodcast]

Funny you should mention that: next episode is a guest interview with Dr Osmund Boperachchi entirely about Gandharan Buddhist art. Stay tuned!

[@whitepath6295]

@@HellenisticAgePodcast Thanks! I'll be looking forward to it!

[@uprightwalkingape3483]

@ 38:50 OMG he mentioned Sikhism during Maninder time. It started in 16th century AD.

[@Stamboul]

"In India the main religions at the moment are: [...]"

[@uprightwalkingape3483]

@@Stamboul you are right. My bad

[@shrikantmodak9503]

Not an authentic account of Buddha's life and his philosophy. The scholar should read Debi Prasad Chatopadhya's, 'What is living and What is Dead in Indian Philosophy', and 'Lokayata' to get accurate picture about Buddha and his philosophy.