Did Buddhism exist in the West before the modern era?
>>18391469Depends on how you define "the West" but:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-BuddhismPretty sure they also found Buddhist artifacts in the ruins of Pompeii though I don't know if it was widely practiced or just a few statues that ended up there.
Yes, it existed as Stoicism which is the same thing with different words. The reason it is able to emerge distinctly across time and space is because the principle is true and so the wise discover it regardless of culture or era.
>Stoicism which is the same thing with different wordsJust nuke this board already.
>>18391623Can you prove him wrong then?
>>18391645It's a similar way of dealing with the world, retreating inward and not relying on externals to make or break your emotional state. But Stoicism is a Greek philosophy, Marcus Aurelius acknowledges the classic Greek gods although at times he seems to have monotheistic inclinations, while Buddhism seems to be a reformation or reaction to Hindu traditions and flips some of those assumptions on its head (atman or "soul" becomes anatman or "no soul"). A Stoic and a Buddhist might find lots of common ground, but there are important differences based on the historical, cultural, and religious backgrounds these traditions emerged from.
>>18391668This. The reaction towards Hinduism is what creates the Buddhist three marks of existence of soullessness, impermanence and dissatisfaction. These may exist in Stoicism, but their cause in the philosophy is different. There is also no path to liberation that deals with any equivalent of jhanas in Stoicism, except for perhaps the first jhana or so. And it gets worse if you include Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism.
WELL, SINCE «THE WEST» IS A PROTESTANT IDEA, NO, THERE WAS NO BUDDHISM IN «THE WEST» BEFORE THE MODERN ERA.
>>18391800By "West" I meant Europe, and by "modern era" I mean't colonialism
>>18391815THE SOCALLED «WEST» OR «WESTERN "CIVILIZATION"» IS THE PROTESTANTSPHERE.THE MODERN ERA IS THE PERIOD COMPRISING FROM THE XVI TO THE XX CENTURY.
>>18391818Okay
>>18391821Dont worry about him he's just like that.We all understood your question.
>>18391800>>18391818why are you talking like this
>>18391469Theraputae monastic circle in Egypt was Buddhist theraputa group of monks that stayed behind and melded into local culture
