Introduction Since the time of the historical Buddha, the Sangha (ordained monastic community) have been sharing the Buddha’s teachings with many people from all walks of life. Over time, the Sangha travelled to many villages and cities, expanding their reach to different states in India, following various trade routes as recounted in many old Buddhist stories. This is how Buddhism spread within India and from India to many other countries. During the Mauryan Empire (322-187 BCE), Buddhism spread north and north-west from its birthplace, from present day Bihar through the Kingdom of Kuru (present-day Uttar Predesh), up towards Gandhara (present-day north-west Pakistan and north-east Afghanistan) and Kashmir. It also spread south from Bihar to Maharashtra, and south-east to Andhra Pradesh and Sri Lanka. It was after the era of the Mauryan Empire that Buddhism spread from Kashmir and Gandhara, along the ancient Silk Road through Central Asia and into China. Simultaneously, Buddhism also spread to China via sea through South-East Asia. Although Indian and Chinese cultures could not have been more different, Buddhism was adapted to suit Chinese perspectives. With the gradual spread of Buddhism throughout China in the the 3rd Century CE, Indian Buddhist beliefs, literature, language and grammar had a major impact on early […]