Chapter 7 DQ

Jennifer Sun
Why did Buddhism and Christianity spread when and as they did?

Thesis Statement: Buddhism and Christianity spread when and as they did due to
the tightly bounded connections between trade and travel, religion, and imperial
politics involved in the extensive trade networks of this time period.

Buddhism
♠ Monks, missionaries, and
pilgrims who followed the
Silk Road, came in contact
with the Indian
subcontinent or the Indian
Ocean brought Buddhism
to Southeast Asia, China,
Trade and Travel Korea, and Japan.
Christianity
♠ Missionaries were sent
along the Red Sea trade
route to convert those in
Yemen and Ethiopia.
♠ Christianity that developed
in Nubia was brought from
Ethiopia.

♠ Fa Xian travelled to
different Buddhist sites in
Afghanistan, India, and Sri
Lanka (where he lived for
two years). He left written
records and brought his
findings back to China.
♠ Ashoka’s son led ♠ Christian emperors in
missionaries to Sri Lanka. Constantinople sent
♠ Ashoka’s daughter brought
missionaries to convert
those in Yemen and
nuns there, as well as a Ethiopia.
branch of the Bo tree
Religious which Buddha received ♠ 4th century C.E., two Syrian
promotion enlightenment under. boys survived an Ethiopian
attack and were adopted
♠ Buddhist monks probably by the king. After the
travelled to Burma, king’s death one of the
Thailand, and Sumatra. boys Frumentius helped
establish Christian
Communities.
 ♠ Buddhist ideas spread ♠ Armenia served recurrently
without the origin in a as a battleground between
single ethnic group. Iranian and Mediterranean
♠ King Ashoka of the
states. The development of
an Armenian alphabet
Imperial Politics Mauryan Empire in India allowed Christianity to
and King Kanishka of the spread.
Kushans of northern
Afghanistan promoted
Buddhism during the third
and second centuries C.E.