The Spread of Buddhism

The book opens with an introduction explaining that Buddhism spread through many routes and historical contexts rather than through one linear movement. The editors emphasize that Buddhism changed as it entered new regions, interacting with local cultures, languages, political powers, and religious systems. The chapters then examine key zones and themes of Buddhist transmission: early doctrinal debates between Sarvāstivāda and Mahāsāṃghika traditions; Buddhism in Gandhāra; Buddhism among Iranians, Tocharians, and Turks in Serindia; the westward spread of Buddhism; the transmission of Vinaya from India to China; Daoist responses to early Buddhism in China; tantric connections between India and China; early Korean Buddhist accounts; the first and later spread of Buddhism in Tibet; Buddhism among the Mongols; and the spread of Chan/Zen Buddhism. Overall, the volume presents Buddhist expansion as a dynamic process of adaptation, negotiation, translation, and institutional formation across diverse civilizations.