Dr. Xinru Liu, Professor Emeritus of History, Ancient India, Silk Road, and World History, College of New Jersey
Dr. Deven M. Patel, Associate Professor of Sanskrit and Classical Indian Literature, University of Pennsylvania (Discussant)
Part of the Understanding Epochs of Asian Lives in Pre-Common Era lecture series, co-organized by Let’s Talk Tattva and the Oxford Public Philosophy (OPP) journal. Remote attendance via Zoom, registration required (see flyer).
Abstract
The Kushans built an empire across South Asia and Central Asia. The rich material culture especially the art works called Gandharan Buddhist art during the period of the first century BCE to the third century CE developed in flourishing urban centers. The Kushans employed various local languages— Greek, Bactrian, Gandharan, mid-Indian Prakrit, and Sanskrit to communicate with their diverse subjects. Buddhism established in the region and joined the urban society under the Kushan regime. Monks came from all directions learned to communicate inside the sangha and with resident and visitors in the cities. Buddhists rendered their texts in Sanskrit, a system for foreign followers to learn and to translate Buddhist texts. Meanwhile, monasteries promoted drama and sculptural arts to convey stories that embodied Buddha’s doctrine to the audience who mostly could not comprehend the verbal languages.