Central Asia and the Buddhist Cosmopolis: Mediating Ideas, Texts and Institutions

Abstract

This study examines the evolution and dissemination of Buddhism in Central Asia, highlighting its role as a mediator of ideas, institutions, and cultural traditions across the Silk Road. Drawing upon textual, archaeological, and artistic evidence, the paper explores how Buddhism moved from India into the Tarim Basin and beyond, where it encountered and assimilated diverse influences from the Kushans, Sogdians, Parthians, Greeks, and Tibetans. Particular attention is given to the role of royal patronage and translation movements in Khotan, Kashgar, Kucha, and Dunhuang, which facilitated the spread of Sarvastivada and Mahayana schools into China. The study underscores the contributions of prominent Buddhist scholars, such as Kumarajiva and Dharmakṣema, whose translations shaped East Asian Buddhism. It further situates Buddhist material culture within the social life of Central Asia, examining stupas, monasteries, cave temples, murals, and manuscripts as evidence of both devotion and cross-cultural exchange. By tracing linguistic diversity through Sanskrit, Prakrit, Tocharian, Sogdian, Uighur, Tibetan, and Chinese sources, the paper illustrates Central Asia’s role as a cosmopolitan hub of Buddhist learning. The conclusion reflects on Buddhism’s adaptive capacity, its coexistence with Manichaeism and Nestorian Christianity, and its enduring legacy as a bridge between the Orient and the Occident. The study positions Central Asia not merely as a recipient of Indian religious ideas but as an active crucible in shaping the wider Buddhist cosmopolis.