@Meaningness Any chance you can recommend a book on the history of Buddhism? I'm especially interested in the early history in South Asia
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My non-expert impression is that there is no actual early history in the sense of reliable documentary evidence.
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Only some time around 100 BC is there any evidence at all, other than scriptural fables, and detailed history is sketchy until well into AD.
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This is not the consensus view, however, and may be excessively skeptical.
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Replying to @lou_keep @Meaningness
G Samuel. The Origins of Yoga and Tantra. Use summary of early archaeology. 1st evidence of Buddhism ca 250BC (DC!) time of Asoka.
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Note DC, that we now have Buddhist birchbark manuscripts C14 dated to 2nd Century BCE. Asoka tells us that he converts mid 3rd C.
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I deploy stubborn ignorance to maintain my skepticism about Ashoka :)
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Replying to @Meaningness @lou_keep
On what basis? The inscriptions exist - I've seen several of them. They are securely dated to mid 3rd Cent BC. They mention Buddhism.
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No basis other than stubbornness and ignorance! I have extremely good intentions to educate myself. Just not yet
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