How Did Buddhism Spread

Buddhism and Christianity differed in their locations of origin and where they spread to. Buddhism originated in India and spread eastwards, specifically to Asian lands outside of India. Christianity, however, originated in the East Mediterranean and primarily spread throughout the Mediterranean basin. Buddhist merchants established monasteries in oasis towns along the Silk Road, facilitating the diffusion of Buddhism into the grasslands of Central Asia, China, and eventually Southeast Asia. Christian missionaries utilized sea lanes and road networks to spread the religion throughout the Roman Empire and the Mediterranean basin. Christianity was made popular in Anatolia by Gregory the Wonderworker. Communities devoted to Christianity prospered throughout the basin of the Mediterranean

Christian communities also appeared in Mesopotamia and Iran; by 300 C.E., Rome also had a considerable Christian population.

While both religions differed in the places they spread, they were alike in their methods of diffusion. Firstly, both religions were endorsed by rulers. Ashoka, a ruler of India’s Mauryan Empire, championed Buddhism in his empire; he prompted his subjects to follow Buddhist principles. Ashoka encouraged Buddhists to spread their faith, and sent missionaries to Ceylon and Bactria, where Buddhism eventually spread. He had monasteries and stupas (Buddhist shrines with a dome shape) built in his empire, and granted land to Buddhists. Ashoka’s sponsorship of Buddhism furthered its spread. In the Roman Empire, Constantine promoted his Edict of Milan, allowing Christians to freely practice their religion. A later emperor, Theodosius, declared Christianity as the Roman Empire’s official religion. Christianity’s sponsorship from imperial authority allowed it to spread very effectively. Secondly, Buddhism and Christianity both diffused through missionaries. As