The Kanishka Stupa: When an Emperor Built for Buddhism

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the story of the Kanishka Stupa, a monumental Buddhist tower built by the Kushan emperor Kanishka I in the 2nd century CE near Peshawar. They discuss how Kanishka, a ruler of the Yuezhi people, embraced Buddhism and convened the Fourth Buddhist Council in Kashmir, which led to the formalization of Mahayana Buddhism and the use of Sanskrit in scriptures. The episode dives into the stupa's legendary height, its role as a pilgrimage site, and its destruction by Mahmud of Ghazni in the 11th century. Along the way, they touch on Gandharan art, the Silk Road, and the syncretism of the Kushan Empire, where coins depicted Greek, Persian, and Indian deities alongside Buddhist symbols. #KanishkaStupa #KanishkaI #KushanEmpire #Buddhism #FourthBuddhistCouncil #Gandhara #Peshawar #MahmudOfGhazni #MahayanaBuddhism #SilkRoad #GandharanArt #Yuezhi #Sanskrit #Kharosthi #History #FexingoHistory #ReligionAndEmpire #WorldHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo