The Earliest Western Buddhist Monks

Ajahn Sona joins Ajahn Kovilo and Ajahn Nisabho to discuss his recent research into early Western Buddhist Monks. The discussion touches on such topics as the appearance of Ionian (Greek) monks in Pāli Commentaries, the Western connection with the Pāli Canon being written down, the early Greek influence on Buddhist Art (e.g. Gandharan sculptures), the relationship between Ancient Greek philosophy and Abhidhamma, and more.

This video was originally published on the Clear Mountain Monastery YouTube Channel, located here:
   / clearmountainmonastery  

Chapters
0:00 - Introduction and Welcome
1:12 - Bio of Luang Por Sona
3:21 - Luang Por Sona's summary of his research into Greek Monks
22:10 - Is this knowledge that there were ancient Greek Monks due to recent research? (or has this been common knowledge all along?)
44:13 - Why didn't the Buddha lay out any guidance for recording the Dhamma?
52:41 - When is the earliest that Greek Monks were writing down the Suttas?
59:48 - In researching this huge technological shift in communication media at that time from memory to writing, how has it informed your thinking regarding these new shifts we are observing from books, to video and audio that are at least as monumental?
1:04:32 - Regarding effective delivery by video, Ajahn Kovilo comments on the physical correlates of the well-trained mind, that even when playing Ajahn Sona’s talks at 15x speed, Ajahn’s head is still very still!
1:09:56 - This idea that the Greeks - there was this bridge - and the teachings traveled to the Mediterranean, I’m also really interested in what significant aspects of what we’ve seen before considered western “culture”, especially Christian Monasticism and Christina thought, which of those elements were deeply influenced by Buddhism. So the ripples in both directions of that bridge, I’d be curious about.
1:16:56 - Will you be writing a book to this effect?
1:19:45 - Could pinning of the advent of writing in the Suttas to several centuries earlier than we thought which can cast it as a causal factor in so many developments in Buddhist thought including Abhidhamma, certain strands of debate, perhaps the fracturing into the Mahayana and Theravada?

Ajahn Sona Podcast:
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