Heraklesek Buda ezagutu zuenean. Grekobudismoa Alejandro Handia eta Kanishkaren artean (K.a. IV-K.o. II)

Abstract

[ES] Gradu Amaierako Lan honen helburua Grekobudismoa, hots, kultura helenistiko eta erlijio budistaren arteko sinkretismoa, baldintzatu zituzten faktoreak eta honen garapena aztertzea izango da. Alejandro Handiaren kanpaina militarren ostean Baktria eta India Ipar-Mendebaldean greziarren komunitateak ezarriko ziren, zeintzuk kultura, tradizio eta sineskera helenoak hurrengo mendeetan zehar mantenduko zituzten. Era berean, Mauriar Inperioko Asoka erregeak budismoa zabaltzeko monje misiolariak bidaliko zituen India inguruko lurraldeetara, greziar komunitate hauek konbertsio kanpaina hauen helmugetako bat izanik. Nahiz eta Budismoarekin sinpatizatu izan zezaketen sujetu greziarren kasuak existitu, Pirron Elisekoa bezala, komunitate budistaren babesa lortzeko budismoaren aldeko politika bat bultzatu zutenak errege Indo-Greziarrak izango ziren, zeintzuk sinbolo budistak erabiliko zituzten haiek jaulkitutako txanponetan. Halaber, agintari greziar batzuk, Menandro I bezala, literatura budistan budismoaren babesle sutsuak bihurtuko ziren. Azkenik, Kushan Inperioaren garaian bateratu ziren hainbat elementuen bateratzeari esker Grekobudismoa Gandhrako eskolako artelanetan materializatuko zen, sinkretismoa bere puntu gorenera iritsiz eta helenismoa ikonografia budistaren garapena definituko zuen funtsezko osagai bat bihurtuz.

[EN] The aim of this essay is to analyze the historical facts and development of GrecoBuddhism, that is, the syncretism between Greek culture and Buddhism. Greek communities would settle down in Bactria and North-West India after the campaigns of Alexander the Great, importing and maintaining Hellenic culture, costumes and beliefs through the next generations. Likewise, the Mauryan king Ashoka would launch the first massive missionary campaign in order to convert all the territories surrounding India into Buddhism, which also included the areas inhabited by the aforementioned Greeks. Even though some cases of Greek figures sympathizing with Buddhist ideas existed since the time of Alexander, such as that of Pyrrho of Elys, Indo-Greek kings would be the first to adopt a policy in favour of Buddhism with the aim of obtaining the respect of the Buddhist community. Not only would they start using Buddhist symbols in their royal coins, but they would also be portrayed as protectors of the Buddhist faith, as it happended to Menander I. Finally, thanks to the accumulation of different elements during the time of the Kushan Empire, Greco-Buddhism would materialize through the artworks of the Gandhara School, reaching this syncretism its peak as Hellenism became a substantial element that defined the development of Buddhist iconography.