Greco-Buddhism, sometimes spelled
Graeco-Buddhism, refers to the cultural
syncretism between
Hellenistic culture and
Buddhism, which developed between the 4th century BCE and the 5th century CE in
Bactria and the
Indian subcontinent, corresponding to the territories of modern day
Afghanistan,
India, and
Pakistan. It was a cultural consequence of a long chain of interactions begun by Greek forays into India from the time of
Alexander the Great, carried further by the establishment of the
Indo-Greek Kingdom and extended during the flourishing of the
Kushan Empire. Buddhism was then adopted in Central and Northeastern Asia from the 1st century CE, ultimately spreading to
China,
Korea,
Japan,
Philippines,
Siberia, and
Vietnam.
