The Silk Route of Dharma: India and China's Enduring Buddhist Dialogue

Across perilous journeys along the Silk Route, Buddhist masters carried the message of the Buddha across mountains, deserts, and kingdoms, leaving behind remarkable travelogues that illuminate sacred geographies, flourishing centres of learning, pilgrimages, and the transmission of Buddhist texts.

The Silk Route of Dharma: India and China's Enduring Buddhist Dialogue traces two millennia of enduring Indo-Chinese Buddhist dialogue through a rich multidisciplinary lens. Drawing upon extensive research, visits to China, and archival work at the International Academy of Indian Culture founded by Dr Raghuvira, the author uncovers fascinating layers of shared cultural and spiritual history.

Legendary figures such as Kumarajiva—the son of a Kashmiri Brahmana and a princess of Kucha—and Hsuan-tsang, the prince among Chinese pilgrims, emerge as central figures whose lifelong dedication transformed not only religious thought but also imperial patronage, inspiring the creation of magnificent temples, monasteries, caves, and stupas across China.

From sanctified imperial capitals to the enduring resonance of Ch’an Buddhism, this coffee table book reveals how Buddhist traditions shaped Chinese civilisation over centuries.