Weekend Stories
I enjoy going exploring on weekends (mostly). Here is a collection of stories and photos I gather along the way. All posts are CC BY-NC-SA licensed unless otherwise stated. Feel free to share, remix, and adapt the content as long as you give appropriate credit and distribute your contributions under the same license.
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The illusion of free will and Buddhist ethics
The question of free will has occupied Western philosophy for millennia, with debates oscillating between determinism, compatibilism, and libertarian notions of human agency. In recent decades, neuroscience has added a new dimension to the discussion, providing experimental data that challenges the idea of conscious, autonomous decision-making. In a parallel but historically independent development, Buddhist thought, particularly in its earliest formulations by Siddhartha Gautama, has long denied the existence of a permanent self (atman) and has articulated an ethical system based not on absolute agency but on conditioned volition (cetana). In this post, we examine how contemporary neuroscientific critiques of free will resonate with Buddhist insights and how Buddhist ethics provides a coherent and practical framework that transcends the metaphysical dilemma of free will.
How sustained meditation practice alters brain structure and function
Buddhist traditions have long emphasized the transformative power of meditation, describing it as a tool not only for achieving insight into the nature of reality but also for cultivating emotional resilience, ethical behavior, and cognitive clarity. Historically, these claims were grounded in phenomenological reports and philosophical elaborations. In recent decades, however, neuroscience has provided a growing body of empirical evidence suggesting that meditation indeed alters the brain’s structure and function. In this post, we explore the findings that link sustained meditation practice to neuroplastic changes, the underlying mechanisms involved, and the broader implications for understanding the mind-brain relationship.
Anattā and neuroscience: questioning the self through split-brain research
In his 2024 book Die Philosophie des Buddha - Eine Einführung (The Philosophy of the Buddha - An Introduction), philosopher Sebastian Gäb devotes an insightful chapter to the interface between Buddhist philosophy and contemporary neuroscience. One of the central themes of this chapter is how findings from split-brain research can be read as empirical parallels to the early Buddhist doctrine of anattā. Gäb discusses how the surgical separation of the brain’s hemispheres in certain epileptic patients creates conditions in which our conventional idea of a unified self becomes untenable. This uncovers something that Buddhist thinkers, particularly Siddhartha Gautama, had already suggested long ago: that the self is not a unified, inner subject, but a narrative construct arising from dynamic processes. In this post, we briefly explore these connections between Buddhist philosophy and neuroscience in more detail.
The first modern encounters between the West and Buddhism: Colonialism, rediscovery, and reform
The colonial encounter between Western powers and Buddhist societies during the 19th and 20th centuries profoundly reshaped the trajectory of Buddhism. As European empires expanded across Asia, they disrupted traditional Buddhist institutions through economic exploitation, ideological subjugation, and missionary activity. Yet, paradoxically, colonialism also sparked a rediscovery of Buddhism, with Western scholars and archaeologists uncovering ancient texts, monuments, and histories that had long been neglected. This dual dynamic of suppression and revival forced Buddhist communities to adapt creatively, blending traditional teachings with modern ideas of rationalism, nationalism, and scientific inquiry. In this post, we explore how colonialism acted as both a destabilizing force and a catalyst for Buddhist reform, examining the ways in which Buddhist leaders and communities resisted, reinterpreted, and globalized their traditions in response to the pressures of empire.
Barlaam and Josaphat: How Siddhartha became a Christian saint
It is one of the more remarkable ironies of religious history that Siddhartha Gautama was venerated for centuries in Christian Europe as a Christian saint. Under the names Barlaam and Josaphat, the narrative of the Buddha’s life was translated, adapted, and ultimately canonized within Christian hagiography. These figures were widely celebrated throughout medieval Christendom, with their feast day even appearing in the Roman Catholic Martyrology. This post traces the long and surprising transmission of this narrative from its Indian Buddhist origins to its Christianized form in Europe. In doing so, we uncover a fascinating story of cultural adaptation, textual migration, and religious transformation that complicates any clear boundary between East and West, or between Buddhism and Christianity.
Buddha icons in unexpected places: Traces of Buddhist contact across Afro-Eurasia
The spread of Buddhism across Afro-Eurasia is often associated with grand narratives of monastic networks, imperial patronage, and religious missions. Yet, scattered across this vast region are isolated artifacts — small icons, statues, and inscriptions — that reveal a quieter, more unexpected dimension of Buddhist expansion. These objects, found in places as diverse as Roman Egypt and Viking-era Sweden, testify to the far-reaching currents of trade, diplomacy, and cultural exchange in the ancient and early medieval worlds. In this post, we explore some of the most striking examples of Buddhist icons discovered far from their traditional heartlands, examining the routes they traveled, the people who carried them, and the meanings they may have held in distant lands. Through these artifacts, we uncover the hidden threads of connectivity that linked diverse cultures and illuminated the global reach of Buddhist material and spiritual influence.
Gandhāra: The Greco-Buddhist encounter and the birth of Buddhist figural art
Situated at the cultural crossroads of South Asia and the wider Hellenistic world, Gandhāra stands out as one of the most fascinating and consequential regions in ancient history. Over the course of nearly a millennium, it absorbed and synthesized influences from Persian, Greek, Indian, Central Asian, and Roman cultures, becoming a crucible of religious and artistic innovation. Nowhere is this synthesis more vividly expressed than in the development of Gandhāran Buddhist art: a tradition that redefined the visual language of Buddhism and shaped its transmission across Asia. In this post, we explore the historical trajectory of Gandhāra, from its role in imperial networks to its golden age under the Kushans, and examine the unique art style that emerged from this multicultural milieu. Through a close look at archaeology, iconography, and cultural exchange, we aim to understand Gandhāra not only as a historical region but as a key chapter in the global history of Buddhist thought and artistic expression.
Menander I and the Milindapañha: A Hellenistic king in Buddhist tradition
Menander I, known in Buddhist tradition as King Milinda, was one of the most prominent rulers of the Indo-Greek Kingdom during the 2nd century BCE. His reign marked a period of both territorial expansion and cultural fluorescence in the regions that now comprise Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northwestern India. Unusually for a Greek monarch ruling in a non-Hellenistic context, Menander became immortalized not merely for his military prowess or political power, but for his philosophical engagement with the Buddhist tradition. In this post, we explore Menander’s historical role as a Hellenistic king, his place in the Indo-Greek world, and his enduring legacy through the Milindapañha.
Ai-Khanoum: The Greco-Buddhist city in Central Asia
Ai-Khanoum, located at the junction of the Oxus (Amu Darya) and Kokcha rivers in present-day Afghanistan, is one of the most remarkable archaeological sites bridging the Greek and Indian cultural worlds. Often identified with the city of Alexandria Oxiana, its ruins reveal a Hellenistic urban center that flourished far from the Mediterranean core, at the easternmost edge of the Greek world. Discovered in the 20th century, Ai-Khanoum has dramatically reshaped our understanding of how Greek culture interacted with local traditions in Central Asia and beyond. In this post, we explore Ai-Khanoum not only as a city of great historical interest but as a living symbol of cultural hybridity. We aim to show how this city functioned as a microcosm of Greco-Buddhist interaction, illuminating broader patterns of artistic, philosophical, and religious exchange between East and West during the Hellenistic era.
Hellenistic encounters with India: Historical and cultural background
Long before modern globalization, the ancient world saw remarkable episodes of intercultural exchange that shaped civilizations across continents. One of the most significant of these moments occurred during the Hellenistic period, when the conquests of Alexander the Great and the rise of successor states brought the Mediterranean world into sustained contact with the Indian subcontinent. This convergence initiated a centuries-long process of political, artistic, and philosophical interaction, especially in the regions that today encompass Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northwest India. This post aims to offer a structured overview of these Hellenistic-Indian encounters, clarifying the often-confused chronology of events involving Alexander’s campaigns, the Seleucid Empire, the Greco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek kingdoms, and the development of the Gandhāran cultural sphere. By situating these interactions in their historical context, we aim to better understand their role in the emergence of Greco-Buddhist art, the cross-pollination of philosophical ideas, and the long-term significance of East–West dialogue in antiquity.