Buddhism in Afghanistan

empire in Central and South Asia (30–375 AD)

Bactria (; Bactrian: , ), or Bactriana, was an ancient Iranian civilization in Central Asia, located in the area south of the Oxus River (modern Amu Darya) and north of the Hindu Kush mountains, within modern-day Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Bactria was strategically located south of Sogdia and west of the Pamir Mountains. These mountain ranges acted as "walls" protecting Bactria from three sides, with the Pamir mountains to the north and the Hindu Kush to the south forming a junction, and the Karakoram range towards the east.

Balkh is a city in northern Afghanistan, with an estimated population of 148,972 people. It is within the jurisdiction of Balkh District and its current mayor is Maulvi Mohammad Qasim Fazal Subhan. Located approximately to the northwest of Mazar-i-Sharif and approximately to the south of the Amu Darya or the Afghanistan–Uzbekistan border, it is the second largest city of Balkh Province.

Jalalabad, previously known as Tarunshahr, and historically known as Nagarahara or Adinapur, is a city in eastern Afghanistan, serving as the capital of Nangarhar Province. It has an estimated population of 318,733 people. Qari Bismellah Bilal is the current mayor of the city. Mohammad Ishaq Saeed serves as the current deputy mayor.

province of Afghanistan

province of Afghanistan

Bamyan, also spelled as Bamiyan or Bamian (Dari, Pashto: ), is a city in central Afghanistan, serving as the capital of Bamyan Province. It is within the jurisdiction of Bamyan District and has an estimated population of 103,909 people. This makes Bamyan the largest municipality in Hazarajat. The Bamyan Airport is located in the middle of the city. It is surrounded by houses, businesses, schools and public parks. The Bamyan University is also near there. Band-e-Amir National Park is located around 2-hour drive to the west from the city's center. The driving distance between Bamyan and Kabul is

thumb|Rewalsar Lake#Colossus of Padmasambhava|Colossus of Padmasambhava, 123 ft. (37.5 m) high, in mist overlooking [[Rewalsar Lake, Himachal Pradesh, India]]

The Barmakids ( Barmakiyân; al-Barāmikah), also spelled Barmecides, were an influential Iranian family from Balkh, where they were originally hereditary Buddhist leaders (in the Nawbahar monastery), and subsequently came to great political power under the Abbasid caliphs of Baghdad. Khalid, the son of Barmak became the chief minister (vizier) of al-Saffah (), the first caliph of the Abbasid dynasty. His son Yahya aided Harun al-Rashid in capturing the throne and rose to power as the most powerful man in the Caliphate.

thumb|Gautama Buddha in Greco-Buddhist style, 1st–2nd century AD, [[Gandhara (Peshawar basin, modern day Pakistan).]]

buddhism by country

Zabulistan (, Zābolistān, Zāwulistān or simply ), is an ancient and medieval name for a historical region that included mainly southern Afghanistan as well as southeastern Iran.

thumb|right|250px|Map of Kafiristan prior to its conversion to Islam in 1890s

Maues (Greek: ; (epigraphic); Kharosthi: ' , , called , on the Taxila copper plate; also called ' , in the Mathura lion capital inscription,) was the first Indo-Scythian king, ruling from 98/85 to 60/57 BCE. He invaded India and established Saka hegemony by conquering Indo-Greek territories.

Middle Indic language of Gāndhāra attested in the Dharmapada

Wikimedia history article

Buddhist stupa or monastery near the ancient city of Balkh

first two lay disciples of the Buddha

reliquary from Afghanistan in the British Museum

archaeological site in Afghanistan