Australian scientists have discovered what they believe to be the earliest known Buddhist literary work.
The carbon analysis of this rare manuscript, titled “Dead Sea Scrolls of Buddhism“, which was sourced from a private collection, may reveal a great deal about the origins of this religion.
These handwritten fragments were carefully washed and dated at the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor in Sydney. Researchers found that the manuscript dates back to the 1st to 5th centuries CE.
Dr. Mark Allon from the University of Sydney stated that they believe this is the first evidence of Buddhist literature in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“These manuscripts will shed light on the transmission of Buddhism into China, such as what type of Buddhism was introduced, how it was disseminated, where this manuscript originated, and how it developed.”
This discovery also aids historians in understanding how Buddhist texts came into existence.
M.T.
