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BUDDHA THE 1ST BLACK REVOLUTIONARY HERO-7

Dr. Clyde Winters write: Philostratus:The Life of Apollonius of Tyana makes it clear that the Gymnosophist lived in Upper Egypt and the Meroitic Empire. The historical evidence makes it clear that there was probably two migrations of Buddhist Gymnosophists to Egypt and the Meroitic Empire. Asoka was a supporter of Buddhism. Zacharias P. Thundy, in Buddha and Christ make it clear that the edits of Asoka (c.274-236 BC) indicate that this ruler sent missionaries to Egypt to preach the Buddhist Dharma(pp.242-243).

Thundy maintains that archaeological evidence exist for a community of Indian sages living in Memphis as early as 200 BC (p.243). We know that descendents of these missionaries were still in Egypt over two hundred years later because they were visited by Apollonius of Tyana. Asoka used Kharosthi to write his edits. The Buddhist also used this writing system to record their scriptures. This means that the Gymnosophists would have had a long tradition of employing Kharosthi to communicate their ideas. The Gymnosophists were probably well respected by the Meroites and some Meroites probably had knowledge of Buddhist teachings and literacy.

Some Meroites may have played an important role in Buddhist because Blemmyae, a prominent group in the Meroitic Sudan are mentioned in Pali text Tipitaka (see:JDM Derrett, (2002) A Blemmya in India, Numen 49:460-474). Dr.Derrett wrote that in early Pali text " we have a Blemmya (an African) in front rank Buddhist texts of very respectable age (p.465). The Buddhist text where Blemmya were mentioned are very old. The Vinaya pitaka, is dated to the 4th century B.C.E. If Blemmya (Nubians) are mentioned in Buddhists text we can be sure that Meroites were not ignorant of Kharosthi. This would explain why many of the Meroitic symbols agree with Kharosthi. They agree because some Meroites were probably already literate in Kharosthi due to the influence of Buddhism in the Meroitic Empire.

Please understand that Buddhism was practised in Ancient Africa. What is even more fascinating is the influence of Kharoshi language on the Meroitic script. The Karoshi language is the language spoken in India during the time of Asoka. The Buddhist king Asoka had missionaries to inscribe Buddhist writings all over the world etched in Stone. The Buddhist missionaries were not called Buddhist they were called Gymnoshophist or " Naked People" by the Greeks.

Ancient African Buddhist were nothing like our Japanese Buddhist teachers from japan who teach us Buddhism, they took vows not to own anything and they wore very little clothing as you see in Buddhist statues. What we learn about the Buddhists in Africa is that they were "Buddhist Scholars." Kharoshi script. For 1000's of years no on had been able to read the language. The Japanese people who teach Buddhism in America give little or no account of the African influence in Buddhism.

Japanese only give the "Japanese version of Buddhist History.
The Buddhist King Asoka left Buddhist inscriptions in Rocks, pillars and cave walls, as a way of propagating Buddhism. King Asoka made the Lion symbol of Buddhism in many of the pillars. The Lions symbolize the teachings of the Lord Buddha. The Elephant represents the Queen Maya concept of the Buddha when she saw the White Elephant.

Egyptologist Flinders Petrie in 1908 found evidence of Buddhist in Ancient Egypt that dated back to the Persian period. At the Apedemak temple in Naga we see the Serpent coming out of the Lotus Flower. The three heads of the Lion are Asokan Edits. Both Buddhist symbols and what we see at the Temple in ancient Sudan of Ancient Nubia corresponds to Buddhist teachings.

f you learn a clear and accurate understanding of the history of Buddhism you will learn that Buddhist history is also African/American history or Black history. Japanese wrote Black people out of Buddhist history. Nichiren Daishonin was a scholar who studied and understood Buddhism. Nichiren Daishonin answered question asked by his disciples in letters, some were long and indept. The Japanese teachers in America do not follow the spirit of Nichiren Daishonin in answering questions. We find in America a spirit of "Japanese Racism." We fight Japanese superiority thinking.

Over 10 year ago in 2003 I was at the Nichiren Shoshu Temple at Taisekiji Japan. Tony an African/American Buddhist leader in New York commented to me regarding the "Proud Black Buddhist" Website; "if information do not come from the Priest its not real." It is a misnomer and backward thinking to believe that Nichiren Shoshu Priest have a monopoly on Truth. What you have is a bunch of Japanese running a con job. If as Tony believe that the Japanese have some mystic power he is being mislead. 

Reference: Antony "Amp" Elmore Sr.