Beckwith Greek Buddha Early Buddhism in Central Asia (PDF)

It was believed that Buddhism existed mainly in India and that Buddhism in other places were just copies of the Indian Buddhism. This belief was exploded when John Marshal began excavating a Buddhist Monastery of the first century AD and found there were many other religions before Buddha which influenced Buddhism a great deal. There were Shramans living and practicing with many Jains and Ajivikas living in these monasteries.  Also the Beckwith brings in Greek eyewitness reports of Buddhism in fourth century BCE that did not match Buddhist accounts many years later.

This book brings together the information of Buddhism that is not the traditional view found in Buddhist books which makes very interesting reading.