Pakistan, Oct. 11 -- In the quiet hills of Taxila, the wind still moves through the ruins of ancient monasteries. Stone stupas stand where monks once prayed, studied and welcomed travellers who had walked for months from distant lands. These stones have seen empires rise and fall. Today, they carry a message for Pakistan and China, and it is a message worth hearing.

Pakistan holds one of the richest chapters of Buddhist history in the world. The land of Gandhara, stretching across Taxila, Peshawar, Mardan, Swat and Charsadda, was once a great centre of art, learning and faith. From here, ideas travelled along the Silk Road to Central Asia and China. Yet this heritage is still seen mostly as a tourist attraction. It can be much more. It c...