The Mauryan and Gupta Empires: 321 BCE – 550 CE

Chapter 9: State, Society and the Quest for Salvation in India

Jainism: 5th Century BCEIncreased tradeDevelopment of jatiDevelopment of BuddhismDevelopment of Mahayana Buddhism

3rd century BCEDevelopment of Popular Hinduism

The Bhagavad Gita 400 CE

POWER VACUUM

The necessary education, drill, and discipline to cultivatemilitarism were confined to the members of one community, the Ksatriyas. This prevented the militant attitude from spreading to other communities and kept the whole social structure unaffected by actual wars and war institutions.

Says the Arthva Veda: "May we revel, living a hundred winters, rich in heroes." The whole countrylooked upon the members of the kshatriya community as defenders of their country and consequently did not grudge the high influence and power wielded by the Kshatriyas, who were assigned a social rank next in importance to the intellectual and spiritual needs of the

society

First to unite India:

Chandragupta Maurya

320s BCE

ArthashastraOverseeing trade and agriculture(roads/ irrigation canals)

Standarization in taxcollection

Maintaining order

Foreign relations

Waging war

SuccessfulBureaucracy

Spies

Prostitutes

The enemy of my enemy

is my friend!

The Four Noble Truths?

Series of Steps Leading to Enlightenment, Salvation

• Right view, or accepting the reality of the Four Noble Truths

• Right attitude, or striving for moderation in all things

• Right speech, avoiding lies, boasts, and hurtful words

• Right action, or treating others fairly

• Right livelihood, avoiding jobs that could bring harm to others

• Right effort, or constantly trying to improve oneself

• Right mindfulness, or remaining aware of world around one

• Right concentration, or ignoring temptation and discomfort while

meditating

EIGHTFOLD PATH

The Lawbook of Manu

• 2nd century BCE – 2nd century CE• Described a divinely ordained social order

• Believed that: all embryos are basically male and that weak sperm produced females

• Advocated child marriage for girls to men much older

• Believed that: a virtuous wife should constantly serve her husband like a god, should never remarry after his death

• Declared that: “In childhood a female must be subject to her father; in youth to her husband; when her lord is dead to her sons; a woman must never be

• independent”

The Lawbook of Manu: The Practice of Sati

Footprints of the Buddha: early symbols of him/ focus for devotion/ reminder that since he passed on to nirvana, he can not be physically present

Jainism: 5th Century BCE

Do you remember you have a

test on Thursday?

I can’t help you on this test, so

you better study!!

Siddhartha as a Boddhisatva

Ashoka Maurya r. 268-232 BCEHigh point of Mauryan Empire

For Ashoka:

Challenge was how to honor theguidelines of the Arthashastraat the same time as honor the Buddha’sdemands to become a selfless person?

As a good Buddhist, Ashoka:

• Banned animal sacrifices• Mandated vegetarianism in court• Material support for Buddhist institutionsand Buddhist missionary activities

Role of women changes?????

"All religions should reside everywhere, for all of them desire self-control and purity of heart." Rock Edict Nb7 (S. Dhammika)

"Here (in my domain) no living beings are to be slaughtered or offered in sacrifice." Rock Edict Nb1 (S. Dhammika)

"Contact (between religions) is good. One should listen to and respect the doctrines professed by others. Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, desires that all should be well-learned in the good doctrines of other religions.“Rock Edict Nb12 (S. Dhammika)

"One benefits in this world and gains great merit in the next by giving the gift of the Dhamma." Rock Edict Nb11 (S. Dhammika)

"Happiness in this world and the next is difficult to obtain without much love for the Dhamma, much self-examination, much respect, much fear (of evil), and much enthusiasm." Pilar Edict Nb1 (S. Dhammika)

Spread of Buddhism under Ashoka Maurya 268-232 BCE

Decline of Empire?

Similar to anywhere else?

Achievements:

Territorial ExpansionEfficient collection of taxesIrrigation systems (agricultural surplus)Rock and Pillar EdictsSpread of BuddhismPositive leadership = Political/Cultural UnityAshoka well connectedCommunication links/ roads/ inns and wells

Death of Ashoka = no strong successor = economic crisis =

Devaluation of currency =military not supported by shortfall in tax

revenue = lazy, idleCosts exceeded revenue

states left empire

WHY was Buddhism so popular?WHY did it spread?

• Equality of salvation• Vernacular• Less demanding• Monasteries (Nalanda)• Mahayana (2-3rd Century CE)

After the fall of the Mauryan Empire…..

The Gupta Empire: ~ 320 – 500 CE Chandra Gupta II

375 – 415 CE

Chandra Gupta = ALIANCE BUILDINGWith powerful families

Decentralized leadership but stillhad stability and prosperity

Local states still retain some power(compared to Ashoka?)

• Right hand, palm facing viewer =Reassurance, “have no fear”

• Partially webbed fingers= Buddha’s unique status

• Knot on top of head =Enlightenment

• Elongated ear lobes =Reminder of earlier life of luxury/ Ears weighed down by heavy earrings/ jewelry

spices

gold & ivory

Extensive Trade of the 4th C CE

International Trade Routes during the Golden Age of the Gupta Empire

Medicine Literature

MathematicsAstronomy

Printedmedicinal guides

1000 diseasesclassified

PlasticSurgery

C-sectionsperformed

Inoculations

500 healingplants identified

DecimalSystem

Conceptof Zero

PI = 3.1416

Kalidasa

SolarCalendar

The earthis round

Gupta

India

Gupta

AchievementsHindu revival

With death of Ashoka:

Bhagavad Gita

Arabic numerals

The cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are personified by the forms of Brahman the creator, Vishnu the maintainer or preserver, and Shiva the destroyer or transformer.

Vishnu:

“preserver of the world who intervened frequently on behalf of virtuous individuals”

Increasingly distinct

from traditional view of

The Upanishads

RAMAYANA

Rama (incarnation of Vishnu) andSita (his wife) = women portrayed as weak, devotional to a fault

Bhagavad

Gita: Krishna said: devotional

worship, abandon selfish concerns, understand the soul and caste duties = faith willbring salvation (a conversation)

POPULAR

HINDUISM

Prince Arjuna

Krishna

POPULAR

HINDUISM

• Emphasis on meeting class obligations

(dharma)

• Pursuit of economic well-being and honesty

(artha)

• Enjoyment of social, physical and sexual

pleasure (kama)

• Salvation of the soul (moksha)

After 1000 CE: Buddhism declines In popularity in South Asia

What led to

the decline of

the Gupta

Empire?

Invasion of

The White Huns

~ 450 CE

• With invasion, empire

split along administrative

fault lines

• Local leaders usurped

power