Chapter 9 Continued

State, Society, and the Quest for Salvation in India

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Early Buddhism

Siddhartha Gautama, ca. 563-483 B.C.E. Encountered age, sickness, death, then monastic

life Abandoned comfortable life to become a monk

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Gautama’s Search for Enlightenment

Intense meditation, extreme asceticism Forty-nine days of meditation under bo tree to

finally achieve enlightenment Attained title of Buddha: “the enlightened one”

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The Buddha and His Followers

Begins teaching new doctrine ca. 528 B.C.E. Followers owned only robes, food bowls Life of wandering, begging, meditation Establishment of monastic communities

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Buddha and His Disciples

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Buddhist Doctrine: The Dharma

The Four Noble Truths All life is suffering Suffering caused by desire Removing desire removes suffering This may be done through the eight-fold path

Right views, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, concentration

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Appeal of Buddhism

Less dependence on brahmins for ritual activities No recognition of caste, jati status Philosophy of moderate consumption Public service through lay teaching Use of vernacular, not Sanskrit Monasteries become important institutions in

Indian society

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A Buddhist Monastery

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Ashoka’s Support of Buddhism

Personal conversion to Buddhism Saddened after violent war with Kalinga Banned animal sacrifices, mandated

vegetarianism in court Material support for Buddhist institutions,

missionary activities

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Changes in Buddhist Thought

Third century B.C.E. to first century C.E. Buddha considered divine Institution of boddhisatvas (“saints”) Charitable donations to monasteries regarded as pious

activity

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Spread of Mahayana Buddhism

Mahayana (“greater vehicle”), newer development India, China, Japan, Korea, central Asia

Hinayana (“lesser vehicle,” also Theravada), earlier version Ceylon, Burma, Thailand

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Nalanda

Buddhist monastery Quasi-university: Buddhism, Hindu texts,

philosophy, astronomy, medicine Peak at end of Gupta dynasty Helped spread Indian thought

e.g. mathematical number zero

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Emergence of Popular Hinduism

Composition of epics from older oral traditions Mahabharata Ramayana

Emphasis on god Vishnu and his incarnations

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The Bhagavad Gita

“Song of the lord” Centuries of revisions, final form ca. 400 C.E. Dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna during civil

war

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Hindu Ethics

Obedience to religious and moral laws (dharma) Pursuit of economic well-being and honesty

(artha) Enjoyment of social, physical, and sexual pleasure

(kama) Salvation of the soul (moksha)

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Popularity of Hinduism

Gradually replaced Buddhism in India Gupta dynastic leaders extend considerable

support

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