State, Society, and the Quest for Salvation in India

Empire in Classical IndiaBetween 1500 – 600 B.C.E. a series of Aryan

Kingdoms consolidated into several regional kingdoms

However, India never established a tradition of one large, centralized state as seen in China.

The Mauryan DynastyChandragupta Maurya – Assumed power after

Alexander the Great left India.Mauryans expanded their empire into present-day

Afghanistan and well into central and eastern India by 321 B.C.E.

Harsh rule, much like the Qin dynasty of ChinaAshoka – Grandson of Chandragrupta

Became ruler of India in 268 B.C.E. and converted to Buddhism which gave the religion a lift in the region.

Mauryan empire collapsed in 185 BCE because it could no longer sustain the cost of the military and central administration.

Emergence of Regional Kingdoms and the Revival of EmpireMany small, successful kingdoms succeeded

the Maurya for the next 400 years until the Gupta came to power in 320 C.E.

Ruled a lot like the early Persian (left local affairs up to local rulers)Created stability for 200 years until Hun

invasions split the empire and once again India became a region ruled by small kingdoms.

Economy and Social DistinctionsSuccesses in iron metallurgy and great

agricultural harvests allowed for the development of urban centers and trade expansion.Intensified the caste system

Expansive trade with China in the east, Persia in the west, and access to the Indian OceanLed to the creation of numerous towns which

served as market places to distribute goods.

Family Life and the Caste SystemAlthough the ideal was to live with extended

families, most Indians lived with nuclear family

Women subordinate to menHigh frequency of child brides betrothed to

men in their twentiesWomen still played big role in domestic affairs

Religions and Salvation in Classical IndiaFifth and Sixth centuries BCE

New religions emerged that offered the hope of salvation for the dispossessed.

Millions of converts rejected Hinduism that was promoted by the brahmin caste.

JainismHindu religion that eschewed all forms of

violence.So strict that few people outside Jainist

monks were able to follow its tenents.Did not follow the rules of the caste though

so it was a fairly popular religion.Influenced people like Gandhi and Martin

Luther King Jr.

Early BuddhismFounder – Siddhartha GautamaCame from well to do high caste family

without much exposure to the problems of the real world.

As a grown up became a wandering monk contemplating the nature of suffering.Eventually, under a bo tree he discovered

enlightenment and became: Buddha – the enlightened one Then began preaching his ideas and soon attracted

many followers dedicated to him and his teachings.

Early BuddhismThe Four Noble Truths

All life has sufferingDesire is the cause of sufferingTo eliminate desire will bring an end to

sufferingThe only way to eliminate is to follow the Noble

Eightfold Path

Early BuddhismThe Noble Eightfold Path – The eight paths to

enlightenmentRight beliefRight resolveRight speechRight behaviorRight occupationRight effortRight contemplationAnd right meditation

Early BuddhismEightfold Path and Four Noble Truths

constitute the Dharma – Basic Teachings of Buddhism

Nirvana – When faithful adherents to Buddhism eliminate desire and attain spiritual independence as an escape from the cycle of reincarnation.

Early BuddhismBecame enormously appealing because it was

not caste based and members of the lower caste had the same access to Nirvana as members of the higher castes.

Spread quickly throughout much of central Asia.

Popular HinduismMahabharata, Ramayana, and Bhagavad Gita

– Epics of Hinduism that reinforced the Caste system and emphasized the active life.

Reopened Hinduism to the common people who were accustomed to the caste system and gradually Hinduism overtook Buddhism.

By the time Islam was introduced to India after 1000 C.E., there were virtually no Buddhists other than monks in India.