Download India`s Golden Age

The Birth of Buddhism
INDIA’S GOLDEN AGE
The Life of the Buddha
In addition to Hinduism, another of the world’s major religions developed in
ancient India. That religion was Buddhism.
Early Life
Buddha’s Enlightenment
•Much of what is known about life of
the Buddha from accounts in
Buddhist literature
• Gautama resolved to find way to
overcome age, sickness, keep
people from suffering
• Gave up possessions, left palace
• Sought enlightenment, spiritual
understanding for six years
• Studied with gurus, monks but
decided they could not teach way to
enlightenment
•Gautama born 500s BC
•Prince of small kingdom in what is
now Nepal
– Led sheltered life
– Unaware of hardship
– Life changed when learned
people got old, sick, died
The Life of the Buddha
Gautama was determined to find
way to end human suffering
Sat
under tree, no teachers, no
companions, determined not to arise
until he found way

Stories say he meditated all night

Resolve tested by violent storms, earthly
temptations

At daybreak, had been transformed,
found enlightenment, became the
Buddha, Enlightened One

Temple built where he meditated, Bodh
Gaya, one of Buddhism’s most sacred
places
The Teachings of Buddhism
Buddhist Beliefs
• After enlightenment achieved,
Buddha meditated at Bodh Gaya
seven weeks
• Set out to spread to others what he
had learned
• Lessons became basic teachings of
Buddhism
• Among ideas learned in meditation,
central truths, called Four Noble
Truths
Eightfold Path
Nirvana
The Buddha taught that those
who followed Eightfold Path
could attain nirvana
 State
of perfect peace in which
soul freed from suffering
forever
 Those
not attaining nirvana
reborn to live through cycle of
suffering again
 Basic
teachings of Eightfold
Path, Middle Way—living in
moderation, avoiding extremes
of comfort, discomfort in search
The Spread of Buddhism
Unlike Hinduism, which largely remained an Indian religion, Buddhism spread into
other parts of the world. Today, more than 350 million people are Buddhists, most
of them concentrated in Asia. Relatively few people in India are Buddhists today.
Buddhism in India
Ashoka
• Buddhist community in India grew
throughout Buddha’s life
• 200s BC, Buddhism reached peak in
India during reign of emperor Ashoka
• Followers spread teachings after
Buddha’s death
• Ashoka became Buddhist, helped
spread Buddhism into all parts of
India
• Teachings not written down until first
century BC; helped preserve, spread
teachings throughout India
Ashoka also encouraged missionaries to carry the Buddha’s message to lands
outside of India.
Buddhism Beyond India
• Ashoka sent missionaries to Sri Lanka, large island off India’s southern coast,
and north to lands along Himalayas, east into lands of Southeast Asia
• Buddhism took firm hold in kingdoms that eventually became Myanmar,
Thailand, Vietnam, islands of Indonesia
Traders
• Trade also helped spread Buddhism beyond India
• 200s BC, merchants traveling routes from India to Central Asia introduced
Buddhist teachings
• Traders from Central, Southeast Asia took Buddhist teachings into China, slowly
spreading, blending with native Chinese philosophies
Buddhism spread to many lands,
but after the time of Ashoka it
was never dominant in India
again
The Gupta Empire
INDIA’S GOLDEN AGE
The Golden Age
The Gupta Empire
• Gupta Empire (A.D. 320-550) is often referred to as the “Golden Age of India”
• Began in northern India and eventually included both the Ganges and Indus
plains along with nearly all India’s eastern shore
• The three most famous rulers were Chandragupta I, Samudragupta, and
Chandragupta II
Achievements
• Books on medicine, veterinary science, mathematics, astronomy and
astrophysics
• The Indian numeral system and decimal system are inventions of this period
including the concept of zero
• Although progress in physiology and biology was hindered by religious injunctions
against contact with dead bodies, discouraging dissection and anatomy, Indian
physicians excelled in pharmacopoeia, caesarean section, bone setting, and skin
grafting
THE GOLDEN AGE
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