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Classical India, Hinduism, and Buddhism Hinduism • Atman: human soul • Brahman: world soul; supreme being • Dharma: universal principle of law, order, harmony; ethics, duties • Samsara: rebirth/reincarnation • Karma: action or deed that causes samsara • Moksha: liberation from samsara Hinduism • Devas: Hindu gods – Descend to Earth as avatars to help humans achieve moksha • Humans follow dharma in order to have good karma – Karma determines into which caste you are reincarnated • Goal is to end samsara by uniting atman with the Brahman Varnas in Caste System • May have been based on mixing of invading lighter-skinned Aryans and native Indians • Brahmin: priests, teachers • Kshatriya: warriors, rulers • Vaisya: artisans, merchants, farmers, herders • Sudra: laborers, peasant farmers • Untouchables (Dalit): handled corpses and animal skins Hindu Texts • Vedas (written by 600 BCE) – Collection of poems, hymns, prayers, and rituals • Upanishads (800-400 BCE) – Mystical interpretations of the Vedas • Mahabharata (400 BCE) – Epic poem about a battle within a family – Bhagavad Gita—Krishna counsels Arjuna • Ramayana (400 BCE) – Epic poem about duties of relationships Buddhism Siddhartha Gautama (ca. 566-486 BCE) • Wealthy Indian prince – Lived luxuriously until he was exposed to suffering • Sought to overcome suffering by being an ascetic – Followed the Middle Way to achieve nirvana – Became the Buddha (“Enlightened One”) – Taught others the Four Noble Truths Middle Way • Path between self-indulgence and self-mortification – Remove desire and craving for individual fulfillment to end suffering – Live modestly, meditate, compassion for all beings • Nirvana: enlightenment, extinguishing of the self, removal of greed, hatred, delusion Appeal of Buddhism • Egalitarian – No caste system • Individual was responsible for spiritual enlightenment – No need for Brahmins • Buddhist teachings were available in local language – Written down as sutras – Written in Pali, not Sanskrit • Women could participate equally – Joined monasteries as nuns Changes in Buddhism • • • • • Theravada (Teaching of the Elders) Non-divine Buddha Individual responsibility for spiritual development Practices, not beliefs Championed by monks and nuns Little emphasis on gods • • • • • Mahayana (Great Vehicle) Divine Buddha Bodhisattvas: helped others in search of nirvana Acts of piety, devotion, to achieve nirvana Embraced by more people Elaborate descriptions of past and future supernatural Buddhas, levels of heavens and hells Mauryan Empire (326-184 BCE) • Chandragupta Maurya (r. 322-298 BCE) – United most of India – Created a bureaucracy influenced by Persia and Alexander the Great • Ashoka (r. 268-232 BCE) – Converted to Buddhism – Sent out Buddhist missionaries, built monasteries – Ended slavery – Invested in roads and used diplomacy with neighbors Stupas of Ashoka • 40-50 feet tall • 19 survive of purported 84,000 built by Ashoka • Built between 269-232 BCE • Wheel: Ashoka Chakra – Symbolic of dharma: following the way of Buddhism – Many placed at holy Buddhist sites – Some contained relics of the Buddha Rock and Pillar Edicts • Edicts proclaimed Ashoka’s practice of Buddhism • Communicated laws and policies of his administration • Contained ideas about benevolence, moral treatment of people and animals Pataliputra • Capital of the Mauryan and Gupta Empires • Population of 150,000-300,000 • Situated on the Ganges River – Major economic center and trade hub • Architecture influenced by Persian Achaemenid style Mauryan Decline • Weak rulers after Ashoka – Unable to manage army and government • Invasion by Central Asian kingdoms – Bactria and Kushan Empire Gupta Empire (320-550 CE) • Golden Age of India – Concept of zero, base 10, numerals – Studied Earth’s rotation, solar and lunar eclipses • Development of chess • Built free hospitals – Performed inoculations, skin grafts, set broken bones Nalanda • Residential university – Specialized in Buddhist studies – Massive library • Flourished with Gupta support • 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers – Students came from Middle East, China, Greece Mauryan and Guptan Organization • Alliances with Hellenistic kingdoms • Regional princes and ministers ruled provinces and districts in empire – No political theory aside from laws – Sanskrit promoted as official language of the elite • Vast army of 600,000 soldiers and 9,000 war elephants • Caste system and village life dominated local politics Mauryan and Guptan Society • Trade along Silk Roads and Indian Ocean ports – Merchants had great wealth and high status • Economy was primarily agricultural • Upper classes controlled most land – Majority of population were subsistence-farming peasants Gupta Influence and Decline • Extensive trade with the Middle East and Mediterranean – Less with China and Southeast Asia – Exported cotton and pepper • Gupta Empire collapsed – No single language – Repetitive invasion of the White Huns – Conflict with other local kingdoms Changes in Buddha in Art Changes in Buddha in Art Various Buddhas Changes in Buddha in Art