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Aryan Migration into India
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1500-1200 BCE Aryans brought the Vedic tradition with
them
Patriarchal tribes
Horse-drawn chariots
A warrior class
A pantheon similar the Greek pantheon
Their conquest or climatic change caused decline of the
IVC
The Vedic Tradition
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Aryans brought their religion and caste system: Priests,
warriors, merchants/commoners, servants
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1500-500 BCE – Vedas were written down
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Samhitas - Hymns of praise to deities (Rig Veda)
Brahmanas - Ritual sacrifices to deities
Aranyakas - Teaching from spiritual masters
Upanishads - Teaching from spiritual masters
The Vedic Tradition
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Vedic Tradition probably
incorporated ideas from
the IVC (yoga, Siva)
Priestly, sacrificial rites
viewed as necessary to
uphold the cosmic order
and nature
Upanishads
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Recorded between 600-400 BCE
Not concerned with Vedic rituals
Emphasis on private asceticism and selfrealization
Led to Buddhism and Jainism
Origins of Buddhism
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563-486 BCE - Teachings of Siddhartha
Gautama
Siddhartha Gautama
Via Pali Canon:
 Born a prince
 Married at 16, had one son
 Beheld 4 Sights (sick, old, dead, monk)
 Renounced world at 29
 Left father’s palace, wife and son to search for an
answer to suffering
Buddha at Bodh Gaya
Enlightened at 35 in Bodh Gaya
Realized cause and cure for suffering
Taught for 45 years as itinerant monk / Died at 80
Alexander the Great
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Alexander heard of India’s riches and
wanted to take it over
Alexander the Great
The Mauryan Dynasty
324-184 BCE
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Chandragupta Maurya took over all of
northern India
Later renounced the throne to become a
Jain monk
Chadragupta’s grandson, Ashoka,
converted to and spread Buddhism
Spread of Mauryan Empire
CHANDRAGUPTA c. 298 BCE
King Ashoka – Reign 272-232 BCE
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Stretched the borders of
the Mauryan empire to its
furthest extent
After killing thousands in
battle, King Ashoka
lamented his deeds and
erected pillars all over
India expressing remorse
for having killed
King Ashoka’s Pillars
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Solid, polished sandstone
Best examples of Mauryan Art
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10 remain standing
Erected in places associated
with events in Buddha’s life
Best preserved pillar in Bihar
state close to Nepalese border
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Topped by seated lion
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As lion is king of the jungle, so Buddha
king of spiritual teachers
32 feet high
Weighs around 40-50 tons
Most famous pillar at Sarnath
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Buddha’s first sermon in deer
park
Four royal animals symbolize
the four corners of the world
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Four wheels
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Elephant (east)
Horse (south)
Bull (west)
Lion (north)
wheel of the law/dharma
Four lions on top
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7 feet high
Indian Flag Today
Great Stupa at Sanchi
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Built by Ashoka
3-tiered umbrella: Buddha, Law, Sangha
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Umbrella within square enclosure:
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(3 Jewels)
Ancient practice of enclosing sacred trees
Four stone gates: 34 feet high
From Stupa to Pagoda
From Stupa to Pagoda
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Stupa became
pagoda in China
and Japan
Ajanta
Rock Chambers in Ajanta
For religious ceremonies and
rooms to house monks
Chambers are rectangular with pillars,
altar, vaulted ceiling / Like Roman basilicas
in the West
Map of the Silk Road
Map of the Silk Road
Kushans
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After fall of Mauryans in 183 BCE,
Kushans rose to power in 1st
century CE
Indo-Europeans
Controlled trade route between
China and Rome
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From Kushan, goods were shipped to
Rome via Persian Gulf or Red Sea
Ended 3rd century CE (uncertain
conditions)
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Buddhism traveled along Silk Road from
India to China during 2nd century BCE
Indians and Chinese exchanged ideas and
technological advances as well:
astronomy, mathematics, linguistics,
healthcare
Gupta Dynasty
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Pataliputra was the capital
Buddhists allowed to practice, but
Hinduism was the Gupta sponsored
religion
Hinduism was used to sanction their
rule and to establish the order of caste
society
Ruled indirectly. Left indigenous
system intact and demanded only
tribute (taxes)
Laws of Manu established as source of
authority in Hindu orthodoxy
Guptas continued
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Huns invaded around 460 CE
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Disrupted international trade and reduced Gupta
wealth
Hun armies eventually gained control of
northern and central India
After the fall of the Guptas, weak, decentralized
rule characterized India though there was
always great cultural cohesion
Dunhuang Caves
Buddhist Demographics
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1900: 30% of the world’s population was
Buddhist
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Loss of China, North and South Korea (Xty),
Mongolia, Tibet to Communism
1998: 6% of the world’s population is Buddhist
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South Asia and East Asia
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Latin America, Europe, North America, former USSR
.5% of the US population (ARIS, 2001)
Greek presence and influence in India
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Pillar - Greek Late
Archaic Style
Located in Patna
(Pataliputra)
Erected 3rd century
BCE
In Patna Museum
today
Greco-Bactrian Kingdom
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250-125 BCE
Greek presence and influence in
India
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Bilingual edict in
Greek and Aramaic by
King Ashoka
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Located in Kandhahar
Located in the Kabul
Museum today
The Indo-Greek Kingdom
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Founder of the IndoGreek Kingdom
Demetriuis I “the
invincible”
Ruled from 205-171
BCE
Wearing a scalp of an
elephant, symbol of
his conquests of India
Indo-Greek Kingdom
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180-10 BCE
Founded when GrecoBactrian King,
Demetrius, invaded
India in 180 BCE,
separating from the
Greco-Bactrian
Kingdom
The First Noble Truth
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(1) Life is “dukkha” / suffering
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Life can typically be unfulfilling and filled with
insecurity
Even pleasure is gilded pain
Buddha identified 6 moments especially:
birth, sickness, decrepitude, phobia of death,
to be tied to what one dislikes, to be
separated from what one loves
The Second Noble Truth
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Life’s dislocation is caused by “tanha”
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“Desire” is not an accurate translation because
Buddha advocated certain desires such as that for
liberation and for the end of suffering of others
Sensory pleasure, fame/fortune,
attachment to ideas, things to stay as is or
be different
The Third Noble Truth
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There is a way out of this suffering
The Fourth Noble Truth
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The way to overcome suffering is to follow
the 8-fold path
8-Fold Path / Wisdom
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Right Knowledge
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Knowledge of the 4 Noble Truths & Path
Impermanence (anicca in Pali)
No self (anatta in Pali) (anata in Japanese)
Train the mind to end suffering
Right Motivation
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Focused on being freed from self-centeredness
8-Fold Path / Morality
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Right Speech
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Right Behavior
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Honesty in words / motives behind words
Be selfless and charitable
5 Precepts: do not kill, steal, lie, be unchaste, drink
intoxicants
Right Livelihood
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Monasticism or jobs that promote life and abide by 5
Precepts
8-Fold Path / Meditation
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Right Effort
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Right Mindfulness
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Persistent striving, long-term effort
Keep the mind in control of senses and impulses
Non-carelessness, non-distraction
Right Meditation
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Mental Discipline to quiet the mind
Mind reposing in its true condition
Two Schools of Thought
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Theravada (Hinayana) and Mahayana
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Theravada: Buddha as enlightened human
Mahayana: Buddha as an incarnation of an
universal principle
Theravada
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Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia,
Myanmar, Laos
Buddha as person in history
Distinction between
samsara/nirvana
One can be like the Buddha
through dedication and
practice
 No supernatural help for
enlightenment
Theravadan Monks
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About 500,000 monks in
Southeast Asia
Shave heads
Dress in simple robes
Practice celibacy
Monastic lifestyle is necessary
for nirvana
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Five additional precepts: no
eating after noon, no secular
amusements, no accepting
money, no sleeping in
luxurious beds, no using
perfume, etc.
Mahayana
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Mahayana Buddhism emerges in the 1st
century CE
India, Tibet, Nepal, China, Korea, Japan,
Singapore, Vietnam
Arhat ideal replaced by Bodhisattva ideal
Doctrine of the “Three Bodies” (Trikaya)
Mayahanists can pray to Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas
Bodhisattva of Compassion
Bodhisattva of Wisdom,
Intelligence, Power
Maitreya
Mahayana Trikaya
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Body of Transformation (nirmanakaya)
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Body of Bliss (sambhogakaya)
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The Buddha living on Earth as Siddhartha Gautama
Realm of Buddhas and celestial Bodhisattvas
The heavenly Buddha concerned with our world:
Amitabha / Amida
Body of Essence (dharmakaya)
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Buddha Principle as eternal, cosmic reality /
pervades universe
Mahayana Scriptures
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GARLAND SUTRA (Avatamsaka-Sutra / 2nd century C.E.)
Interrelatedness of phenomena and interpenetration of
absolute with phenomena
Asserts that benevolence or compassion is the fundamental
principle of Mahayana
Incorporated the 4th century C.E. sutra called Dasabhumika
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Describes 10 stages of Bodhisattvahood
After the 6th station, one became a celestial Bodhisattva who leads
others to salvation
Incorporated the 2nd century C.E. sutra called Gandavyuha
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Focuses on Bodhisattva Manjusri and attainment of Buddhahood by
Sudhana
Mahayana Scriptures
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Array of the Happy Land (Sukhavativyuha-Sutra /
1st century C.E.)
Celebrates Amitabha Buddha who created a pure
land where those with faith will be reborn
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From confidence in Buddha’s teaching to faith and
devotion
One becomes the recipient of karmic grace of Amida
Buddha
Gives up relying on one’s own efforts and relies on grace
of the Buddha
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Repeat Amida’s name (early)
Shinran: Saying Amida’s name only once is enough (later)
Faith with an acoustic interpretation: sound of “Amida” by itself
is enough to achieve salvation
Mahayana Scriptures
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Lotus of the True Law (Saddharmapundarika
/ 2nd century C.E.)
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Merges Hinayana and Mahayana teachings
Reduces the many bodhisattvas and buddas to
just one eternal Buddha
Buddha appeared on earth to guide people to
salvation
Most popular Buddhist scripture in China and Japan
 Japanese Buddhists of Nichiren sect make it their sole
canonical text
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Mahayana Scriptures
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Perfection of Wisdom Scriptures
(Prajnaparamita Sutra 2nd century C.E.)
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Explains and glorifies the 10 perfections of the
bodhisattva
Expounds doctrine of Emptiness in various sutras
of 100,000; 25,000 and 18,000 verses
Diamond Sutra (condensed version)
 Heart Sutra (condensed version)
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All activities are like a “dream…or flash of lightning”
Zen
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Founded by Bodhidharma, Chinese monk
during 5th century CE (1st Patriarch)
Mind is main obstacle to realization
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Undermine rationality through specific training
Watching breath
Calm, natural mind revealed in its original purity
Dismisses scriptures, Buddhas and bodhisattvas
in favor of training for direct insight into true
nature of one’s own mind
Enlightenment can be instantaneous
The Arts
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Foundation for fine arts
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Not solely utilitarian, aesthetic or entertaining
Train the mind to have contact with ultimate
reality
Art of self-forgetfulness
Flower arrangement
 Dancing
 Tea Ceremony (page 160)
 Swordsmanship
 Calligraphy
 Archery
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Zen Scriptures
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Platform Sutra
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Sixth Chinese Patriarch Hui-neng (638-713)
became enlightened listening to the Diamond
Sutra
Wu-men-kuan (The Gateless Gate)
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A collection of koans
Shobogenzo (Treasury of the Right Dharma
Eye) by Dogen
Orategama (Embossed Teakettle) by Hakuin
Buddha, Arhat, Bodhisattva
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A Buddha achieves enlightenment on his or her own by his or her
own efforts, unaided
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THERAVADA IDEAL: Arhat becomes enlightened by following
Gautama Buddha’s example for one’s own sake
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Aeons ago, Gautama Buddha took the vow to become a Buddha
An Arhat can help others achieve nirvana in his or her postnirvanic
ministry, but will not be reborn
MAHAYANA IDEAL: Bodhisattva is one who has vowed to become a
Buddha but has not yet achieved the goal
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6 Stages of Enlightenment (6 virtues called paramitas)
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Charity, edifying conduct, patience, vigor, concentration, insight
10 Stages of Enlightenment (at 6th becomes celestial being in universe)
Bodhisattvas
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Bodhisattva achieves enlightenment and
then guides others to it
Bodhisattva achieves enlightenment with all
others / followers simultaneously
Bodhisattva makes sure others achieve
enlightenment first and then achieves it for
oneself
Basic Tenants (Cont)
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Rejects Caste System
Forbids Animal Sacrifice
Karma / Rebirth
Absence of an anthropomorphic
conception of a creator-god
Buddhism: Basic Tenants
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Impermanence / Emptiness
3 Refuges
Nirvana
4 Noble Truths
8 Fold Path
5 Aggregates of Being
5 Aggregates of Being
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Body / Material Reality
Feelings / Sensations
Perceptions
Mental formations, predispositions, volitional
activities
Consciousness – being aware of any of the
above
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All 5 can be objects of attachment
All 5 together give the impression of an “I”
Impermanence / Emptiness
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No-Self (anatta) (Japanese anata)
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Impermanence / Emptiness (Sunyata)
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No permanent essence or permanent soul
No inherent reality of individual, but universe consists
of a number of elements (Theravada)
No inherent reality in samsara or in nirvana
(Mahayana)
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Doctrine of emptiness is subject to emptiness
The Three Refuges or Jewels
The Buddhist “profession of faith”
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Buddha
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Dharma
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The teachings of the Buddha
Sangha
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1st major religious tradition to institutionalize monasticism
Buddhism designed to function with a monastic order
King of Thailand still appoints head of the order (Sangharaja)
Nirvana
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When asked to describe nirvana, the Buddha
answered with silence because it was beyond
description
When asked questions about the size and
origin of the universe, Buddha did not answer
on the grounds that they didn’t lead to nirvana
Samadhi (Hinduism) – Human self has a true
essence
Nirvana (“other shore” )–boundaries of the
finite self are extinguished / indescribable,
blissful