QUOTE OF THE DAY

An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared

than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your

body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.

- BUDDHA

CLASSICAL

INDIAFROM THE MAURYANS

TO THE GUPTAS

THE LATE

VEDIC AGE The Vedic Age: 1500 – 500 BCE

Name from Vedas, which records history

Began with Aryan migration into India

Aryans pushed into Ganges, up to Deccan

Eventually nomadic Aryans settled down

Ruled local inhabitants (dasas, Dravidians)

Ganges Republics (mahajanapadas): 900 – 500 BCE Generally 16 larger states dominated Indus-Ganges Region

Republics dominated by kshatriyans (warrior-rulers)

States vied for power constantly with each other

Within states, kshatriyans vied for power with rulers

Rulers performed social, religious rituals

Magahda was one of the most dominant of the states

Religious society dominated by brahmins Controlled ritual, rites, religious duties

Religion often called Brahmamism

Hindu Caste System

JAINISM

Vardhamana Mahavira Born in north India, 540 B.C.E.

Left family, searching for salvation from cycle of incarnation

Gained enlightenment, taught an ascetic doctrine

His disciples began to lead a monastic life

Mahavira became Jina, the "conqueror," and followers, Jains

Jainist doctrine and ethics Inspired by the Upanishads

Everything in the universe possessed a soul

Striving to purify one's selfish behavior to attain a state of bliss

The principle of ahimsa, nonviolence toward all living things

Believed that almost all occupations entailed violence of some kind

Too demanding, not a practical alternative to the cult of the brahmins

Appeal of Jainism Social implication: Individual souls equally participated in ultimate reality

The Jains did not recognize social hierarchies of caste and jati Became attractive to members of lower castes

The ascetic tradition continues to today

EARLY BUDDHISM Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 B.C.E.)

Born in 563 B.C.E. to the Kshatriya caste

Witnessed miseries of the human condition

Gave up his comfortable life

Began searching for enlightenment

Intense meditation and extreme asceticism

Received enlightenment under the bo tree

The Buddha and his followers "Turning of the Wheel of the Law," 528 B.C.E.

Organized followers into a community of monks

Traveled, preached throughout north India

Buddhist doctrine: The dharma The Four Noble Truths

All life involves suffering

Desire is the cause of suffering

Elimination of desire brings an end to suffering

The Noble Eightfold Path brings the elimination of desire

The Noble Eightfold Path (“Setting the wheel in motion”) Right belief, right resolve, right speech, right behavior

Right occupation, right effort, right contemplation, and right meditation

Religious goal: Nirvana, a state of perfect spiritual independence

APPEAL OF BUDDHISM Appealed strongly to members of lower castes

Salvation without services of the brahmins

Did not recognize social hierarchies of castes and jati

Appealed to women as all souls considered equal

Less demanding than Jainism, more popular

Used vernacular tongues, not Sanskrit

Holy sites and pilgrims

The monastic organizations Spread the Buddhist message, won converts

Could be endowed by others to support the religion

Centers of learning, good works, contemplation

Ashoka's support Emperor Ashoka became a devout Buddhist, 206 B.C.E.

Banned animal sacrifices in honor of ahimsa Granted lands to monasteries

Sent missionaries to Bactria and Ceylon

SPREAD OF

BUDDHISM

RISE OF MAURYAN EMPIRE Western Intrusions

Intrusions of Persians (520 B.C.E.) Persians established Indus satrapy

Introduced imperial government, ruling style, coins

The Greek Interlude (c. 327 B.C.E.) Alexander the Great conquered Persia, Invaded India

Alexander’s withdrawal left a political vacuum

Seleucid Empire succeeded to Alexander’s lands in India

Magadha kingdom filled the vacuum in Ganges

Chandragupta Maurya As young prince, held hostage by Greeks, escaped back to India

Overthrew the Magadha kingdom in 321 B.C.E.

The founder of the Mauryan empire

Conquered the Greek state in Bactria, Selecuid control of Indus

Chandragupta's empire embraced all of northern India

Chandragupta's government Government procedures devised by Kautalya, the advisor of the empire

The political handbook, Arthashastra, outlined administrative methods

ASHOKA

Ashoka Maurya (reigned 268-232 B.C.E.) Chandragupta's grandson

The high point of the Mauryan empire

Conquered the kingdom of Kalinga, 260 B.C.E.

Developed remorse and renounced future war

Ruled through tightly organized bureaucracy Established capital at Pataliputra

Policies of encouraging agriculture and trade

Converted to Buddhism Established a tolerant rule of righteousness

Sent out missionaries to Sri Lanka, SE Asia, Central Asia

Decline of the Mauryan Empire Ashoka died in 232 B.C.E.

Heirs were not strong and cost of ruling was expensive

Suffered from acute financial and economic difficulties High cost for maintaining army and bureaucrats

Debasing the currency, not a effective resolution

The empire collapsed by 185 B.C.E.

THE NOMADIC INTERLUDE Northwestern Kingdoms: 200 BCE to 300 CE

Indo-European nomads enter India from Central Asia

Indo-Greeks came from Bactria c. 180 BCE

Indo-Scythians (Sakas) come from C. Asia c. 80 BCE

Indo-Parthians came from Persia c. 20 CE

Influenced Indian art, commerce, religion

Syncretic blending of Greek culture, Buddhism

Indians saw them as foreigners, impure barbarians

Linked India to the Silk Road, China, Western Asia

Became “Indianized” over time

The Kushans

Indo-Europeans pushed out of China

Took over Scythians, Central Asia, Northwestern India

Dominated Silk Road trade between Mediterranean, China

Adopted Buddhism, blended with Greek, Persian traditions

Gandaran art style was a major artistic period

Helped facilitate spread of Buddhism back to China

THE GUPTAS The Gupta Dynasty: 320 CE to 550 CE

India was controlled by regional kingdoms

The Gupta state rose to power in Magadha

Chandra Gupta I founded the new dynasty

Gupta dynasty was relatively decentralized Local rulers had great power

Guptan rulers reigned but did not rule

Guptan rulers acquired divine right status

An Indian Golden Age Guptas supported revival of Hinduism

During this age Hinduism took its major form

Guptas supported arts, sciences, mathematics

Gupta decline Invasion of White Huns weakened the empire

After 5th century C.E., Gupta dynasty ruled in name only

Large regional kingdoms dominated political life in India

GUPTA EMPIRE

Gupta

Art

Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art & architecture.

GUPTA RULERS

Chandra Gupta I

r. 320 – 335 CE

“Great King of Kings”

Chandra Gupta II

r. 375 - 415 CE

Profitable trade with

the Mediterranean

world!

Hindu revival.

Huns invade – 450 CE

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

ROUTES DURING GUPTA

spices

gold & ivory

Medicine Literature

MathematicsAstronomy

Printedmedicinal guides

1000 diseasesclassified

PlasticSurgery

C-sectionsperformed

Inoculations

500 healingplants identified

DecimalSystem

Conceptof Zero

PI = 3.1416

Kalidasa

SolarCalendar

The earthis round

GuptaIndia

Gupta

Achievements

POPULAR HINDUISM The epics

Mahabharata A secular poem revised by brahmin scholars

Honored Vishnu, the preserver of the world The Bhagavad Gita

A short poetic work within the Mahabharata

A dialogue between the god Vishnu and Prince Arjuna

Illustrated expectations of Hinduism and promise of salvation

Ramayana Secular story of Rama and Sita was changed into a Hindu story

Shows extent of spread of Hinduism in region

Hindu ethics Lower demands for achieving salvation

Individuals should meet their responsibilities in detached fashion

Balance of dharma, artha, karma to attain moksha, end samsara

Popularity of Hinduism Became more popular than Buddhism; Buddhism too aesthetic

The Guptas helped Hinduism become the dominant religion

Guptas placed Brahmins as lead caste above Kshatriyas

ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL

Towns and manufacturing Towns dotted countryside after 600 B.C.E.

Towns provided manufactured, luxury goods

Long-distance trade Invasions by Persians helped build trade networks

Trade with China through silk roads of central Asia

Trade in Indian Ocean basin, Africa to Southeast Asia

Spread Buddhism, Hinduism to Central, Southeast Asia

Social and gender relations Strong patriarchal families; subordination of women to men

Child marriage placed women under control of old men

Development of caste system New social groups of artisans, craftsmen, and merchants appeared

Individuals of same trade or craft formed a guild; guilds were subcastes, jatis

Functions of guilds: social security and welfare systems

Wealth and social order Trade and industry brought prosperity to many vaishyas and shudras Old beliefs and values of early Aryan society became increasingly irrelevant