CLASSICAL INDIA FROM THE MAURYANS TO THE GUPTAS

CLASSICAL INDIA FROM THE MAURYANS TO THE GUPTAS

India SS Caste system n Tied to religion/reincarnation n Different jobs for each caste n Cool, I’ve been born! What caste am I in? The Indian Caste System

Indian Caste System cont’d n Need to know for AP: name of top caste (brahmin), roles of different levels even if you forget names, existence of untouchables (outside class system)

Untouchables Often given the worst tasks in a city or village (e. g. removing excrement) n Never offered access to education, status n Still expected to play a role (incentive: reincarnation) n

INDIAN RELIGION The next few slides are about the religions active in India during the classical era. Some of this is review, some you will need to write a bit more about. Don’t feel you need to write everything! n Brief primers about Hinduism and Buddhism: already in your STING readings for this week n

India Geography (MAP) n How did physical geography influence India? n Rivers Monsoons Mountains Oceans Latitude n n Monsoons in India The monsoon, or seasonal rainfall, brings enormous amounts of needed water to Indian agriculture. This seasonal drought/flood pattern has become a critical component of west Indian life.

India Economy (note) For each product, guess: local, export, both? n Rice n Milk n Sugar n Textiles: Cotton n Textiles: Silk n Art and Jewelry (stone/metal/ivory) n Spices n

India Trade Government encouraged: Kushans, Guptas n Hugely increased wealth n Trading partners: mostly Rome, Persia, China n Nomads as Middlemen n

Indian Culture n Literature n n Ramayana n n Sanskrit Duty of the good son: reflects Hindu values Mahabharata 100, 000 stanza poem! n Baghavad Gita (famous portion) n n Diversity – many

Indian Technology Math – algebra, zero, decimal point n Astronomy– star charts, round Earth, heliocentrism n

India Story 1 Before Mauryans, Aryans n First Mauryan ruler: Chandragupta Maurya, 321 BCE n

India Story 2 Really famous Mauryan leader: Asoka (or Ashoka): Chandragupta’s grandson � Converted to Buddhism, brought much of India along with him � � Tolerant, compassionate Also promoted trade � Often revered, even today �

India Story 3 n Asoka dies, Mauryans fall apart: 232 BCE, less than 100 years after Chandragupta comes to power Get the crown! Dibs on the eastern half of the kingdom

India Story 4 What happens when your central government collapses, but you still have lots of great roads into your country? n Invasions! n WE ARE KUSHAN RESISTANCE IS FUTILE

India Story 5 n Kushans: 1 st century CE, northern India, lots of trade (Silk Road) Hey, isn’t this map of all Eurasia? Sure, that’s because India is right in the middle of the action I’m bored – let’s invade Afghanistan!

India Story 6 Next dynasty: Guptas n Again, fended off invaders to come to power: 320 CE n Military leaders at first; built up territory further than Mauryans n Power through trade n OH NO WHERE ARE MY ARMS

India Story Review

India Govt Fragmented, regional power centers n More centralization during Mauryan, Gupta empires but didn’t last n Rich, aristocratic rulers n

Empire maps n You will need your map n Draw: arrows OUTWARD from the START of the dynasty’s territory to NEW AREAS, as it EXPANDS over time

India War & expansion n Lots of conflict within India, to acquire territory

India War & expansion n Lots of conflict within India, to acquire territory

India War & expansion n Lots of conflict within India, to acquire territory

India War & expansion n now in C. E. , not B. C. E.

India War & expansion n now in C. E. , not B. C. E.

India War & expansion n now in C. E. , not B. C. E.

POPULAR HINDUISM n The epics n n n The Bhagavad Gita n n A short poetic work within the Mahabharata A dialogue between the god Vishnu and Prince Arjuna Illustrated expectations of Hinduism and promise of salvation Hindu ethics n n Mahabharata n A secular poem revised by brahmin scholars n Honored the god Vishnu, the preserver of the world Ramayana n Secular story of Rama and Sita was changed into a Hindu story 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

JAINISM (minor religion) n Vardhamana Mahavira n n n Jainist doctrine and ethics n n n 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 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 Appeal of Jainism n n 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 n Siddhartha Gautama (563 -483 B. C. E. ) n n n The Buddha and his followers n n Born in 563 B. C. E. to the Kshatriya caste Witnessed miseries of the human condition Gave up his comfortable life and began searching for enlightenment Intense meditation and extreme asceticism Received enlightenment under the bo tree and became Buddha "Turning of the Wheel of the Law, " 528 B. C. E. Organized followers into a community of monks (“the sangha”) Traveled throughout north India, bringing enlightenment to others Buddhist doctrine: The dharma n The Four Noble Truths n n n The Noble Eightfold Path (“Setting the wheel in motion”) n n n 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 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 n Appealed strongly to members of lower castes n n n n 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 n n Salvation without services of the brahmins Did not recognize social hierarchies of castes and jati Spread the Buddhist message, won converts Could be endowed by others to support the religion Centers of learning, good works, contemplation Ashoka's support n n 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

VARIANTS OF BUDDHISM n Early Buddhism made heavy demands on individuals Giving up personal property n Forsaking the search for social standing n Detaching oneself from worldly pleasures n n Development of Buddhism Buddha gradually seen as a god by ex. Hindu’s, in China n The notion of bodhisatva - "an enlightened being" n Monasteries began to accept gifts from wealthy individuals n Buddhism became more attractive n

SCHISM IN BUDDHISM n The Schism of Buddhism: Was he a god or man? Mahayana - "the greater vehicle" n Spread to Central, East Asia n Blended in India with Hinduism, which coopted Buddha as a god n Coopted Chinese traditions and Taoist gods in China n Hinayana or Theravada n Continued to view Buddha as human n Practiced in Sri Lanka, parts of India, SE Asia n Buddhism died out in India as it merged n

Indian Patriarchy Women had less and less role in society outside the home as agriculture spread n Suttee (book spells it sati): practice of wives throwing themselves on husbands’ funeral pyres n

Indian Patriarchy n Laws of Manu Excerpts …A wife, a son, and a slave, these three are declared to have no property; the wealth which they earn is acquired for him to whom they belong…. n …No sacrifice, no vow, no fast must be performed by women apart from their husbands; if a wife obeys her husband, she will for that reason alone be exalted in heaven…. n By violating her duty towards her husband, a wife is disgraced in this world, after death she n

Indian Patriarchy Exceptions Untouchables? (Men & women treated same, both very poorly) n Buddhism? (universal religion = access for everyone to nirvana) n Kama Sutra? (…) n