The Mauryan and Gupta empires 321 B C

The Mauryan and Gupta empires 321 B. C. E. -550 C. E.

India Before the Mauryan Dynasty • 520 BCE Persian Emperor Darius conquers north-west India • Introduces Persian ruling pattern • 327 Alexander of Macedon destroys Persian Empire in India • Troops mutiny, departs after 2 years – Political power vacuum

Kingdom of Magadha • Most significant remaining kingdom after Alexander’s departure • Central Ganges plain • Economic strength – Agriculture – Trade in Ganges valley, Bay of Bengal • Dominated surrounding regions in northeastern India

Chandragupta Maurya • Took advantage of power vacuum left by Alexander • Overthrew Magadha rulers • Expanded kingdom to create 1 st unified Indian empire – Mauryan Dynasty

The Maurya Empire 321 BCE – 185 BCE

Chandragupta: 321 BCE-298 BCE § Unified northern India. § Defeated the Persian general Seleucus. § Divided his empire into provinces, then districts for tax assessments and law enforcement. § He feared assassination food tasters, slept in different rooms, etc. § 301 BCE gave up his throne & became a Jain.

Kautilya (or Chanakya) § Chandragupta’s advisor. § Brahmin caste. § Wrote The Treatise on Material Gain or the Arthashastra. § A guide for the king and his ministers: Ø Supports royal power. Ø The great evil in society is anarchy. Ø Therefore, a single authority is needed to employ force when necessary!

Chandragupta’s Government • Like Persia & China, built a bureaucratic administrative system. • Domestic policies – Network of spies • Legend: Chandragupta retires to become a monk, starves himself to death

Ashoka (304 – 232 BCE) • Grandson of Chandragupta • Represents high point of Mauryan Empire, r. 268 -232 BCE • Expanded empire to include all of Indian subcontinent except for south • Positive leadership integrated Indian society • Much better known as a governor than conqueror

Ashoka § Religious conversion after the gruesome battle of Kalinga in 262 BCE. § Dedicated his life to Buddhism. § Built extensive roads. § Conflict how to balance Kautilya’s methods of keeping power and Buddha’s demands to become a selfless person?

Ashoka’s law code § Edicts scattered in more than 30 places in India, Nepal, Pakistan, & Afghanistan. § Written mostly in Sanskrit, but one was in Greek and Aramaic. § 10 rock edicts. § Buddhist principles dominate his laws.

Women Under an Asoka tree

Decline of the Mauryan Empire • Economic crisis follows death of Ashoka • High costs of bureaucracy, military not supported by tax revenue • Frequent devaluations of currency to pay salaries • Regions begin to abandon Mauryan Empire – Disappears by 185 BCE

Regional Kingdom: Bactria • Northwestern India • Ruled by Greek-speaking descendants of Alexander’s campaigns • Intense cultural activity accompanies active trade

Turmoil & a Power Vacuum: 220 BCE – 320 CE Ta mi ls The Maurya Empire is divided into many kingdoms.

Regional Kingdom: Kush • • Northern India/Central Asia C. 1 -300 CE Maintained silk road trade network Under Kanishka, the Kushan empire included modern Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern India.

The Gupta Dynasty • Based in Magadha • Founded by Chandra Gupta (no relation to Chandragupta Maurya), c. 320 CE • Slightly smaller than Mauryan Empire • Highly decentralized leadership • Foundations for studies in natural sciences and mathematics

Gupta Empire: 320 CE – 647 CE

Gupta Rulers § Chandra Gupta I v r. 320 – 335 CE v “Great King of Kings” § Chandra Gupta II v r. 375 - 415 CE v Profitable trade with the Mediterranean world! § Hindu revival. § Huns invade – 450 CE

Fa-Hsien: Life in Gupta India § Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along the Silk Roadand visited India in the 5 c. § He was following the path of the Buddha. § He reported the people to be happy, relatively free of government oppression, and inclined towards courtesy and charity. Other references in the journal, however, indicate that the caste system was rapidly assuming its basic features, including "untouchability, " the social isolation of a lowest class that is doomed to menial labor.

International Trade Routes during the Guptas

Extensive Trade: 4 c sp ic es rice & whea horses t vory i & gold ods o g on cott s silk ods o g on cottspices gold & ivory

Gupta Art Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art & architecture.

Kalidasa § The greatest of Indian poets. § His most famous play was. Shakuntala. § During the reign of Chandra Gupta II.

500 healing plants identified 1000 diseases classified Printed medicinal guides Plastic Surgery Gupta Achievements Kalidasa Literature Medicine Inoculations Gupta India C-sections performed Decimal System Mathematics Concept of Zero PI = 3. 1416 Solar Calendar Astronomy The earth is round

Gupta Decline • Frequent invasions of White Huns, 5 th c. CE • Gupta Dynasty disintegrates along regional fault lines • Smaller local kingdoms dominate until Mughal Empire founded in 16 th c.

Economy: Towns and Manufacturing • Manufactured goods in big demand • Developed in dense network of small workshops • Trade intense, capitalizes on trade routes across India

Long-Distance Trade • Persian connection since Cyrus, Darius • Massive road-building projects under Persian rule • Alexander extends trade west to Macedon • Trade routes through Kush mountains, the silk roads

Trade in the Indian Ocean Basin • Seasonal sea trade expands – Spring/winter winds blow from south-west, fall/winter winds blow from north-west • Trade from Asia to Persian Gulf and Red Sea, Mediterranean

Society: Gender Relations • Patriarchy entrenched • Child marriage common (8 year old girls married to men in 20 s) • Women encouraged to remain in private sphere • Mahabharata & Ramayana portrayed women as weak-willed and overly emotional

Social Order • Caste system from Aryan times – Brahmins (priests) – Kshatriyas (warriors, aristocrats) – Vaishyas (Peasants, merchants) – Shudras (serfs)

Castes and Guilds • Increasing economic diversification challenges simplistic caste system • Jatis formed: guilds that acted as subcastes • Enforced social order – “outcastes” forced into low-status employment

Wealth and the Social Order • Upward social mobility possible for Vaishyas, Shudras • Wealth challenges varna for status as lower castes often accumulated more wealth than their brahmin & kshatriya contemporaries

Religions of Salvation in Classical India • Social change generated resentment of caste privilege – e. g. Brahmins free from taxation • 6 th-5 th c. BCE new religions and philosophies challenge status quo • Charvakas: atheists whose beliefs reflected the increasingly materialistic character of Indian society and economy

Jainism • Vardhamana Mahavira, 540 -468 BCE • Abandoned privileged family to lead ascetic life • Promotes 7 th c. movement based on Upanishads • Emphasis on selfless living, concern for all beings

Ahimsa • Principle of extreme non-violence • Jainists sweep earth, strain water, use slow movements to avoid killing insects • Ahimsa continues to inspire modern movements (Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr. )

Appeal of Jainism • • • Rejected caste, jati distinctions Obvious appeal to underprivileged groups But asceticism too extreme to become a mass movement • 2 million Jainist Indians today

Early Buddhism • Siddhartha Gautama, c. 563 -483 BCE • Encountered age, sickness, death, then monastic life • Abandoned comfortable life to become a monk

Gautama’s Search for Enlightenment • Intense meditation, extreme asceticism • 49 days of meditation under bo tree to finally achieve enlightenment • Attained title Buddha: “the enlightened one”

The Buddha and his Followers • • Begins teaching new doctrine c. 528 BCE Followers owned only robes, food bowls Life of wandering, begging, meditation Establishment of monastic communities

Buddha and his Disciples

Buddhist Doctrine: The Dharma • The Four Noble Truths – all life is suffering – there is an end to suffering – removing desire removes suffering – this may be done through the eight-fold path – (right views, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, concentration)

The Eightfold Path • Right views • Right intention • Right speech • Right conduct • Right livelihood • Right effort • Right mindfulness • Right meditation

Appeal of Buddhism • Less dependence on Brahmins for ritual activities • No recognition of caste, jati status • Philosophy of moderate consumption • Public service through lay teaching • Use of vernacular, not Sanskrit • Monasteries became important institutions in Indian society.

A Buddhist Monastery

Stupas • A stupa (from Sanskrit literally meaning "heap") is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the remains of a Buddha or saint.

Ashoka’s Support of Buddhism • • • Personal conversion to Buddhism Saddened after violent war with Kalinga Banned animal sacrifices, mandated vegetarianism in court • Material support for Buddhist institutions, missionary activities

Changes in Buddhist thought • 3 rd c. BCE – 1 st c. CE – Buddha considered divine – Institution of Boddhisatvas (“saints”) – Charitable donations to monasteries regarded as pious activity

Spread of Mahayana Buddhism • Mahayana (“greater vehicle”), newer development – India, China, Japan, Korea, central Asia • Hinayana (“lesser vehicle, ” also Theravada), earlier version – Ceylon, Burma, Thailand

Nalanda • Buddhist Monastery • Quasi-university: Buddhism, Hindu texts, philosophy, astronomy, medicine • Peak at end of Gupta dynasty • Helped spread Indian thought – e. g. mathematical number zero

Emergence of Popular Hinduism • Composition of epics from older oral traditions – Mahabharata – Ramayana • Promotes Rama and Sita as the ideal Hindu couple, devoted to each other though hardship • Emphasis on god Vishnu and his incarnations

The Bhagavad Gita • • • “Song of the Lord” Centuries of revisions, final form c. 400 CE Dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna during civil war

Hindu Ethics • Emphasis on meeting class obligations (dharma) • Pursuit of economic well-being and honesty (artha) • Enjoyment of social, physical and sexual pleasure (kama) • Salvation of the soul (moksha)

Popularity of Hinduism • Gradually replaced Buddhism in India • Gupta dynastic leaders extend considerable support