Wednesday, December 12, 2018

SET 3 History Part 3 BUDDHISM PG 12-24

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 Adoption of Prakrit helped in development of language and its literature.
 Many regional languages had also developed from Prakrit. Shauraseni is one of them. Maratha emerged from shauraseni.
In other languages
 Jainas earliest important works were composed in Apabhramsha. They also composed it’s grammer.
 Jaina literature consists of Epics, Puranas, Novels and Dramma.
 Large portion of Jaina writing is still in manuscript form and not published and still exists in Gujarat and Rajasthan’s shrines.
 During medieval time they wrote in Sanskrit.
 They also contributed to growth of Kannada.
Worshipping
 Initially no image worshipping but later started worshipping Mahavira and 23 Tirthankaras.
 Beautiful images were sculpted for this purpose in Gujrat, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.
 Jaina art in ancient times was not as beautiful as Buddhism was. But they contributed significantly to art and architecture during medieval times.
Gautama Buddha and Buddhism
 Also known as Siddhartha.
 Contemporary of Mahavira.
 Born – 563 B.C.
 Place – Lumbini in Nepal (near kapilvastu)
 Kshatriya family – Shakya clan
 Father – Suddhodana (probably elected ruler of Kapilvastu)
 Mother – Mahamaya (princess from Koshalan dynasty). She was birth mother while Gautami was the one brought him up.
 Buddha from childhood showed a meditative bent mind.
Sources:
Literary sources to know about Buddha and Buddhism are –
1) Tripitakas (literally – three baskets): These are the three major texts on Buddhism.

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 Vinaya pitaka – rules of monasteries
 Sutta pitaka – Teachings of Buddha
 Abhidhamma Pitaka – Metaphysics and philosophy of Buddhism.
2) Jataka Tales:
They are the part of Sutta Pitaka but contain all the stories of Buddha’s previous lives (more than 550 births in all).
3) Ashokan Dhamma
4) Mahavastu and Divyadane (texts written in Srilanka)
5) Buddha Charitra: This is an autobiography of Buddha, written in 1-2 C AD, by Ashvaghosa in Sanskrit.
The problem with all these literary sources is that, that they have not been written in Buddha’s time, so they do not give the exact picture.
Stories of Buddha’s Earlier Life:
Four sites of Buddha:
 Old man
 Sick man
 Dead body
 A monk
These sites made him realize that there are sorrows in the world. And he wanted to find the solution for these.
 At 29, he left his house with a charioteer ‘Channa’ and a horse ‘Kanthaka’. The act of leaving the house is called ‘Mahabhinishkramana’.
 He met four Brahmans and meditated with them.
 Later, at the age of 35, he sat under a ‘Peepal’ tree on the bank of river Niranjana at Bodhgaya.
 ‘Mara’, a demon, tried to disturb Buddha and brought Hurricane, flood, Earthquake, badnews and finally, he brought his three beautiful daughter. But all of that failed to move Buddha.

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 After a time span of 49 days, Siddhartha got enlightenment and became – ‘Buddha’ i.e. the enlightened. This is called the state of Nirvana In Buddhism (Note: it is different from the Nirvana of Jainism)
 After enlightenment, he meditated again for 49 days.
 He then went to Sarnath (Dear Park) and gave his first sermon to Channa and the four Brahmans. They became his first disciples. Ananda and Upali were two of his closest disciples.
 The first sermon at Sarnath is called ‘Dharma Chakra Parivartan’ i.e. setting the wheal in motion.
 He preached in most parts of the modern day UP and Bihar. For next 40 years continuously, he kept on wandering, preaching and meditating and rests only in rainy season.
 He followed several rules in his schedule – Never stayed for more than one night in a village and three nights in a city. He preached in all seasons except monsoon. He stayed for maximum nights at Shravasti.
 In 483BC, at the age of 80, he attained ‘Mahaparinirvan’ i.e. died at Kushinagar Dist. Of Eastern UP.
Doctrines of Buddhism

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Note: Buddha is older than Mahavira, but Jainism is older than Buddhism.
Bimbisar and Ajatashatru were contemporaries of both Mahavira and Buddha.

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Teachings and Principles:
According to Buddhism, there are four noble truths (Arya Satya)
1. Existence of Sorrow – Dukkha
2. Cause of Sorrow – Desire or Maya
3. There is a way to get rid of Sorrow – Hope
4. Follow the eight-fold path to get Nirvana and Mahaparinirvana.
Ashtangika Marg:

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 Right Thought/views
 Right Resolve
 Right Speech
 Right concentration
 Right livelihood
 Right Exercise
 Right Recollection
 Right Memory
Note: The eight-fold path can be remembered through the code – ‘VRS CLERM’

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Famous Buddhist Councils:
1st Council:
 Period: 483 BC- just after the death of Buddha.
 Place – Rajgriha
 Presided by Mahakasappa
2nd Council:
 Period: 383 BC
 Place: Vaishali
 Presided by Shatakhambri
3rd Council:
 Period: 250-262 BC
 Place: Patliputra
 Presided by Moghiputta Tissa
4th Council:
 Period: 1st Century AD
 Place: Kunzalwar
 Presided by Vasumitra and Ashwaghosha
 At the fourth council the Buddhism got divided into two sects: Hinayana and Mahayana
Hinayana (lower vehicle) is followed in Southern parts (Srilanka, Combodia, Thailand etc). They are more strict and objected to making of idols of Buddha.
Mahayana (higher vehicle) is followed in northern parts (china, India, Tibet etc). They started making idols and were liberal in approach.
Influence of Buddhism
Buddhism became popular very quickly in India. Some of the reasons for its popularity are:
 Asked for non-accumulation of wealth creating lesser social inequalities
 Asked for non-violence → peace and stability (saved cattle wealth and avoided wars)
 It had a simple philosophy and it was free from rituals.
 It followed a balanced approach i.e. neither too harsh like Jainism and nor too mild like Ajivikas.

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 Tried to mitigate the evils resulting from the new material life in the 6th century B.C. by taking full account of the new changes in the material life.
 It was open for all Varnas and did not have caste differentiation.
 It was also open for all classes and gender – rich or poor, male or female.
 Royal Patronage: It received a lot of Royal patronage. Kings built many Stupas and monasteries, sent ambassadorial monks and also there was a tendency of people to align with the rulers.
 Traders gave a lot of donations to promote Buddhism.
 It used the language of masses, Pali, so that everyone could connect and understand the teaching, unlike Sanskrit, which was the language of the elites.
 Objective was to secure the salvation of the individual or nirvana.
 Created and developed a new awareness in the field of intellect and culture (thinking with logic and rational)
Importance of Buddhism in India
 Development of residential universities like Nalanda and Vikramshila in Bihar and Valabhi in Gujrat.
 Development and rich literature in Pali language.
 Probably developed first human statue worshipping in India. It was of Buddha. (panels at – Gaya (Bihar), Sanchi and Bharhut (M.P.))
 New kind of art by Greek and Indian scluptors on the north west frontier of India – Gandhara Art (covered here)
 Cave architecture (monk’s residence) – Barabar hills in Gaya and at Nasik

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Gandhara Art Features Mathura Gandhara Amravati Time period 2nd C. BC 1st C. BC 1st C. BC Flourished in Mathura region North western part of Indian subcontinent Valley of Krishna and Godavari Prominent places Mathura and Jamalpur village Taxila, Bimaran, Jalabad and Hada Amravati, Nagarjunikonda, Goli, Ghantasala and Vengi. Buddhist images adopted from Mathura’s artists 1st to make the images of Buddha Adopted from Mathura Adopted from Mathura Patronization by Initially – local rulers but later by Shakas and Kushanas Shakas and Kushanas Vakatakas and Ikshavakus Influenced by Initially indigenous but after the Shakas and Kushanas patronization, influence of Greeko-Roman Greeko-Roman and so also known as Greeko Roman, Indo-Roman and Greeko Buddhist school of art. No one; Indigenous from beginning to end. Type of Stone used White spotted Red sandstone Blue-Grey Stone White marble Religious or Secular images Both Only religious Both

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Emphasis or focus on Facial expression  Clean shave and head  Abhaymudra and Dharmachakraparivartana Mudra Physical beauty  Muscular body  Transparent cloth  Curly hairs Physical beauty  Expression through postures  Erotic images Continuation Continued till early Medieval age Destroyed by Huna invasions in 5th century AD Got transformed into Pallava and Chola architecture
Buddhist Sangha
Buddhist Sangha was the Buddhist religious order in which Buddhist monks had to live in a certain manner.
Rules for entering the Sangha:
 Age should be at least 15 years.
 No criminal charges should be pending. If a person was convicted and has served the term than he is allowed.
 Person should not be under debt.
 Must not be suffering from a communicable disease.
Code of Conduct:
 Meal was served only once a day.
 Not to sleep on comfortable bed.
 Not to wear any ornaments
 Not to drink
 Not to indulge in any corrupt practices
 Not to have any relationship with the opposite sex
 Dress code: simple unstitched clothes
 Had to ask for bhiksha(begging) from nearby villages. It was believed that asking for bhiksha killed the ego.
Significance of the code of Conduct:

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 To establish a disciplined order
 It helped in resolving the conflicts of the contemporary society like differences between rich and poor, and powerful and weak.
 It is believed, that possibly Buddha wanted to replicate the same in the society.
However, later, the money started pouring in, in the Sangh and monks got inclined towards the materialistic pleasures. From this point the pure Buddhism started decaying.
Decline of Buddhism:
 By early 12th century A.D. it became extinct.
Several reasons can be attributed to the decline of Buddhism like:
 It lost its own identity: gradually the religion became more ritualistic and also started practicing the rituals of Brahmanical and Vedic religion.
 Reforms by Brahmana in their religion.
 Monks took Sanskrit language.
 From the first century AD. they practiced idol worship on a large scale and received numerous offerings from devotees.
 Buddhist monasteries - dominated by ease-loving people and became centers of corrupt practices
 Invasion of monasteries by Turkish because of monastries’ riches.
 Sangh lost way: There were cracks in the Sangh, there was no more discipline.
 Revival of Brahmanism: Brahmanical religion was revived during Gupta Period and the new Religion adopted many practices of Buddhism like vegetarianism etc.
 Lack of Patronage: Palas were the last rulers which provided patronage to Buddhist monasteries. Once the Brahmanical religion was revived, Buddhism lost its grip. Also many kings suppressed them with force. In 7th Century, a Shaivite King ‘Shashank’ chopped the Bodhgaya Pipal tree.

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