Chapter 9 State, Society, and the Quest for Salvation in India 1©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The Mauryan and Gupta Empires 321 B.C.E.-550 C.E. 2 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

India Before the Mauryan Dynasty ■ 520 B.C.E., Persian emperor Darius conquers northwest India ■ Introduces Persian ruling pattern ■ 327 B.C.E., Alexander of Macedon destroys Persian empire in India ■ Troops mutiny, depart after two years ❑ Political power vacuum 3 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Chandragupta Maurya ■ Took advantage of power vacuum left by Alexander ■ Expanded kingdom to create first unified Indian empire ❑ Mauryan dynasty 4 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

5

Chandragupta’s Government ■ Domestic policies ❑ Network of spies ■ Legend: Chandragupta retires to become a monk, starves himself to death 6 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Ashoka Maurya ■ Grandson of Chandragupta ■ Represents high point of Mauryan empire, r B.C.E. ■ Expanded empire to include all of Indian subcontinent except for south ■ Positive ruler-ship integrated Indian society ■ Much better known as a ruler than conqueror 7 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

8

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 B.C.E. 9 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The Gupta Dynasty ■ Founded by Chandra Gupta (no relation to Chandragupta Maurya), ca. 320 C.E. ■ Slightly smaller than Mauryan empire ■ Highly decentralized leadership ■ Foundations for studies in natural sciences and mathematics 10 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

11

Gupta Decline ■ Frequent invasions of White Huns, fifth century C.E. ■ Gupta dynasty disintegrates along regional fault lines ■ Smaller local kingdoms dominate until Mughal empire founded in sixteenth century 12 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Economy: Towns and Manufacturing ■ Manufactured goods in big demand ■ Developed in dense network of small workshops ■ Trade intense, capitalizes on trade routes across India 13 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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 14 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Trade in the Indian Ocean Basin ■ Seasonal sea trade expands ❑ Spring/winter winds blow from southwest, fall/winter winds blow from northwest ■ Trade from Asia to Persian Gulf and Red Sea, Mediterranean 15 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Society: Gender Relations ■ Patriarchy entrenched ■ Child marriage common (eight-year-old girls married to men in twenties) ■ Women encouraged to remain in private sphere 16 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Social Order ■ Caste system from Aryan times ❑ Brahmins (priests) ❑ Kshatriyas (warriors, aristocrats) ❑ Vaishyas (peasants, merchants) ❑ Shudras (serfs) 17 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Religions of Salvation in Classical India ■ Social change generated resentment of caste privilege ❑ e.g. brahmins free from taxation ■ Sixth-fifth century B.C.E., new religions and philosophies challenge status quo ■ Jainists, Buddhists, Hindus 18 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Jainism ■ Abandons privileged family to lead ascetic life ■ Promotes seventh century movement based on Upanishads ■ Emphasis on selfless living, concern for all beings 19 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

20

Ahimsa ■ Principle of extreme nonviolence ■ Jainists sweep earth, strain water, use slow movements to avoid killing insects ■ Ahimsa continues to inspire modern movements (Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr.) 21 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Appeal of Jainism ■ Rejected caste ■ Obvious appeal to underprivileged groups ■ But asceticism too extreme to become a mass movement 22 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Early Buddhism ■ Siddhartha Gautama, ca B.C.E. ■ Encountered age, sickness, death, then monastic life ■ Abandoned comfortable life to become a monk 23 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

24

Gautama’s Search for Enlightenment ■ Intense meditation, extreme asceticism ■ Forty-nine days of meditation under bo tree to finally achieve enlightenment ■ Attained title of Buddha: “the enlightened one” 25 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The Buddha and His Followers ■ Begins teaching new doctrine ca. 528 B.C.E. ■ Followers owned only robes, food bowls ■ Life of wandering, begging, meditation ■ Establishment of monastic communities 26 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Buddha and His Disciples 27 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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 28 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Appeal of Buddhism ■ Less dependence on brahmins for ritual activities ■ No recognition of caste ■ Philosophy of moderate consumption ■ Public service through lay teaching ■ Use of vernacular, not Sanskrit ■ Monasteries become important institutions in Indian society 29 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

A Buddhist Monastery 30 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Ashoka’s Support of Buddhism ■ Personal conversion to Buddhism ■ Material support for Buddhist institutions, missionary activities 31 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Changes in Buddhist Thought ■ Third century B.C.E. to first century C.E. ❑ Buddha considered divine ❑ Institution of boddhisatvas (“saints”) ❑ Charitable donations to monasteries regarded as pious activity 32 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Hindu Ethics ■ Obedience to religious and moral laws (dharma) ■ Pursuit of economic well-being and honesty (artha) ■ Enjoyment of social, physical, and sexual pleasure (kama) ■ Salvation of the soul (moksha) 33 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Popularity of Hinduism ■ Gradually replaced Buddhism in India ■ Gupta dynastic leaders extend considerable support 34 ©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.