Background to the life of the Buddha

The Buddha’s historical, economic and sociological background

At the time of the Buddha the area he was born into was undergoing great change The political system was changing from republics to monarchies More land was being cultivated, population was growing and, as cities developed, there was increased urbanisation As a result many people in this period were questioning the prevailing religious ideologies Many new religious movements developed around this time

Social factors Most decisions about areas like the Ganges basin were made by a committee of Elders Siddhartha Gautama belonged to the Sakya tribe. The tribe were unusual in that it mixed elements from republics and monarchies Decisions tended to be made by a small aristocratic group of Kshatriyas This group may have inherited their roles through family status, or through their own age and importance Siddhartha’s father was one of these

Social factors continued During Siddhartha’s time the republics were losing power, and several monarchies were increasing in size and importance, including those at Magadha and Koshala Siddhartha was acquainted with at least two of the kings of these growing monarchies, Pasendi of Koshala and Bimbisara of Magadhi Some scholars believe that the relationship between the Buddha and the kings, influenced the Buddha’s attitude to leadership.

Social factors continued It is noted by scholars that the Buddha organised the Sangha so that decisions were made by consensus, like the republics, rather than by appointing one leader Siddhartha’s experience of the monarchies might have lead him to question the wisdom of leaving power in the hands of one person.

Social factors continued Cities and towns began to grow. They were often centred on the royal courts, but also developed where trade routes crossed Within these cities, new roles developed which did not fit into the traditional caste system With greater population densities and increased trade relations, people within these urban centres were more likely to come into contact with new ideas This made them more likely to question the status quo than those living in the villages.

Economic factors It is easy to think of India as a poor country compared to the West. We tend to assume food and famine are commonplace. At the time of Siddhartha, this was not the case The Ganges basin area was being cleared of the forests which dominated it, and as a result, the land was very fertile In addition, the forests supplied many food resources for the inhabitants of the region More land was being settled and cultivated for rice growing.

Economic factors continued This land could be irrigated using water from the Ganges, ensuring year round cultivation As rice cultivation began to increase and cattle rearing decreased, people were able to produce more resources for less effort This gave people more resources to trade sand allowed them to pursue a wider range of activities, less directly related to food production Society could produce and trade a a wider range of goods.

Economic factors continued Some people argue that these changes were necessary in order for the Buddhist Sangha to flourish The Sangha requires donations of food and other materials for its survival and relies on the Laity to provide these If the Laity are barely meeting their own requirements they may not be able to provide these needs. Q:- Can you see any relationship between the Buddha’s social and cultural experiences and his teachings?