State, Society, and the Quest for Salvation in India Chapter 9 State, Society, and the Quest for Salvation in India Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

The Mauryan and Gupta Empires 321 B.C.E.–550 C.E. Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

The Fortunes of Empire In 520 B.C.E., northwestern India conquered by Persian emperor Darius Persian ruling pattern introduced Persian empire in India destroyed, 327 B.C.E., by Alexander of Macedon Troops mutinied, departed after two years Left political power vacuum Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Kingdom of Magadha Most significant remaining kingdom after Alexander’s departure Central Ganges plain Economic strength Agriculture Trade in Ganges valley, Bay of Bengal Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Chandragupta Maurya Took advantage of power vacuum left by Alexander Overthrew Magadha rulers Expanded kingdom to create first unified Indian empire Mauryan dynasty Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Chandragupta’s Government Advisor Kautalya Recorded in Arthashastra, manual of political statecraft Foreign policies, economics Domestic policies Network of spies According to tradition, Chandragupta retired to become Jain monk; starved to death Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Ashoka Maurya Grandson of Chandragupta Represented high point of Mauryan empire, r. 268–232 B.C.E. Expanded empire to include all of Indian subcontinent except for southernmost region Positive rule integrated Indian society Much better known as a ruler than conqueror Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Decline of the Mauryan Empire Economic crisis followed death of Ashoka High costs of bureaucracy, military not supported by tax revenue Frequent devaluations of currency to pay salaries Regions began to abandon Mauryan empire Empire gone by about 185 B.C.E. Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Regional Kingdoms: Bactria Northwestern India Ruled by Greek-speaking descendants of Alexander’s campaigns Intense cultural activity accompanied active trade Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Regional Kingdoms: Kush Northern India/central Asia, ca. 1–300 C.E. Kanishka (r. 127–153) most prominent emperor Crucial role in maintaining Silk Roads trade network Pacified large region, making safe travel possible Contributed to spread of Buddhism Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

The Gupta Dynasty Based in Magadha 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 Hindi numerals (later “Arabic numerals”), concept of zero Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Gupta Decline Frequent invasions of White Huns, fifth century C.E. Disintegration of Gupta dynasty along regional fault lines Smaller local kingdoms dominated until Mughal empire founded in sixteenth century Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Towns and Manufacturing Manufactured goods in big demand Developed in dense network of small workshops Intense trade Capitalized on trade routes across India Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Long-Distance Trade Persian connection since Cyrus, Darius Massive road-building projects under Persian rule Alexander extended trade west to Macedon Trade routes through Kush mountains, the Silk Roads Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Trade in the Indian Ocean Basin Expansion of seasonal sea trade Spring/winter winds from southwest, fall/winter winds from northwest Trade from Asia to Persian Gulf and Red Sea, Mediterranean Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Gender Relations Patriarchy entrenched Child marriage common (eight-year-old girls married to men in twenties) Women encouraged to remain in private sphere Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Social Order Caste system from Aryan times Brahmins (priests) Kshatriyas (warriors, aristocrats) Vaishyas (peasants, merchants) Shudras (serfs) Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Castes and Guilds Increasing economic diversification challenged simplistic caste system Jati formed: guilds that acted as subcastes Enforced social order Outcastes—individuals who did not abide by group rules—forced into low-status employment Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Wealth and the Social Order Upward social mobility possible for vaishyas, shudras Prosperity created challenges for varna system Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Religions of Salvation in Classical India Social change generated resentment of caste privilege Example: brahmins free from taxation Sixth and fifth centuries B.C.E., new religions and philosophies challenged status quo Charvakas: atheists Jains, Buddhists, Hindus Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Jainism Vardhamana Mahavira, ca. 540–468 B.C.E. Abandoned privileged family to lead ascetic life Promoted seventh-century movement based on Upanishads Emphasis on selfless living, concern for all beings Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Jainist Ethics and Appeal Ahimsa: principle of extreme nonviolence Jainists swept earth, strained water, used slow movements to avoid killing insects Rejected caste, jati distinctions; obvious appeal to underprivileged groups Asceticism too extreme for mass movement Ahimsa continues to inspire modern movements (Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr.) Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Early Buddhism Siddhartha Gautama, ca. 563–483 B.C.E. Encountered age, sickness, death, then monastic life Abandoned comfortable life to become monk Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

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” Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

The Buddha and His Followers Began teaching new doctrine ca. 528 B.C.E. Followers owned only robes, food bowls Life of wandering, begging, meditation Establishment of monastic communities Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Buddhist Doctrine: The Dharma The Four Noble Truths All life involves suffering Desire is cause of suffering Elimination of desire brings end to suffering This may be done through Noble Eightfold Path Right belief, resolve, speech, behavior, occupation, effort, contemplation, meditation Nirvana: state of perfect spiritual independence Dharma: basic doctrine shared by Buddhists Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

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 Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

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 Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Changes in Buddhist Thought Third century B.C.E. to first century C.E. Buddha considered divine Institution of bodhisattvas (similar to Christian saints) Charitable donations to monasteries regarded as pious activity Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

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 Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Nalanda Buddhist monastery Quasi-university: Buddhism, Hindu texts, philosophy, astronomy, medicine Peak at end of Gupta dynasty Helped spread Indian thought Mathematical number zero Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

The Emergence of Popular Hinduism Composition of epics from older oral traditions Mahabharata Ramayana Emphasis on god Vishnu and his incarnations Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

The Bhagavad Gita “Song of the lord” Centuries of revisions Final form ca. 400 C.E. Dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna during civil war Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Hindu Ethics Obedience to religious and moral laws (dharma) Pursuit of economic well-being and honest prosperity (artha) Enjoyment of social, physical, and sexual pleasure (kama) Salvation of the soul (moksha) Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Popularity of Hinduism Gradually replaced Buddhism in India Gupta dynastic leaders extended considerable support Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.