More Ancient India

Mauryan Empire  In 321 BC, Chandragupta Maurya founded the Mauryan Empire. He gradually took over additional parts of India until 303 BC. He united India.  He also created a highly bureaucratic government, which means he divided it into provinces and districts, and then he appointed princes and local officials to enforce the laws and collect taxes.

Ashoka  Ashoka was Chandragupta’s grandson. He came to the throne in 269 BC and at first led war to gain land.  Began to rule according to the beliefs of Buddhism, including the saying “Peace to all beings”  Ashoka put up stone pillars with the new ideas around his empire and began focusing on building roads and other public works.  He died in 232 BC and his empire began to fall apart despite his policies of nonviolence and toleration.

Edicts of Ashoka  " On the roads...trees have been planted for the enjoyment of animals and men. I have had ponds dug and shelters erected along the roads. Everywhere I have had wells dug."  "It is good to be obedient to one's mother and father, friends, and relatives. It is good not only to spend little, but to own the minimum of property."  "My officers have been appointed for the welfare [safety] and happiness of the...people. I have given them... authority in judgment and punishment. But it is desirable that there should be uniformity in judicial [trial] procedure and punishment."  "This world and the other [the world after death] are hard to gain without great love of Righteousness, great self-examination, great obedience, great effort."  "If the unconquered peoples on my border ask what is my will, they should understand this: I desire that they should trust me and should have only happiness in their dealings with me."  "This... has been engraved so that the officials of the city should always see to it that no one is ever imprisoned or tortured without good cause. To ensure this I shall send out every five years on a tour of inspection officers."  "There is no gift comparable to the gift of Dharma [righteousness, or correct behavior], and this is: good behavior towards slaves and servants, obedience to parents, generosity towards friends, acquaintances, and relatives... and abstention from killing living beings."  "Everywhere, I, Ashoka, King Priyadarsi, Beloved of the Gods, have arranged for two kinds of medical treatment: medical treatment for men and medical treatment for animals."  "Men who are sentenced to death are to be given three days' respite. Thus their relations may plead for their lives, or men may make donations or undertake a fast for a better rebirth in the next life."

Chandra Gupta- different from Chandragupta Maurya  Five hundred years of chaos occurred after Ashoka died.  Chandra Gupta began the second Indian empire, called the Gupta Empire. He married into a royal family and began calling himself the “Great King of Kings” in 320 AD. His son began ruling in 335 AD and expanded the empire through war.

The Golden Age  Chandra Gupta II led the empire in new trade networks, and began to make alliances with other nations. He ruled from AD.  During the first three Guptas, India had major growth in the arts, religion, and science. This time period, from the beginning of Chandra Gupta I’s rule to the end of Chandra Gupta II’s rule, is known as India’s Golden Age.

Buddhism  Siddhartha Gautama was born into a noble family. He wandered India trying to attain enlightenment, or wisdom. He tried lots of different things but meditating for 49 days brought him enlightenment. After this, he was called Buddha.  Buddha taught the Four noble truths and the Eightfold path as the basic ideas of Buddhism. The four noble truths and the eightfold path lead you to nirvana - freedom from selfishness and pain.

Four Noble Truths In your own words

Eightfold Path

Buddhism’s impact  Buddhism did NOT support the Caste system, so many poor people followed it.  Buddhism sent out missionaries, and the ideas went with believers as they traveled trade routes. It went to China, Korea, and Japan.  But Buddhism never really caught on in India, probably because it is so similar to Hinduism that Hindus felt no need to change.

Hinduism vs. Buddhism  Create a Double Bubble map comparing and contrasting the two religions