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Barnett
HISA 2001
10/3/13
The Rise of Buddhism (continued)
Social Organization
o Monastic orders organized
o Bodh Gaya sacred center
o Sacred centers developed all over India under patrons
who would build monuments to Buddha
Monuments= Stupa
Stupa= masonry structure typically
surrounded by fence
Housed in small space, inside that
room a tiny silver canister, relics of
Buddha himself
o Considered to have spiritual
power
Iconic and unique to south Asia
o Covered Upper India and occasionally South
o Converts galore centered on teachings of monks that he
trained and left behind
These monks= Bhikku
Bhikku= biks (alms)
Bhikkus could ask for charity
o Monasteries founded for all year meditation and some
economic activity- keeping tabs on home garden
Vihara= Monastery
o Monks sent out as missionaries
Abstemious but spiritual
o Buddhist monasteries in competition with Brahmanical
seminaries
o Discipline that had not existed before
o Became popular
o Monks and nun came from all social groups
Women welcomed- members of sangha
o Governments of monasteries mimicked tribal
governments
Rivals to vedic kingdoms
o Buddha has democratic model
Not dictator
o Council of Elders
Republic assemblies prevented aggrandizement of
power
Meetings every 2 weeks
Public meetings held
o Incorporated popular beliefs
o Sacred groves, trees
Worship areas on sacred spots that preexisted
Buddhism
o Wheel, footprint, lotus= sacred items
Lotus= beautiful, fragrant, arises out of muck
Decline
o Viharas where Turks would plunder12th Century
Resistance futile
Robbery, not missionary mission
o Main reason for decline
Plasticity of Buddhism
Hinduism absorbed Buddhism
No effect on caste system
Goal- same as goal of Hinduism
Emancipation from reincarnation
o Not actively persecuted for 500 years
Various denominations would occupy Buddhist
shrines and adopt for own purposes
o No strong laity
o Monks and Nuns did not reproduce
o No Buddhist equivalent of
Biggest mistake- no following
Jainism vs Buddhism
o Origins of founders identical- elite, warrior, ruling
houses, well-established tribes
Explain success of teachings
Anti-caste
Mocked animal sacrifices
Used popular languages in lectures
No monopolistic control
Teachings could be read- language
Accepted the Senshar* doctrine
Statuary
Both has cult objects
Both celebrated power of Great Man- Maha
Missionary program- Buddhist more successful
Neither monks nor nuns could marry
Differences
Buddhism disappeared
Jainism had lay support
Buddhism spread well beyond India
Jain is a ponderable element, not a process
Jina (life in objects)- Buddhism does not accept
No distinction between voluntary and involuntary sin in Jain
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Alexander in India
Macedonian Campaigns through the Achaemenid Empire,
Bactra, Soghdiana, Taxila
o Background
Money
Center moved in SE direction- Punjab is barbaric
area
Lands beyond Sutlej dirty
Tribes in Punjab maintained contact with West
Asia- beyond Khiber pass
Achaemenid Empire
Cyrus= ruler
Conquered Bactria
Tobias= successor
Annexed Punjab
Scylax= Greek explorer
o Down the Indus River to take
notes
Brought India into direct contact with
Western world
Headquarters= Persepolis
Indians called Hindus by Greek
Greeks= Yavanas
Ionians
Greeks known- rumor
Herodotus- gold mines of India guarded by
gigantic ants
Linguistic knot- level of inventiveness
between every stage of translation
Marmans- large burrowing rodents near
gold mines
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o Now
King of Pauravas
India army- four wings
Chaturanga- original name for chess
Calvary
Infantry
Elephants
Chariots
Battle lasted all day
Hard fought
Greek and Persian Calvary encircling tactics
200 Elephants panicked trampled own infantry
Army too large
Greek army had slightly better armor and longer
lances
Fight in groups
Porus didnt die
Brought into Alexanders tent and
interrogated
Demanded to be treated like an equal
Alexander impressed
Vice-man of Punjab
what for Greek?
Only part of much larger mercenary army at this
part