Castes and Guilds

Increasing economic diversification challenges simplistic caste system

Jati formed: guilds that acted as subcastes Enforced social order

“Out-castes” forced into low-status employment

1©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Wealth and the Social Order

Upward social mobility possible for vaishyas, shudras

Wealth challenges varna for status

2©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

Charvakas: atheists Jainists, Buddhists, Hindus

3©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Jainism

Vardhamana Mahavira, 540-468 B.C.E. Abandons privileged family to lead ascetic life Promotes seventh century movement based on

Upanishads Emphasis on selfless living, concern for all beings

4©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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.)

5©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Appeal of Jainism

Rejected caste, jati distinctions Obvious appeal to underprivileged groups But asceticism too extreme to become a mass

movement

6©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Early Buddhism

Siddhartha Gautama, ca. 563-483 B.C.E. Encountered age, sickness, death, then monastic

life Abandoned comfortable life to become a monk

7©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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”

8©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

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

Buddha and His Disciples

10©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

11©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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 become important institutions in

Indian society

12©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

A Buddhist Monastery

13©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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

14©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

15©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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

16©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nalanda

Buddhist monastery Quasi-university: Buddhism, Hindu texts,

philosophy, astronomy, medicine Peak at end of Gupta dynasty Helped spread Indian thought

e.g. mathematical number zero

17©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Emergence of Popular Hinduism

Composition of epics from older oral traditions Mahabharata Ramayana

Emphasis on god Vishnu and his incarnations

18©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The Bhagavad Gita

“Song of the lord” Centuries of revisions, final form ca. 400 C.E. Dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna during civil

war

19©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)

20©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Popularity of Hinduism

Gradually replaced Buddhism in India Gupta dynastic leaders extend considerable

support

21©2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.