More Axial Age

1. More Axial Age • back to India • ca. 500 B.C. • caste system in place • development of Hinduism • Brahmin priests

2. Literature • the Brahmanas: metaphysical speculation • the Upanishads: central concepts of Hinduism • ascetics • the Jungle Schools

3. Central Concepts • Brahman: the universal spiritual reality behind all perceptions • Atman: the human soul • Karma: “actions have consequences” • not “sin”

4. Goal of the Ascetics • mystic ecstasy • enlightenment • unification of Brahman and the Atman • karma: affects the rate of enlightenment

5. Road to Enlightenment • getting rid of negative karma • absence of bodily desires • then the Atman could merge with Brahman eternally

6. Other Responses to Brahmans • Charvakas: atheists • Jainists, Buddhists

7. Janism • Nigantha Nataputta • theVardhamana Mahavira • Left a wealthy, aristocratic family to lead an ascetic life • 7th century movement based upon the Upanishads

8. Nigantha Nataputta the Vardhamana Mahavira

9. Modern Jain temple and worshipper

10. Rock shrines

11. The Mahavira

12. Janism, con’t • salvation from the cycle of souls • all souls are trapped in matter • all things possess souls • both animate and inanimate • penance frees the soul from matter (karma)

13. Buddhism • Siddhartha Gautama: the Buddha • The Four Sights • search for enlightenment • the bo tree: illusion and enlightenment • salvation by moderation • the Middle Path

14. Fasting Siddhartha Gautama before his enlightenment under the bodhi tree

15. Central Ideas: all life is suffering • the Four Noble Truths • all life is suffering • desire causes suffering • suffering can be avoided by non-desiring • desire can be stopped by meditation and the Noble Eightfold Path • Correct knowledge and good habits can annihilate suffering

16. Central Ideas, con’t • The Noble Eightfold Path • right views, right aspirations • right speech, right conduct • right livelihood, right effort • right mindedness, right rapture

17. Buddha of the Great Wonders Gandhara, 3rd-4th century A.D.

18. Teaching Buddha Sarnath, 5th century A.D.

19. The Buddha of Gandhara 2nd century A.D.

20. Various busts of the Buddha

21. Wheel of Dharma

22. Buddhist Society • no fixed hierarchies • no priest, but individual responsibility • decisions: free and democratic • equality among Buddhists

23. Problems • the Buddha did not write things down • several version of what he said • the Pali Canon of Ceylon

24. Common ideas • transmigration of souls • effects of Karma • the Noble Eight Fold Path of Thoughts and Deeds • nirvana:“blowing out” • annihilation of the “ego”

25. Buddhist Schools • Hinayana • (“the Lesser Vehicle” / “The Little Raft”) • no works after 480 B.C. accepted • Ceylon, Indo-China • Mahayana • (“the Greater Vehicle /”The Big Raft”) • Tibetan Buddhism, Chan, Zen, etc.

26. Buddhism • students spread his message • compiled “correct teachings” • disagreements

27. Challenge to Brahmans • egalitarian • “gender-less” • appealed to those not of the aristocracy • education to any who wished it • ridiculed the Brahmans

28. Buddhism: “doctrine” • favored individual self-examination • no empty ritual • no caste system • hostile Brahman reaction

29. Rise of the Mauryan Empire • Alexander the Great • Chandragupta Maurya (322-298 B.C.) • Ashoka

30. Kingdom of Magadha • Most significant remaining kingdom after Alexander’s departure • Central Ganges plain • Economic strength • Agriculture • Trade in Ganges valley, Bay of Bengal • Dominated surrounding regions in north-eastern India

31. The Mauryan and Gupta empires321 B.C.E.-550 C.E.

32. Ashoka • most powerful ruler • converted to Buddhism • spreadthe Dharmathroughout the land

33. Ashoka Maurya • Grandson of Chandragupta • Represents high point of Mauryan Empire, r. 268-232 BCE • Expanded empire to include all of Indian subcontinent except for south • Positive rulership integrated Indian society

34. Pillar of Ashoka, proclaiming the dharma throughout India

35. The Dharma • peace, pacifism, moderation • roads, hospitals, rest houses • promoted vegetarianism • condemned bloody sacrifices • threatened the Brahmans with loss of power • largely unsuccessful

36. Brahmans adopt Buddhist thought • necessary to be competitive • Buddha was Vishnu • more interaction with the people • aided by Buddhist theological arguments

37. Brahmans • the soul was real • ultimate purpose: fuse with the divine • spread to all levels of society • oldest and most successful of the major, world religions

38. Buddhism? • declined in India • successful in China, Nepal, Indo-China, Japan • and now, America

39. The Eight Auspicious Symbols Tibetan Buddhism

40. Lord Shakyamuni Buddha

41. The Green Tara the Bodhisattva of Active Compassion

42. Four-Armed Chenreisg (Sanskrit: Avalokiteshvara) The Bodhisattva of Compassion

43. Maitreya - The Future Buddha

44. Sakyamuni, Burma

45. Standing Buddha Mongolia

46. Kamakura Buddha, Japan

47. Amida Buddha Shin (Pure Land) Buddhism Japan

48. Cyber Buddha

49. Books you can read • Edward Conze. Buddhism: Its Essense and Development • Juan Mascaro, trans. The Bhagavada Gita • Kenneth K.S. Chen. Buddhism: The Light of Asia • Noble Ross Reat. Buddhism. A History • Andrew Skilton. A Concise History of Buddhism • John Snelling. The Buddhist Handbook: A Complete Guide to Buddhist, Schools, Teaching Practice, and History • Peter Harvey. An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History, and Practices • www.etsu.edu/cas/history/religionsbib.htm