Chapter 9

State, Society, and the

Quest for Salvation in India
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The Mauryan and Gupta Empires

321 B.C.E.-550 C.E.

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India Before the Mauryan Dynasty

520 B.C.E., Persian emperor Darius conquers

northwest India
Introduces Persian ruling pattern
327 B.C.E., Alexander of Macedon destroys
Persian empire in India
Troops mutiny, depart after two years

Political power vacuum

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Kingdom of Magadha

Most significant remaining kingdom after

Alexanders departure
Central Ganges plain
Economic strength

Agriculture
Trade in Ganges valley, Bay of Bengal

Dominated surrounding regions in northeastern

India
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Chandragupta Maurya

Took advantage of power vacuum left by

Alexander
Overthrew Magadha rulers
Expanded kingdom to create first unified Indian
empire

Mauryan dynasty

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Chandraguptas Government

Advisor Kautalya
Recorded in Arthashastra, manual of political
statecraft
Foreign policies, economics
Domestic policies

Network of spies

Legend: Chandragupta retires to become a monk,

starves himself to death
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Ashoka Maurya

Grandson of Chandragupta
Represents high point of Mauryan empire,
r. 268-232 B.C.E.
Expanded empire to include all of Indian
subcontinent except for south
Positive ruler-ship integrated Indian society
Much better known as a ruler than conqueror

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Decline of the Mauryan Empire

Economic crisis follows death of Ashoka

High costs of bureaucracy, military not supported
by tax revenue
Frequent devaluations of currency to pay salaries
Regions begin to abandon Mauryan empire

Disappears by 185 B.C.E.

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Regional Kingdom: Bactria

Northwestern India
Ruled by Greek-speaking descendants of
Alexanders campaigns
Intense cultural activity accompanies active trade

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Regional Kingdom: Kush

Northern India/central Asia

Ca. 1-300 C.E.
Maintained silk road trade network

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10

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

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11

Gupta Decline

Frequent invasions of White Huns, fifth century

C.E.
Gupta dynasty disintegrates along regional fault
lines
Smaller local kingdoms dominate until Mughal
empire founded in sixteenth century

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12

Economy: Towns and Manufacturing

Manufactured goods in big demand

Developed in dense network of small workshops
Trade intense, capitalizes on trade routes across
India

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13

Long-Distance Trade

Persian connection since Cyrus, Darius

Massive road-building projects under Persian rule
Alexander extends trade west to Macedon
Trade routes through Kush mountains, the silk
roads

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14

Trade in the Indian Ocean Basin

Seasonal sea trade expands

Spring/winter winds blow from southwest, fall/winter

winds blow from northwest

Trade from Asia to Persian Gulf and Red Sea,

Mediterranean

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15

Society: Gender Relations

Patriarchy entrenched
Child marriage common (eight-year-old girls
married to men in twenties)
Women encouraged to remain in private sphere

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16

Social Order

Caste system from Aryan

times

Brahmins (priests)
Kshatriyas (warriors,
aristocrats)
Vaishyas (peasants,
merchants)
Shudras (serfs)

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17

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

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18

Wealth and the Social Order

Upward social mobility possible for vaishyas,

shudras
Wealth challenges varna for status

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19

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

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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

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21

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.)

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22

Appeal of Jainism

Rejected caste, jati distinctions

Obvious appeal to underprivileged groups
But asceticism too extreme to become a mass
movement

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Early Buddhism

Siddhartha Gautama, ca. 563-483 B.C.E.

Encountered age, sickness, death, then monastic
life
Abandoned comfortable life to become a monk

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Gautamas 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

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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

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26

Buddha and His Disciples

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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

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28

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

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A Buddhist Monastery

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Ashokas 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

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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

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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

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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

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34

Emergence of Popular Hinduism

Composition of epics from older oral traditions

Mahabharata
Ramayana

Emphasis on god Vishnu and his incarnations

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35

The Bhagavad Gita

Song of the lord

Centuries of revisions, final form ca. 400 C.E.
Dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna during
civil war

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36

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)

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37

Popularity of Hinduism

Gradually replaced Buddhism in India

Gupta dynastic leaders extend considerable
support

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