NEW RELIGIOUS

MOVEMENTS/HETERODOX FAITHS
(500 BC)
BUDDHISM AND JAINISM
RISE OF NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS
CAUSES: RELIGIOUS
• RELIGIOUS FERMENT IN INDIA DURING THE 7TH-6TH
CENTURIES B.C.
• THE COMPLEX RITUALS AND SACRIFICES WERE NOT
UNDERSTOOD BY THE COMMON PEOPLE
• THESE RITUALS WERE EXPENSIVE AND EXCLUDED A WIDE
SECTION OF SOCIETY
• THE PHILOSOPHICAL SYSTEMS DESCRIBED IN THE
UPANISHADS AND SHASTRAS WERE UNINTELLIGIBLE TO THE
COMMON PEOPLE
• PEOPLE FELT THE NEED FOR SIMPLER AND MORE
INTELLIGIBLE WAYS TO ATTAIN SALVATION
 CONTD. (SOCIAL FACTORS AND ECONOMIC FACTORS)
• THE RIGID CASTE SYSTEM PREVALENT IN INDIA GENERATED
TENSIONS IN SOCIETY
• HIGHER CASTES ENJOYED MORE PRIVILEGES WHICH WERE
DENIED TO THE LOWER CASTES
• THE KSHATRIYAS RESENTED THE DOMINATION OF THE
BRAHMANAS. NOTABLY, THE BUDDHA AND MAHAVIRA WERE
KSHATRIYAS
• THE MERCHANT CLASS WHICH BECAME WEALTHY AT THIS
TIME WANTED TO ENHANCE ITS SOCIAL STATUS BUT WAS
PREVENTED FROM DOING SO BY THE VARNA SYSTEM
• MANY NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS CAME INTO BEING AT
THIS TIME SUCH AS THE CHARVAKAS, THE AJIVIKAS ETC.
• ABOUT 64 SUCH SECTS ARE MENTIONED IN LITERATURE
• THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THESE WERE BUDDHISM LED BY
THE BUDDHA AND JAINISM BY MAHAVIRA
BUDDHISM-THE LIFE OF THE BUDDHA
• SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA WAS BORN IN 563 B.C. AT LUMBINI
NEAR KAPILAVASTU
• HIS FATHER WAS SUDDHODHANA OF THE SAKYA CLAN AND
HIS MOTHER WAS MAYADEVI
• HIS MOTHER DIED IN CHILDBIRTH AND HE WAS BROUGHT UP
BY HIS STEPMOTHER, MAHAPRAJAPATI GAUTAMI
• AT THE AGE OF 16, HE MARRIED YASHODHARA AND HAD A
SON RAHULA
• THE SIGHT OF AN OLD MAN, A DISEASED MAN, A DEAD MAN
AND AN ASCETIC TURNED HIM AWAY FROM WORLDY LIFE
• AT THE AGE OF 29, HE LEFT HOME AND EMBARKED ON THE
SEARCH FOR TRUTH
• THIS EVENT IS CALLED IN BUDDHIST SCRIPTURES AS
‘MAHABHINISHKRAMANA’-THE GREAT RENUNCIATION
CONTD. (LIFE OF THE BUDDHA)
• HE WANDERED FOR SEVEN YEARS AND MET SEVERAL
TEACHERS BUT COULD NOT GET ENLIGHTENMENT
• FINALLY, HE SAT UNDER A PIPAL TREE (ALSO CALLED BODHI
TREE) AT BODH GAYA FOR 49 DAYS AND MEDITATED
• ON THE 50TH DAY, HE GAINED ENLIGHTENMENT AT THE AGE
OF 35
• THIS EVENT IS CALLED ‘SAMBODHI’-`ENLIGHTENMENT’
• HE BECAME KNOWN AS THE ‘BUDDHA’-THE ENLIGHTENED
ONE
• HE DELIVERED HIS FIRST SERMON AT SARNATH NEAR KASHI
• THIS EVENT IS CALLED ‘DHARMACHAKRAPRAVARTANA’ – THE
TURNING OF THE WHEEL OF DHARMA
CONTD. (LIFE OF THE BUDDHA)
• FOR THE NEXT 45 YEARS, HE WANDERED ACROSS NORTH
INDIA, PREACHING THE DHARMA
• HIS FAMOUS DISCIPLES INCLUDED URUBILVA KASHYAPA,
ANANDA, UPALI, RAHULA AND MAHAPRAJAPATI GAUTAMI
• HE DIED AROUND 483 B.C. AT KUSINAGARA
• THIS EVENT IS CALLED ‘MAHAPARINIRVANA’-`THE GREAT
LIBERATION’
TEACHINGS OF THE BUDDHA
• THE BUDDHA DID NOT CONCERN HIMSELF WITH COMPLEX
PHILOSOPHICAL DISCUSSIONS.
• HE FOCUSSED ON THE PRACTICAL PROBLEMS CONCERNING
MAN
• HE PREACHED IN PALI, THE LANGUAGE OF THE COMMON
PEOPLE
• HIS MAIN IDEAS WERE THE CHATURVANI ARYA SATYA (FOUR
NOBLE TRUTHS) AND ASHTA MARGA (EIGHT-FOLD PATH)
CONTD. (THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS)
• THE CHATURVANI ARYA SATYA (FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS) ARE:
1. THE WORLD IS FULL OF SUFFERING – DUKKA
2. THE CAUSE OF SUFFERING IS DESIRE – SAMUDAYA
3. IF DESIRE IS GOT RID OF, THEN SUFFERING CAN BE
REMOVED-NIRODHA
4. THIS CAN BE DONE BY FOLLOWING THE `ASHTA MARGA’-
`THE EIGHT-FOLD PATH’-MARGA
CONTD. (ASHTA MARGA)
• THE ASTHA MARGA (EIGHT-FOLD PATH) CONSISTS OF THE
FOLLOWING:
1. RIGHT VIEW (KNOWLEDGE)
2. RIGHT WILL (RESOLVE)
3. RIGHT SPEECH
4. RIGHT ACTIONS (CONDUCT)
5. RIGHT LIVELIHOOD
6. RIGHT EFFORT
7. RIGHT MINDFULNESS (MEMORY)
8. RIGHT CONCENTRATION
CONTD.
• THE BUDDHA NEITHER ACCEPTED NOR REJECTS GOD
• HE LAID GREAT EMPHASIS ON THE LAW OF KARMA. HE
STATED THAT A MAN’S CONDITION IN LIFE DEPENDED ON HIS
ACTIONS IN HIS PREVIOUS BIRTH
• HE DID NOT BELIEVE IN THE EXISTENCE OF A SOUL
• HE LAID GREAT EMPHASIS ON AHIMSA EXCEPT UNDER
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
• HE TAUGHT HIS FOLLOWERS TO EXPLAIN THINGS IN THE
LIGHT OF REASON AND NOT TO ACCEPT ANYTHING BLINDLY
• HE DREW HIS FOLLOWERS FROM AMONG ALL CASTES AND
SECTIONS OF SOCIETY
• BUT HE DID NOT DIRECTLY ATTACK THE CASTE SYSTEM
FORMATION OF THE SANGHA
• IN ORDER TO SPREAD HIS IDEAS, THE BUDDHA WANDERED
FROM PLACE TO PLACE. HE VISITED IMPORTANT CITIES SUCH
AS RAJAGRIHA, PATALIPUTRA, SRAVASTI, KAUSHAMBI ETC.
• AFTER HIS DEATH, HIS DISCIPLES FORMED THE SANGHA
(GROUP) IN ORDER TO SPREAD HIS TEACHINGS
• THE SANGHA CONSISTED OF TWO DIVISIONS – BHIKSHUS
(MONKS) AND BHIKSHUNIS (NUNS)
• A PERSON COULD JOIN THE SANGHA BY TAKING THE THREE
VOWS- ‘BUDDHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI’- ‘I TAKE REFUGE IN
THE BUDDHA’; ‘DHAMMAM SARANAM GACCHAMI’ – ‘I TAKE
REFUGE IN DHAMMA’; ‘SANGHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI’ –’I
TAKE REFUGE IN THE SANGHA’
BUDDHIST LITERATURE
• THE EARLY BUDDHIST LITERATURE WAS WRITTEN IN PALI
• BUDDHIST LITERATURE CONSISTS MAINLY OF THE ‘TRIPITAKA’-
THE THREE BASKETS
• THE FIRST TWO ARE THE SUTTAPITAKA AND THE
VINAYAPITAKA
• THE SUTTAPITAKA IS A COLLECTION OF THE SAYINGS OF THE
BUDDHA
• THE VINAYA PITAKA IS THE SET OF RULES GIVEN BY THE
BUDDHA FOR THE SANGHA
• THE THIRD IS THE ABHIDHAMMA PITAKA CONSISTS OF
PHILOSOPHICAL WORKS WHICH WERE MAINLY BY LATER
SCHOLARS TRYING TO EXPLAIN THE TEACHINGS OF THE
BUDDHA
BUDDHIST COUNCILS
• AFTER THE DEATH OF THE BUDDHA, A GREAT COUNCIL WAS
HELD TO COLLECT AND WRITE DOWN HIS TEACHINGS
• THIS WAS KNOWN AS THE FIRST BUDDHIST COUNCIL
• IT WAS SPONSORED BY KING AJATASHATRU AND WAS HELD AT
RAJAGRIHA IN MAGADHA
• IT WAS PRESIDED OVER BY URUBILVA KASHYAPA
• THE SUTTA PITAKA WAS COMPILED BY ANANDA AND THE
VINAYA PITAKA BY UPALI
CONTD.
• THE SECOND BUDDHIST COUNCIL WAS HELD AROUND 387
B.C. IN VAISHALI AND WAS SPONSORED BY KING KALASHOKA
• THE MONKS AT VAISHALI HAD ADOPTED CERTAIN PRACTICES
WHICH WERE AGAINST THE RULES WRITTEN IN THE VINAYA
PITAKA
• THE OTHER BUDDHIST MONKS WERE AGAINST THIS
• A COUNCIL WAS HELD TO RESOLVE THE MATTER AND WAS
PRESIDED OVER BY SABAKAMI
• THE FIRST GREAT SCHISM (SPLIT) OF BUDDHISM OCCURRED
DURING THIS PERIOD
• ONE SECTION WAS CALLED STHAVIRAVADA (THERAVADA)
WHICH WANTED TO RETAIN THE ORIGINAL DISCIPLINE
• THE OTHER SECTION ADVOCATING CHANGE WAS CALLED
MAHASANGHIKA
CONTD.
• THE THIRD BUDDHIST COUNCIL WAS HELD AT PATALIPUTRA IN
AROUND 250 B.C. AND WAS PRESIDED OVER BY
MOGALIPUTTA TISSA
• TWO IMPORTANT DECISIONS WERE TAKEN AT THIS ASSEMBLY
• THE FINAL VERSIONS OF THE TRIPITAKA WERE WRITTEN
DOWN AT THIS COUNCIL
• ANY DEVIATION FROM THESE RULES AND ANY ATTEMPT TO
SPLIT THE SANGHA WERE MADE PUNISHABLE
• IT WAS ALSO RESOLVED TO SEND BUDDHIST MISSIONARIES TO
FOREIGN LANDS TO SPREAD DHAMMA
• THESE LANDS INCLUDE SIMHALA(SRI LANKA), SUVARNADVIPA
(MALAY PENINSULA) AND PERSIA AND GREECE
CONTD.
• THE FOURTH BUDDHIST COUNCIL WAS HELD AT KASHMIR IN
THE FIRST CENTURY A.D. AND WAS SPONSORED BY KING
KANISHKA
• IT WAS PRESIDED OVER BY VASUMITRA AND ASHVAGHOSHA
• BUDDHISM SPLIT INTO `HINAYANA’ (IMPERFECT VEHICLE)
AND `MAHAYANA’ (GREAT VEHICLE) SECTS AT THIS COUNCIL
• MAHAYANA BUDDHISM WOULD RECEIVE OFFICIAL
PATRONAGE
• ALL THE OTHER SECTS WOULD BE LABELLED `HINAYANA’
• BUDDHISM WOULD BE SPREAD TO NEW AREAS SUCH AS
CHINA AND TIBET
MAHAYANA BUDDHISM
• THE MAHAYANA SCHOOL OF BUDDHISM CAME INTO
PROMINENCE FROM THE TIME OF KANISHKA
• IT DIFFERED FROM THE ORIGINAL FORMS OF BUDDHISM IN
MANY WAYS
• THE BUDDHA WAS WORSHIPPED AS A GOD
• WORSHIP OF THE IDOLS OF THE BUDDHA WAS STARTED
• THERE WERE ELABORATE RITUALS AND MANTRAS IN THE
MAHAYANA SCHOOL
• SANSKRIT WAS USED AS ITS OFFICIAL LANGUAGE INSTEAD OF
PALI
• AN ELABORATE BUDDHIST MYTHOLOGY WAS ALSO
DEVELOPED
SPREAD OF BUDDHISM
• THE MAGNETIC PERSONALITY OF THE BUDDHA AND HIS TRAVELS
FAR AND WIDE MADE BUDDHISM POPULAR
• THE SIMPLE MESSAGE OF BUDDHISM ATTRACTED THE ORDINARY
PEOPLE
• IT WAS FREE OF COMPLEX RITUALS AND PHILOSOPHIES AND
COULD BE PRACTISED BY ORDINARY PEOPLE
• IT GAINED THE SUPPORT OF THE MERCHANT CLASS WHO SAW IT
AS A MEANS OF GAINING SALVATION WITHOUT THE PRACTICE OF
COSTLY SACRIFICES
• THE SANGHA CONTINUED ITS MISSIONARY ACTIVITIES AFTER THE
DEATH OF THE BUDDHA
• SEVERAL EARLY KINGS SUCH AS BIMBISARA, AJATASATRU AND
PRASENAJIT BECAME FOLLOWERS OF THE BUDDHA AND
PATRONISED HIS RELIGION
• THE EMPEROR ASHOKA GAVE EXTENSIVE SUPPORT TO BUDDHISM
AND SPREAD IT THROUGHOUT THE KNOWN WORLD
DECLINE OF BUDDHISM
• AS IT GAINED WEALTH, THE SANGHA BECAME CORRUPT. THE
MONKS LOST THEIR ZEAL FOR MISSIONARY ACTIVITY
• AS DIFFERENCES AROSE WITHIN THE SANGHA, IT SPLIT INTO A
NUMBER OF SECTS. THE NUMBER VARIED FROM 18 TO 32
• AS THE NUMBER OF COMPLEX RITUALS AND THE USE OF
SANSKRIT IN BUDDHISM GREW, IT BECAME
INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM MAINSTREAM HINDUISM
• THERE WAS A REVIVAL OF HINDUISM UNDER PHILOSOPHERS
SUCH AS SHANKARACHARYA, RAMANUJACHARYA AND
MADHVACHARYA
• THESE PHILOSOPHERS INCORPORATED PRACTICES OF
BUDDHISM AND ALSO ENGAGED IN EXTENSIVE MISSIONARY
ACTIVITY
CONTD.
• THE LATER KINGS OF INDIA, PARTICULARLY THE RAJPUTS, DID
NOT PATRONISE BUDDHISM. THIS LOSS OF PATRONAGE
SERIOUSLY HAMPERED THE MISSIONARY ACTIVITIES OF THE
SANGHA
• FOREIGN INVASIONS GAVE THE FINAL BLOW TO THE ALREADY
TOTTERING BUDDHISM
• THE CITY OF TAKSHASHILA WAS DESTROYED BY INVADING
HUNAS
• THE FAMOUS BUDDHIST MONASTERIES OF VIKRAMASHILA
AND NALANDA WERE DESTROYED BY BAKHTIYAR KHILJI
BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE
• BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE CONSISTS MAINLY OF CHAITYAS,
VIHARAS AND STUPAS
• THE VIHARA WAS THE MONASTERY FOR THE SANGHA AND IT
INCLUDED THE RESIDENTIAL QUARTERS OF THE MONKS AND
NUNS
• ORIGINALLY THE VIHARA CONSISTED OF SIMPLE DWELLINGS
IN A CAVE
• LATER IT COMPRISED OF SEVERAL ROOMS CUT INTO THE
ROCKS IN A CAVE
• IT USUALLY SERVED AS THE RESIDENCE OF MONKS AND NUNS
DURING THEIR TRAVELS OR DURING THE RAINY SEASON
CONTD.

VIHARA AT
KANHERI CAVES
CONTD.
• THE CHAITYA WAS THE PRAYER HALL ATTACHED TO THE
VIHARA
• CHAITYA WAS A RECTANGULAR PRAYER HALL WITH A STUPA
PLACED IN THE CENTRE
• IT WAS GENERALLY DIVIDED INTO THREE PARTS-TWO AISLES
SEPARATED BY TWO ROWS OF PILLARS AND THE CENTRAL
HALL
• IT HAD POLISHED INTERIOR WALLS, SEMICIRCULAR ROOFS
AND HORSE-SHOE SHAPED WINDOWS CALLED THE CHAITYA
WINDOWS
• FAMOUS EXAMPLES INCLUDE KARLE, ELLORA, AJANTA,
AMARAVATI, UNDAVALLI ETC.
CONTD.

CHAITYA AT KARLE CAVES

CONTD.
• THE STUPA ORIGINALLY WAS AN EARTHEN MOUND BUILT
OVER THE RELICS OF THE BUDDHA
• LATER, IT BECAME A GIANT HEMISPHERICAL DOME WITH A
SMALL CENTRAL ROOM
• IN THAT ROOM WOULD BE A BOX CONTAINING THE RELICS OF
THE BUDDHA OR OTHER BUDDHIST SAINTS WERE KEPT
• AFTER THE BUDDHA’S DEATH, 8 STUPAS WERE BUILT WHICH
HOUSED THE BUDDHA’S REMAINS AND ASHES
• LATER A 9TH STUPA WOULD BE BUILT TO HOUSE THE BOXES
• ACCORDING TO BUDDHIST TRADITION, ASHOKA BUILT 84000
STUPAS
CONTD.

AMARAVATI
STUPA
CONTRIBUTION OF BUDDHISM TO INDIAN CULTURE
• BUDDHISM DEVELOPED A RELIGIOUS SYSTEM WHICH WAS
ACCESSIBLE TO ALL THE CLASSES OF PEOPLE
• IT LAID GREAT EMPHASIS ON ETHICS AND GOOD CONDUCT
AND CHARACTER
• THE CONCEPT OR AHIMSA, OR NON-INJURY WAS ITS GREAT
CONTRIBUTION
• IT PROMOTED EDUCATION THROUGH UNIVERSITIES LIKE
TAXILA, NALANDA AND VIKRAMASILA
• IT PROMOTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF LITERATURE IN THE
LOCAL LANGUAGES
• IT MADE NOTABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO ART AND
ARCHITECTURE IN THE FORM OF CHAITYAS, VIHARAS AND
STUPAS
• IT PROMOTED THE SPREAD OF INDIAN CULTURE TO FOREIGN
LANDS