Social and Historical Developments Flashcards
Describe the events that occured during 2500 BCE - 1500 BCE
- 2500BCE: There was an advanced civilisation thought to have practiced meditation and temple worship in the Indus Valley.
- 1500 BCE: Aryan Invasion from the West brought Vedic traditions. Brough strict religions structures under the control of a priestly group.
- Caste system in Place in India
- Jainism and Hinduism were prominent religions during this period
Describe the events that occured from 490- 250 BCE.
- The Buddha lived from around 490 - 410 BCE
- The first council was held three months after the Buddha’s death. its purpose was to establish the Vinaya ( the principles of practice for the the Sangha and to establish the teachings of th Buddha that has been transmitted orally.
- The Second Council was to resolve disagreement about how the rules were being followed. The Sangha split into two groups , Theravada “follow the teachings of the elders” and the Mahayana “ the great assembly “
- The Third Council : this was held under the patronage of King Ashoka. It was here that the basic Vinaya of Theravada Buddhism was established
Explore the early rise of Buddhism
- initially grew thanksk to the conversion of Emperor Ashoka, who came to power in India in 268 BCE.
- He expanded his empire through a massacre and turned to Buddhim as a solution to his violence.
- He instituted Buddhism as the state religion and it grew to prominence as he built temples and pagodas.
- He sent missionaries to convert people to the Buddhit way of life and along the silk road into Asia. By 3BCE it was the major Indian reliigon
Explain what factors contributed to Buddhism’s growth
- it was accessible to all and not restricted to a particular group in society.
- It was attractive to travellers who were detached from traditional beliefs ; they spread Buddhism as they travelled
- The monastic cimmunity was well organised and provided a strong role model
- Buddhism was flexible and could be combined with traditional customs
- It stressed the importance of the experience of the individual and of making your own mind up in a time where the ancient traditions were being questioned.
Explain why Buddhism began to decline in India
- From 700 CE to 1000ce, Buddhism in India was virtually eradicated due to the invasions of Muslims and Turks.
- Buddhist monasteries were gradually destroyed and the Buddhists were persecuted and massacred.
- By the 12th monasteries survived.
Give Banham’s view on the decline of Buddhism in India
” In fact , the Dharma officially progpagated by Ashoka was not Buddhism at all but a system of morals consistent with the tenets of most of the sects of the empire , and calculated to lead to peace and fellowship in this world and heaven in the next”
- believed that the dhamma was not exclusively tied to Buddhism but rather a universal moral system designed to appeal to people across various sects in his empire.
- when state backing as promoted by Ashoka waned , less need to + loss of dstinct Identity due to competition with other similar traditions
Explain three factors that led to the collapse of Buddhism
- its focus on ahimsa made it vulnerable to military attack
- Buddhism became indistinguishable from other religions as it allowed assimilation
- The monasteries reliance on donors made it economically vulnerable when they withdrew their support ( due to the reliance on almsgiving)
Give Cush’s view on the decline of Buddhism
- ” the factors that make Buddhism attractive also make it vulnerable”
- Denise Cush believed that its flexibility , peaceful nature made it vulnerable to being overshadowed by more assertive religious or political movement
Give reasons for Buddhism’s revival after its decline in India
- reappeared in India with the British colonisation who restored some of the temples, in the 20th century.
- Refugees from Tibet who brought their faith
with them when they fled communist China - religious tourism: Buddhists from other countries visited India, the birth place of the Buddha, on pilgrimage
- The influence of Dr BR Ambedkar who
encouraged members of the ‘untouchable’ class to convert from Hinduism to Buddhism. He was himself an untouchable who gained a good education and became a lawyer who fought for their rights.
Give Paul Williams view on Mahayana Buddhism
explain + quote
- ” the origins of the Mahayana are obscure and extreme”
- no definitive founding moment or figure + recognised historical significance DURING the Buddha’s time
What are the key meditation practices in Mahayana?
- Buddha-
Give the origins of Pure Land Buddhism in China
- was founded by Chinese master Hui Yuan (4th CE ) but the first patriarch was Tan Lu’an (6th CE) who was inspired by a vision of Amitabha.
Explain the key beliefs of Pure Land Buddhism
- based on the worship of the Buddha Amiabha who dwells in the paradisal land “Sukhavati”
- Shakyamuni Buddha tells of a bodhisattva monk names Dharmakara who vowed to create a perfect paradise out of compassion for all beings. He made 48 vows to this accord, stating that you only have to think of him in trusting devotion in order to be taken to this land upon death.
- Vasubandhu believed that if any person were to concentrate on Amitabha’s name with complete faith and intention in being reborn in his land , shall immediately be reborn without return.
Explain the key practices in Pure Land Buddhism.
Reference to meditation
- ‘I bow to the Buddha’ is recited
- Tan Lu’an taught that meditating on his name and reciting it was a path to liberation. Tao Cho added by claiming that it was the only suitable path in this morally nebulous age where the 3 poisions are too strong
- Devotion and faith are the only successfull methods as there is no time to commit to scriptural study
- Chanting Amitabha’s name or meditating on him in order to relieve suffering is a practice known as nembutsu.
- By chanting his name , he diverts his merit to you.
What are the differences between nembutsu and meditation?
- benefits are not brought only through practice but through the blessings of the Amitabha Buddha
- does not have to be carried out in formal sessions/ Making it conducive to busy lives
