History of Buddhism

What are the important sites/ pilgrim locations

Lumbini (Birthplace), Bodhgaya (Enlightenment), Sarnath (First sermon), Kusinagara (Death)

What is the middle way

The way of living that is neither poverty or richness

What is the first noble truth

Dukka - diagnosis - suffering or unsatisfactoriness - innate characteristic of existence

What is the second noble truth

Samudaya - Cause Trsna/Tanha - craving or attachment

What is the third noble truth

Nirodha - Cure - Letting go of Trsna/Tanha

What is the fourth noble truth

Magga - Treatment - Enlightenment to treat Trsna/Tanha

What is physical Dukkha

Birth, decay, disease, death

What is Dukkha of change

United with the unpleasant and being separated from the pleasant

What is the Dukkha of conditions

five aggregates - form, sensations (body and mental), perceptions, consciousness (or the nature of knowing)

What are the 8 ways (magga)

Right view, Right intention, Right speech, Right conduct or action, Right livelihood, Right effort, Right mindfulness, Right meditative consciousness

what is Pancasila

The right actions - no killing, no theft, no sexual misconduct, no lies, no intoxication alcohol drugs or other means

What was the first council (Pan-Samgha)

after the parinirvana at Rajagrha 500 disciples gathered to discuss the buddhas teachings

what is Parinivana

the death of the buddha

Who where the main figures in the councils

Ananda who recited the Sutras and Upalin who recited the Vinaya

What was the second council (Pan-Samgha)

Held 100 years after the parinirvana, and discussed the 10 points of how monks should behave

What was the third council (Pan-Samgha)

Non canonical - took place at pataliputra - defined the split between the Mahasamghika (large community) and Sthavira (elders)

What was the fourth council (Pan-Samgha)

Took place in pataliputra

What was the fifth council (Pan-Samgha)

Held in Kashmir or Gandhara and the advancment of the buddhist school Sarvastivadin

What is Hinayana

Any school that is not Mahayana with Arhat at the spiritual goal (ONE IS FOCOUSED ON THEIR OWN LIBERATION) - more conservative and found in the north of india, china and central asia

Mahayana

A culmination of the earlier schools, Compassion faith and wisdom - The idea of the Bodhisattva postponing his enlightenment to help others reach enlightenment - devotion to the Bodhisattva and buddha

when does the anthropomorphic personification of the buddha become more present

During the Mahayana - but one style does not take over another

Vajrayana

Appeared later, Siddha is the reference (the perfect model) - esoteric in that it needs initiation - based on rituals - new types of meditations eg. on corpses in cemeteries - inclusion of sex and women into rituals (could go against the Pancasila) - RITUALS HELP YOU SHORTCUT TO ENLIGHTENMENT

What are each of the Varnas Hierarchy highest to lowest

Brahmana (Priests white) Ksatriya (Warriors/ rulers red) Vaisya (Craftsmen farmers ect yellow) Sundra (Labour class serving others black)

What is Brahmanism

Polytheism with 33 gods for concepts and natural phenomena with sacrificial rituals - Entered India in 1500BCE with different waves of indo-arya speakers - BEGAN TO DEVELOP INTO HINDUISM - gods don’t have a hierarchy; each area picks one to be their main god

What Vedic gods have interacted with the buddha

Indra and Brahma - the birth of the buddha and after the enlightenment asking him to teach

How are Indra and Brahma usually depicted

Indra - rich male with a turbin and Brahma - semi naked

What social thing started the shift from Vedic to Buddhism

The second Urbanization phase as new political classes emerged like merchants and tax collectors and can have social mobility (against the Vedic hierarchy)

How did Buddhism support the new world order

Self improvment and individual paths to enlightenment complimented new found social mobility - inclusiveness (vs exclusiveness of Vedic) complimented the multiethnic society

What are Sramanas

religious groups that renounced their place in the social order, homeless other than monsoon season

What are the different Sramanas

Jains, Ajivikas, Charvakas/lokayatas and Ajnana

Jains

extreme self mortification (buddhism doesnt agree)

Ajivikas

Fatalism - we cannot control out lives and cant control the next life - regconsie the idea of samsara (cycle of life) but dont believe in karma - liberation will come when it comes - no agency - buddhists not a fan - 

Charvakas/lokayatas

There is no future life or rebirth - materialists 

Ajnana

Agnostics - don’t have any view - skepticism

How do we know about the Sramanas

Strabo, Kleitarchos Historians (after alexander invasion of india) buddhist and jaina texts tell us about these alternative religions

What is a Stupas

Means Heap, a monument that holds buddhist relics

what is this

Stupa

What kind of relics are seen in a stupa

Bodily relics (teeth ashes ect), contact relics (Objects like begging bowl or staff) and Relics of commemoration (sacred spots of episodes in the buddhas life)

What are the main components of the Stupa

Anda (mound), Vedika (railing which defines the sacred space), Torana (Gate) Chhatri (series of umbrellas that covers the mound a symbol of kingship and darma)

What is Pradaksina

The act of going clockwise around a stupa - symbolizes the movement of the son

What is the Mahaparinirvana-sutra

The buddha’s instructions for the care of his body - wrapped in linin and cremated

What do these reliefs show

The Buddha being place in a coffin, burnt then placed in a Stupa - treated like Chakravartin

What is Chakravartin

That the Buddha’s body should be treated like a king cremated and buried

Tell me about the War of the Relics

The mallas came to worship the relics, out of pride an devotion they didnt want to part with them they started to fight each other - the Brahmin Drona made a speech asking to stop and follow the path of the buddha

What was the result of the war of the relics

The ashes where split into 7 parts for each of the Mallas - they were placed in 7 Stupas

Tell me about this relief

The 7 Mallas or kings sharing out the 7 pieces of the buddhas ashes

Tell me about the piprahwa

Had 3 phases - 1. original division of the relics 2. reopening and enlarging phase under Asoka 3. possibly Kushan phase

who was Chandragupta

The king of the Magadha after defeating the previous king, ally to seleucos (after alexander) they signed a treaty giving indian territories to Chandragupta - married one of his daughters

Who was Bindusara

The son of Chandragupta who took the throne after he abdicated and became a monk

When and how did Ashoka come to the throne

Killed his brother who was the crown prince after being sent to quell a rebellion 268-260BCE

What is the Ashakavadona

A Sanskrit text that tells the story of Ashoka

Why is Ashoka important

In the 18th year of his reign converted to buddhism - he has written many edicts

What is interesting about Ashokas ideas for behavior

It is a code of behaviour that is based on buddhism - it is called the Ashoka Darma

What languages was Asokas edicts

Greek, Aramaic, Prakrit (written in Brahmi and Kharosthi)

What are Brahmi and Karosthi

Forms of Prakrit writing: Brahmi (left to right used in most of india) Karosthi (derived from aramaic written right to left used in northwestern part bc near greece)

What are the 3 types of Edicts

MRE - Major rock inscriptions (2 further inscriptions)

MRI - Minor rock inscriptions (4 individual inscriptions)

PE - Pillar Edicts ( 4 MRI are added)

What languages was the first edict written in

Greek and Aramaic - found in afgansitan

What are each of the Edicts used for

MRE - Usually at gates - meant to be read

MRI - caves - places of gathering, connected to ritual activities

PE - all located in the north and north eastern - core of the buddhist religion - on Pillars

What is important about the 13th rock edict

• he recounts historical events - Bold there is a reference to the 2 religious groups the sramanas and the brahman - both are worthy of respect - there is no country where these do not exist except for the greeks (ionians/ Yona)

• makes reference to his norms of behaviour

• send people out on missions to spread buddhism

• enscribed 5times

What are Mahamatras

Officers of the Darma

Tell me about this

This is the Kandahar - Talks about the expectations of the king and of good behaviour - bilingual the top is greek the bottom is arimatic

What is important about Minor rock edict no. 1

It is the most ancient and is the first time he makes a reference to the buddhist religiojn

What does Asoka tell us

• Most royal edicts (RE or MRE) refer to the administration and dissemination of Dharma (a civil moral law)

• Most royal edicts (RE or MRE) refer to the administration of Dharma through a set of principles that could be regognised by most if not all religious communitites of the time

• Brahmans and Sramanas are the 2 caterogies regonised and they are both worthy of gifts

• The professions of faith by Asoka are not in the group of royal edits instead they are in a small series of short personal inscriptions located in the northern area of india

What are the basic tenants of Ashokas Darma

• Dont kill men or animals (nonviolence)

• Truthfulness

• Generosity to friends and all religious groups (Sramanas and Brahmanas)

• proper regard to slaves

• Obedience to mother father and elders

• A modest life

What is important about asokas dharma

Fostering a sense of unity and moral code that while takes the ideas presented in the buddhist religion is accepted by most if not all religious groups

What is the difference between Asokas dharma and the Buddhist one

Ashokas while taking inspo from the buddhist religon is supposed to be applicable to most if not all religions