CH – 7

NEW QUESTIONS AND IDEAS

PRESENTATION BY :
BHUVIKA . D
VENNELA PATIL
SAMANYU GOWDA
WHO IS GAUTHAMA BUDDHA ?
 WHO IS GAUTHAMA BUDDHA ?

GAUTHAMA BUDHA IS THE FOUNDER OF

BUDDHISM
 WHO IS GAUTHAMA BUDDHA ?

GAUTHAMA BUDHA IS THE FOUNDER OF BUDDHISM

THE BUDDHA TAUGHT THAT LIFE IS FULL OF

SUFFERING AND UNHAPPINESS.
THERE IS A PICTURE WHERE BUDDHA STARTED TO
TEACH MESSAGES.
WHICH PLACE IS THIS ?
 WHICH PLACE IS THIS ?

THIS PLACE IS SANCHI STUPA A

FAMOUS TOURIST PLACE FOR HISTORY
OF BUDDHISM
 THE BUDDHA BELONGED TO A SMALL GANA
KNOWN AS THE SAKYA GANA, AND WAS A
KSHATRIYA. WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG MAN, HE
LEFT THE COMFORTS OF HIS HOME IN SEARCH OF
KNOWLEDGE. HE WANDERED FOR SEVERAL
YEARS, MEETING AND HOLDING DISCUSSIONS
WITH OTHER THINKERS. HE FINALLY DECIDED TO
FIND HIS OWN PATH TO REALISATION, AND
MEDITATED FOR DAYS ON END UNDER A PEEPAL
TREE AT BODH GAYA IN BIHAR, WHERE HE
ATTAINED ENLIGHTENMENT. AFTER THAT, HE WAS
KNOWN AS THE BUDDHA OR THE WISE ONE .
WHAT ARE UPANISHAD ?
 WHAT ARE UPANISHAD ?
UPANISHAD ARE THE LATE VEDIC TEXT
OR POST VEDIC SANSKRIT TEXTS.
 WHAT ARE UPANISHAD ?
UPANISHAD ARE THE LATE VEDIC TEXT OR
POST VEDIC SANSKRIT TEXTS.

THESE WERE PART OF THE LATER VEDIC

TEXTS . UPANISHAD MEANS ‘APPROACHING
AND SITTING NEAR AND TEXT CONTAINS
CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN TEACHERS AND
STUDENTS. OFTEN,IDEAS WERE
PRESENTED THROUGH SIMPLE
DIALOGUES .
 MOST UPANISHADIC THINKERS WERE
MEN , ESPECIALLY BRAHMINS AND
RAJAS . IN ONLY SOME TEXTS WERE BY
WOMEN THINKERS SUCH AS
GARGI ,APALA, GHOSHLA, AND MAITREYI,
WHO WERE FAMOUS FOR THEIR
LEARNING, AND PARTICIPATING IN
DEBATES.
JAINISM
 JAINISM
The last and 24th tirthankara of the jainas, vardhamana
mahavira, also spread his message around this time that is 2500
years ago .
He taught a simple doctrine : Men and women who wish to know
the truth must live their homes. They must follow very strictly
the rules of ahimsa, which means not hurting or killing living
beings. “All beings,” said Mahavira “long to live. To all things life
is dear.” Ordinary people could understand the teachings of
Mahavira and his followers, because they used Prakrit.
JAINISM WAS SUPPORTED MAINLY BY
TRADERS. FARMERS, WHO HAD TO
KILL INSECTS TO PROTECT THEIR
CROPS, FOUND IT MORE DIFFICULT
TO FOLLOW THE RULES. OVER
HUNDREDS OF YEARS, JAINISM
SPREAD TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF
NORTH INDIA, AND TO GUJARAT,
TAMIL NADU AND KARNATAKA. THE
TEACHINGS OF MAHAVIRA AND HIS
FOLLOWERS WERE TRANSMITTED
ORALLY FOR SEVERAL CENTURIES.
Jainism was supported mainly
by traders. Farmers, who had to
kill insects to protect their crops,
found it more difficult to follow
the rules. Over hundreds of
years, Jainism spread to
different parts of north India,
and to Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and
Karnataka. The teachings of
Mahavira and his followers were
transmitted orally for several
centuries.
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 THE
SANGHA
 THE
SANGHA
Both the Mahavira and the Buddha felt that only those who left their homes
could gain true knowledge. They arranged for them to stay together in the sangha,
an association of those who left their homes.

The rules made for the Buddhist sangha were written down in a book called
the Vinaya Pitaka. From this, we know that there were separate branches for men
and women. All men could join the sangha.

They taught others, and helped one another. They also held meetings to
settle any quarrels that took place within the sangha.

Who joined the sangha?

Those who joined the sangha included Brahmins, Kshatriyas, merchants, barbers,
laborers, courtesans and slaves.
VIHARAS
 VIHARAS
To begin with, both Jaina and Buddhist monks went from
place to place throughout the year, teaching people. The only time
they stayed in one place was during the rainy season, when it was
very difficult to travel. Then, their supporters built temporary
shelters for them in gardens, or they lived in natural caves in hilly
areas.

As time went on what happened?

As time wen on, many supporters of the bhu=ikkhus and
bhikkhunis, and they themselves, felt the need for more
permanent shelters and so monasteries were built. These were
known as viharas. The earliest viharas were made of wood, and
then of brick. Some were even in caves that were dug out in hills,
. VERY OFTEN, THE LAND ON WHICH THE VIHARA WAS BUILT WAS
DONATED BY A RICH MERCHANT OR A LANDOWNER, OR THE
KING. THE LOCAL PEOPLE CAME WITH GIFTS OF FOOD, CLOTHING
AND MEDICINES FOR THE BHIKKHUS AND BHIKKHUNIS. IN
RETURN, THEY TAUGHT THE PEOPLE. OVER THE CENTURIES,
BUDDHISM SPREAD TO MANY PARTS OF THE SUBCONTINENT AND
BEYOND.
Very often, the land on which the vihara was built was
donated by a rich merchant or a landowner, or the
king. The local people came with gifts of food,
clothing and medicines for the bhikkhus and
bhikkhunis. In return, they taught the people. Over
the centuries, Buddhism spread to many parts of the
subcontinent and beyond.

A new form of Buddhism, known as Mahayana

Buddhism, now developed. This had two distinct
features. Earlier, the Buddha’s presence was shown in
sculpture by using certain signs. For instance, his
attainment of enlightenement was shown by
sculptures of the peepal tree.
Where did the popularity of worshiping Bodhivasta
spread?
Where did the popularity of worshiping Bodhivasta
spread?

The worship of Bodhisattvas became very popular, and

spread throughout Central Asia, China, and later to Korea
and Japan. Buddhism spread to western and southern
India, where dozens of caves were hollowed out of hills
for bhikkhus to live in.
Where did the popularity of worshiping Bodhivasta
spread?

The worship of Bodhisattvas became very popular, and

spread throughout Central Asia, China, and later to Korea
and Japan. Buddhism spread to western and southern
India, where dozens of caves were hollowed out of hills
for bhikkhus to live in.

Towards which place did Buddhism spread more?

Where did the popularity of worshiping Bodhivasta
spread?

The worship of Bodhisattvas became very popular, and

spread throughout Central Asia, China, and later to Korea
and Japan. Buddhism spread to western and southern
India, where dozens of caves were hollowed out of hills
for bhikkhus to live in.

Towards which place did Buddhism spread more?

Buddhism also spread south eastwards, to Sri Lanka,

Myanmar, Thailand, and other parts of Southeast Asia
including Indonesia. The older form of Buddhism, known
as Theravada Buddhism was more popular in these areas.
 Pilgrims

Are men and women who undertake journeys to holy

places in order to offer worship. The best-know of these are
the Chinese Buddhist pilgirms, Fa Xian, who came to the
subcontinent about 1600 years ago, Xuan Zang (who came
around 1400 years ago) and I-Qing, who came about 50
years after Xuan Zang. They came to visit places
associated with the life of the Buddha as well as famount
monasteries.
Each of these pilgrims left an account of his jouney. They
wrote of the dangers they encountered on their travels,
which often took years, of the countries and the
monasteries that they visited, and the books they carrieds
back with them.
 Nalanda – A unique centre of learning

Xuan Zang, and other pilgrims spent time

studying in Nalanda (Bhiar), the most famous
Buddhist monastery of the period. This is how he
describes it:
“The teachers are men of the highest ability and
talent. They follow the strict, and everyone has to
follow him them. Discussions are held throughout
the day, and the old and the young mutually help
one another. Learned men from different cities
come here to settle their doubts. The gatekeeper
asks new entrans difficult questions. They are
allowed to enter only after they have been able
to answer these. Seven or eight out of every ten
are not able to answer.”
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