7.10 Religion, Spread of Religion

Religion, Spread of Religion

2020-04-27 11:50:19

Buddhism

  • Bindusara has been mentioned in inscriptions at Sanchi connecting him to Buddhism.
  • 7.4 Ashoka, Concept of Dharma > Concept of Dharma
  • He sent his son Mahinda and daughter Sanghamitta to Sri Lanka who convinced Tissa the king to adopt Buddhism and make it the state religion.
  • Missions were also sent ot West Asia, Greece and South East Asia.
  • Buddism became popular in Afghanistan, Thailand, North Asia including Siberia.
  • Third Buddist council was convened.

Jainism

  • C Maurya renounced his throne to join Jain monks.
  • He died at Shravanabelagola in Karnataka after observing the ritual fast called Sallekhana at Chandragiri hills.
  • Jain texts mention that Chandragupta followed non Jain ascetice with wrong view of religion and lusted for women.
  • Samprati the grandson of Ashoka also patronised Jainism. He was influenced by monks like Suhastin and built many jain temples called Derasars ex in Ahmedabad, Viramgam, Ujjain etc.
  • He sent messengers to Greece, Persia and Middle east to spread Jainism.
  • Jaina sources say that before Bindusara's death he adopted Jainism.

Ajivikas

  • Certain Ajivika chornicles talk about prophising the greatness of Ashoka during reign of Bindusara. Divyadana mentions this man to be Pingalavatsa.

AL Basham concluded that Bindusara was a patron of Ajivikas.

  • Pingalavatsa is said to have then left the court on the advice of the Queen.
  • Barabar Cave Inscription mentions Ashoka donating a cave in Bihar to them
  • The Lomas Rishi, Sudama, Visvakarma and Karna chopar caves here had been donated by Ashoka to the Ajivikas.

    Ajivika Sect

    • were sudra sanyasins established by Nanda Vachcha -> Kisa Sankichcha.
    • 3rd chief was Makkali Gosala :
      • denied the theory of 'karma'
      • argued that man is subject to the laws of nature
    • believed that the thought and deed of an individual were predetermined (decided before birth).
    • The believed there was no special cause for the misery of human beings believing that all creatures had to face misery.
    • Sect was centered around the capital of Kosala, Sravasti.
    • Niyata (fate) was a central idea and human effort was of no consequence. Karma and transmigration existed but human effort had no role in it.
    • Meetings took place in sabhas suggesting they had a corporate organisation.
    • They practices severe ascetism and ahimsa.
    • Bhagvati sutra mentions that they were allowd to eat meat.
    • They did not practice discrimination on the basis of caste or class.
    • Buddhist texts such as Anguttara Nikaya denounce Gosala showing bitter rivalry.
    • Mahavamsa suggest that it had spread to Sri Lanka.

Brahmanism [1]

  • Samantapasadika and Mahavamsa suggest that Bindusara followed Brahmanism.
  • The Adi parva section of mahabharat that deals with the Origin of dieties and daitya allude to the names of Mauryan kings.
  • Names are anachronistic in nature and have been attributed to Asuras'/Daityas which implies that antagonitic nature of Brahmanical followers towards Mauryan kings.

Women in Dharmashastras [2]

  • Status of women declined slowly and underwent some changes. Girls were kept away from forma education and treated as second class citizens.
  • Factors such as caste systesm, lack of education, rigid and strict rules were the reason for it.
  • Yajnavalka smriti and its commentary the Mitakshara by Vijaneshwara talks in details about the rules that women were to follow.
  • Only men could achieve Purushartha/ultimate goals.
  • Brahmans, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas could have 3,2,1 wives respectively.

Other Religious Sects

  • Minority religions such as Zoroastrianisma and other Greek pantheons were practiced during the reign of C Maurya.

Women in Religious literatures like Dharmashastra and Arthashastra

Role of Women in Arthshastra

  • #todo
  • Women were employed as spies under the M empire. Kautilya says that they were more efficient than men.
  • Lusting for women was considered one of the Vices by Kautilya along w/ gambling, drinking.
  • women have been shown as supporting men. Women as wives have been presented only as rearer of children. Says that W do not have brain of their own.
  • Women ex widows are not mentioned as inhertor of property. If there were no heirs king took the property. During remarriage she was to leave her property to either the husband or his sons from the first marriage. But there are also reference to rich widows.
  • Emphasis is laid on chastity before marriage which was to be punished if not conformed with. Defines the age of puberty ofr girls as 12.
  • Certain sexual relations were prohibited. Thus, A tried to control the sexuality of women in Mauryan society.
  • Adultery was a crime with punishment being amputation of nose and ears.
  • Rape was a punishable offence with varying degree from death to fines from 12 panas onwards. Punishment to city guards for misbehaving w/ women. Punishments depended on the status of women.
  • Abortion was a crime.
  • Worked in agricultural fields and pastures along w/ men. Spinning sector of textile was reserved for women, particularly for those who had no other means of livelihood Ex widows, cripples, mothers of prostitutes. But cheating in these sectors were punished severely.
  • Women, Children were employed in collecting and preparing ingredients making alcoholic liquor.
  • Occupation mentioned are shampooing, preparing bath, making garland, perfumery etc.
  • Employed by the state for prostitution, women entertainers, actresses. Who were often used as assassins.
  • A female bonded labour was not to be beaten, treated violently etc.
  • Contract made by woman dependent on here husband or son was not valid.

  • Dharmashastra accepted certain types of inter-varna marriages ie man of higher varna and woman of lower it was called anuloma. Pratiloma unions were not approved. Their mention suggests such marriages happened and varnas were not strictly endogamous.

  1. Mishra, S. C. “OBSCURE MAURYAN KINGS: FRESH PERSPECTIVES (FROM THE HISTORY OF BUDDHISM IN INDIA) BY TARANATH.” Proceedings of the Indian History Congress, vol. 73, Indian History Congress, 2012, pp. 35–45, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4415618↩︎

  2. http://puneresearch.com/media/data/issues/5b6a7d4c22a35.pdf↩︎