15-01-2013, 02:22 PM
Buddhism from origin to Asokan Era
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Buddhism at the time of Asoka
The enormous gifts and royal patronage had supported the sangha to grow
By the time of Asaoka India was covered with Viharas, which were both monasteries and temples.
Caityas
They built caityas or sacred spots, which were often small groves of trees, on the outskirts of villages, and might include tumuli or stupas, such as those in which the ashes of the chiefs was buried
Rise of Monasteries
Soon after the Buddha's death many communities of monks gave up the practice of constant travel except in the rainy season, and settled permanently on the outskirts of towns and villages, often near the local caityas. With time many of these little monasteries grew in size and importance.
Bodhi Tree
The original Bodhi tree of Gaya, under which the Buddha sat, became an object of pilgrimage, and cuttings of it were carried as far as Ceylon.
Between 200 B.C.E. and 200 C.E.
The old stupas were enlarged and beautified.
Different sects existed at this time
Mahayana was becoming important.
Bodhisattva
According to the old doctrine the Bodhisattva works in wisdom and love through many lives, so that he may become a Buddha, and other ordinary people are encouraged to follow his example.
Yet since the Bodhisattva is a being of immeasurable charity and compassion, surely when others are suffering he cannot enter Nirvana, where he will be of no help to them
So , quite logically, the Bodhisattva was thought of in the schools of Mahayana as one who will not enter Nirvana until even the smallest insect had reached the highest goal.
The old ideal of Arhat, “the worthy”, who achieved Nirvana was and would be reborn no more was being looked at as rather selfish.
Madhyamaka
Nagarjuna explained the theory of dependent origination in terms of emptiness.
According to him there are no beings anywhere, which occur out of themselves, or out of another, or out of both or without a cause.
Nagarajuna
In the absence of any ‘own being’ , there can be no other being either
Since no principle occurs which is not originated by conditions, no principle occurs which is not empty.
For Nagarjuna principles are not ‘non-existent’ or ‘existent’, it can be said that they occur
Yogacara
The other important school of Mahayana began with Asanga, who was born in 290 in Gandhara.
This name refers to conduct of meditation.
This school was later known as Vijnanavada or ‘consciousness only’
From 8th C.E. onwards
Certain monasteries were still thriving like one in Nalanda
Monks from here went to spread Buddhism to other parts such as Tibet.
And monks from other areas came to study here
Medieval India
In medieval North India Buddha began to be looked upon as an avatara of Visnu and Buddhism thus began to loose its individuality.
Hinduism was a part of domestic ceremonies and its brahmins and ascetics did not depend on any structure fir their survival
They sustained the onslaught of Muslim invasion