For Under Graduate Student

HISTORY

Subject : History

(For under graduate student)

Paper No. : Paper-I

History of India

Topic No. & Title : Topic-6

Emergence of new faiths

Lecture No. & Title : Lecture-1

Buddhism

FAQs

1. Name some religious reformers around the sixth century BC.

Religious reformers who attempted to reconstruct socio-religious orders around the sixth century BCE, were Confucius and Lao-tzu in China, Zoroaster in Persia, Parmenides in Greece and Mahavira and Gautama Buddha in India.

2. In what aspects did the early historic period transform the Vedic period?

The early historic period saw significant changes, which were reflected in the process of state formation, urbanization, and monetization. The beginning of urban centres, and the transformation from janapadas to mahajanapadas, took place during this period. This was also the period when the earliest coins of India or the punch mark coins were issued.

3. What does ‘Dhamma’ imply according to Buddhism?

Dhamma means law, and not religion according to Buddhism. It refers to the law that controls our life and our actions. Buddhism stipulates that it is our actions that will determine whether we attain nirvana or not.

4. What are the seven types of Dukhas according to Buddha?

Buddha classified dukhas into seven categories. They are janma or birth, jara or old age, vyadhi or disease, mrityu or death, priya-viyoga or separation from loved ones, priya-sambhoga or association with someone or something that we do not like and ipsita alava or the failure to attain what we crave for.

5. What are the three trishnas according to the Buddha?

The three trishnas are bhava-trishna, or desire for long life, vaibhav- trishna, or desire for wealth and sukha- trishna, or the desire for everlasting happiness.

6. Why is the ‘Eight-fold Path’ called the Middle Path?

The eight fold path or the Ashtangika Marga comprises of right speech, right action right meditation, right concentration, right intelligence, right effort, right livelihood, and right mindfulness. None of these qualities denoted either total indulgence, or total abstinence, which was why it was termed as majjhima patha or the Middle Path.

7. How does Buddha explain nirvana?

Nirvana according to Buddha implies Ajara, or freedom from all sort of incapabilities, Avyadhi or freedom from all kinds of illnesses, and Asoka or freedom from all kinds of sadness. Nirvana thus meant a blissful existence, although Buddha did not believe in the permanence of the state of Nirvana.

8. Why did Buddhism receive patronage from the setthis?

Many of the patrons of Buddhism were great setthis/ businessmen, or gahapatis/rich agriculturalists, who had all along been assigned a lower position in society according to the norms of the Brahman dominated society. Buddhism did not recognize any caste differences, which ensured that these classes got some recognition and status, which encouraged them to extend their patronage to Buddhism.

9. What were the Pitakas?

The three Pitakas recorded the life and teachings of Buddha. The Sutta Pitaka contains the life story and the teachings of the Buddha, the Vinaya Pitaka, a text of monastic discipline (for the monks), and the Abhidhamma Pitaka, which contained the philosophical and metaphysical expositions of Buddhist doctrines.

10. What is Pancha Shila?

The Pancha Shila refers to the five codes of conduct that should be followed by a person every day. The shilas stated that one must not steal, not tell lies, not take life, (ahimsa), non- attachment, and brahmacharya or abstention. The first three would lead to Dhyana and the next two to Pragya and finally Sambodhi.