MahaJanapada onwards

Magadha, Caste formation, position of

Women, Administration and laws,
Kautilya’s arthashastra
Janapadas
 Jana + Pada = Janapada (place where people place their foot )
 Villages/ towns/ cities
 Linage based clans – Kurus and Panchalas
 Iron tools – agriculture – population
 War & conquest – chieftains
 Middle
Ganga

Maha
Village Gahapatis
janapada

Sethis
16 Mahajanapadas – Anguttara Nikaya –
Kashi Vatsa
Kosala Kuru
Anga Panchala
Magadha Maccha (Matsya)
Vajji Surasena
Malla Assaka
Chedi Avanti
Gandhara Kamboja
 Upanishads Buddhist texts

Brahmanas Dharmashastras

Sources
Dharmashastras
• Dhri – maintain, support or sustain
• 3 types –
1. Dharmasutra (600-300 BCE)
2. Smritis (200 BCE-900CE)
3. Commentaries/ Nibandhas/ Sangrahas (9th-19th
century)
• Personal, civil and criminal laws
• 4 varnas and jatis (Castes) formed from varna
Samkara
• Marriage
Inheritance
partition Gautama
stridhan
cultivators/herdsmen/traders/ artisans etc
• Marriage
Sonship
Inheritance Baudhayana
Customs of marriage
regulations of trade
• Dwija
Polyandry –Niyoga Apasthamba
Adoption etc
• Vasishtha Dharmasutra
Customs and usage
system of adoption
• Vishnu Dharmasutra –
Vishnu
marriage
inheritance
debts/treasures
Criminal laws etc.
• Smritis –
1. Remembered
2. Constitution, graduation of courts, appointments of
judges etc .
3. Manusmriti –
a) 1st Law giver
b) Systematic, clear and logical collection of rules
c) 12 chapters and 2694verses – civil and criminal
d) Creating universe
Sources of Dharma
marriage etc
• Manubhashya of Bhatta Medhatithi
Manutika of Govindraja commentaries
Manuvarthavritti by Sarvajna Narayana
etc
4. Parasara Smriti –
• Highest authority – Kaliyuga
• Treatise not in full form
• 12 chapters 592 verses
• Parasara Madhaviya by Madhavacharya
5. Yajnavalkya smriti
Narada Smriti
Brihaspati Smriti
Katyayana Smriti
• Mimamsa –
- Interpretation
- Purva Mimamsa of Jaimini
• Nibandhas
⁃ Laws suiting the changing society
⁃ Mitakshara by Vijaneswara
Dayabhaga by Jimutavaha
Smriti Chandrika by Devvanna Bhatta
• Shrauta Sutras
Pitamaha Smriti
Dharmashastra of Kasyapa and Kasyapa
Matsya Purana/Agni Purana/ Vishnu Purana
 Varna System
• Four fold order of Varna
• Hereditary
• Endogamous
• Anuloma – man (higher varna) & woman (lower varna)
Pratiloma – woman (higher varna) & woman (lower
varna)
 Kshatriya Murdhavasikta/
female Savarna

Ambastha
Brahman Male Vaishya Female
• [Brahman Male] {Shudra Female} = Nisada/
Parasava
• [Brahman Female] {Kshatriya male} = Suta
• [Brahman Female] {Vaishya male}= Vaidehaka
• [Brahman Female] {Sudra Male} = Chandala
• [Kshatriya male] {Vaishya Female} = Mahisya
• [Kshatriya male] {Sudra Female} = Ugra
• [Kshatriya female] {Vaishya Male} = Magadha
• [Kshatriya Female] {Sudra Male} = Ksattr
• [Vaishya Male] {Sudra Female} = Karana
• [Vaishya Female] {Sudra Male} = Ayogava
• Brahman- studying and teaching vedas
performing sacrifices for himself & others
giving & receiving gifts
• Kshatriya - studying
performing sacrifices for himself
bestowing gifts, protecting people
• Vaishyas – share the 1st three activities
agriculture, cattle rearing, trade, money
lending
• Shudras – serving higher varnas
• Apastamba – silent – anuloma & pratiloma
• Gautama
Vasishtha marriage within varna also
Manusmriti marriage to woman of lower
Yajnavalkya smriti varna
• Murdhavasikta
Ambastha
Mahisya offspring of woman of lower varna
Nisada married to man of higher varna
Ugra
Karana
 Status of Progeny in case of varna samkara
• 3 views –
a) Male of a varna (married) woman of lower varna =
progeny (varna of father)
b) Status lower than father but higher than mother’s
c) Same as mother’s
• Pratiloma – lower status
Case 1 – Brahman & Kshatriya female- Jatyutkarsa –
rise

2
 Case 2 – Brahman Male & Sudra female – Jatyapakarsa
– fall

1
3

4
6

5
 Buddhism & Jainism
• Reasons for rise of new religious ideas –
1. Cumbersome
2. Meaningless
3. Increased sacrifices & rituals
4. Elaborate and expensive
5. Restricted and irrelevant to sections
6. Domination of Brahman- monopoly- highest position
7. Social groups
• Siddhartha (Suddhodana • Asvajit, Upali,
–chief of Sakya clan & Mogallana, Sari Putra &
Maya –koliyan) Anada – disciples
• Lumbini grove • 483 BC-Kushinagara- 80
(Rumindei)- Nepal Tarai-
• 4noble truths-
Ashokan inscription
-566BC a) Dukha (sufferings)
• 29years of age- Uruvela b) Samudaya (desire)
(Bodh Gaya) – Pipal c) Nirodha
(Bodhi)- 49th Day
(Buddha) d) Ashtanaga marga
(8righteous paths)
• 1st Sermon
(Dharmachakra
Pravartana) – Sarnath’s
Deer Park
• Neither accepted nor rejected – god
• No belief in soul
• Ahimsa
• Rejected Veda
• Condemned animal sacrifices
• Complicated & meaningless rituals

Code of Conduct for Buddha’s followers –

No conversion of others property
Non violence
No intoxicants
No lies
No corrupt practices
What made Buddhism popular?
• Openness to all
• Women
• Liberal and democratic
• Use of people’s language- Pali
• Sangha
• Royal Patronage- Bimbisara of Magadha, Ashoka etc
1st Buddhist Council –
• Saptaparni Cave near Rajgriha
• Mahakassapa
• Vinaya Pitaka (Upali)
Sutta Pitaka (Ananda)
2nd Buddhist Council – 383 B.C.-Vaisali
• Clash between monks of (Vaisali & Pataliputra) &
(Kausambi & Avanti)
• Sthaviravadins (Vinaya Pitaka)-monastic life/rigid
disciplinary laws
• Mahasangikas (new rules)- modified disciplinary rules

3rd Buddhist Council – Ashoka’s reign – Pataliputra

• Moggaliputta Tissa
• 3rd Pitaka – Abbhidhamma
4th Buddhist Council – Kanishka’s reign – Kashmir
• Vibhashas (commentaries)
• Mahayanism – Hinayana –images of Buddha
Buddhist Texts
• Canonical (rules and principals)
• Non-Canonical
Canonical texts - Pali
• Sutta Pitaka (Doctrines)
• Vinaya (disciplines)
• Abhidhamma (scholastic and technical manner)
Sutta Pitaka - Digha Nikaya (length)
• Majjhima Nikaya
• Samyutta Nikaya (special meetings)
• Anguttara Nikaya
• Kuddaka Nikaya
• Kuddaka Nikaya
1. Theragath (doctrine of elders) – Hinayana
2. Therigatha (poems of Buddhist monks-women)
3. Jatakas etc

Jatakas – connected with Buddha’s rebirth/birth story

• stories of present
• Stories of the past
• Verses (gatha)
• Moral & life of the society
• Bharhut Buddhist stupa- relics- MP- Dasaratha
Jataka, Vidurapandita, Vessantara, etc.
• Non Canonical texts –
1. Milindapanha – between King Milinda and monk
Nagasena
2. Netigandha (Nettipakarna) – connected account of
teachings
3. Nidhankatha – stories of Buddha
4. Dipavamsa - historical cum mythical accounts of
Buddha’s
5. Mahavamsa - life, Buddhist Councils, Ashoka etc.
 Teacher-
Panel of
Yellow 10monks-
robes lower
ordination
(pravrajya)
No Sramana-
disabilities 10 precepts

Stages of 20-higher
Consent of
incorporation ordination
Parents
in Sangha (upasampada)
• 10 Precepts
1. Killing
2. Stealing
3. Adultery
4. Speaking falsehood
5. Drinking intoxicating liquor
6. Afternoon meals
7. Witnessing dancing, music etc
8. Use of garlands
9. Use of high beds
10. Acceptance of gold and silver
Regulations for dress and food -
• Three garments (Chivara)- upper robe, lower one and
sort of cloak
• Yellow dyed
• Begging – rule
• Invitations to meals were accepted or offering sent
• Abstained from expressing their wish to eat a particular
kind of food
• Medicines
 Jainism
• Jaina- Jina (infinite knowledge & teaches others how to
attain nirvana)
• Jina – Tirthankara (ford builder) – ocean of sufferings
• 24 Tirthankaras – Parsva & Mahavira
• Mahavira – Vardhamana- born in suburb of Vaisali
called Kundagrama (Basukunda)
1. Naya Clan
2. Siddhartha & Trisala
3. Epithet – Nayaputta/Kasava/ Vesaliya/ Vedehadinna
4. 8months & 4 months in Champa, Vaisali, Rajgriha ,
Mithila etc.
 Teachings of Mahavira
1. Soul (jiva) and matter (ajjiva)- basic existing elements
2. Continuous efforts – soul can be relieved from bondage (moksha)
3. Moksha – liberated soul to pure soul
4. Moksha or Nirvana can be attained by following the principles
(ratnatraya)
- Right belief
- Right Knowledge
- Right Action
5. Man-creator of his own destiny
6. Life of severe asceticism and extreme penance to attain Nirvana
7. World- not created by Supreme creator
8. World functions according to eternal law of decay and
development
• Rejected the authority of Vedas
• For householders:
a) Non-injury
b) Non-stealing
c) Non-adultery
d) Speaking truth
e) Non-possession
f) Should feed needy
• Worshippers of Jainism – agriculture – plants and insects
• For a monk-
a) Worldly possessions
b) Root out every hair of head by his own hand
c) Walk through the day
d) Train not be effected by object of senses
 1st Council- Pataliputra- Sthulabhadra divided Jaina canon
into 12 angas – 300 B.C- Chandragupta’s reign-famine in
south Bihar
 2nd Council – Vallabhi- 512 A.D- Devardhi kshemasarmana
– upangas- ardhamagadhi 12 angas
 Acharanga Sutta- code of conduct which monks need to
follow
 Bhagavati Sutta – Jaina doctrines in comprehensive manner
 Sects within Jainism –
1. 3rd B.C- Digambaras (sky clad or naked) & Svetambaras
(clad in white)
2. 6th Century A.D – Terapanthis (Svetambaras) & Samaiyas
(Digambaras )
 Position of women in Buddhism and Jainism
Buddhism
• Nibbana and Bhikkhuni Sangha (early)
• Stereotyped and Submissive
• Vinaya Pitaka –conditions for nuns
a) Rise, salute & Join hands –monks
b) No monsoon retreat – no monks
c) Every fortnight- date of uposatha (cleansing of mind)
ceremony and to preach doctrine
d) Temporary probation (manatta) - offence
e) Admonition and advice
• Ananda, aunt and foster mother – Mahapajapati
Gotami
• Vinaya Pitaka – 500 instead of 1000 year due to
admission of women
• Pregnant women/ mother of unweaned child, Rebelious
women
• Learned nuns –
a) Khema – King Pasendi
b) Therigatha- 73 poems (522) – 72 high level of
spiritual attainment
Anguttara Nikaya – 7 kinds of wives
a) Vadhaka (slayer) – cruel
b) Chorasama (thief like)
c) Ayyasama (mistress like)- lazy fond of luxuries etc
d) Matusama (mother like)
e) Bhaginisama (sister like)
f) Companion like wife
g) Daisama (slave like)
Jainism -
• Monks were to avoid friendship and company with women.
• Kalpa Sutra- when Mahavira died there were 14000 monks
and 36000 nuns
• 1400 women against 700 men attained salvation
• Women were not allowed to move around naked in public.
• In Shetambara – women could attain moksha in their
lifetime.
• Monks and nuns in par with each other
• Similar salutation like in Buddhism
• Confession from nun to monk was permitted but vice versa
not permited
• 19th Tirthankara – Malli – a nun