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Religion, Spread of Religion

Religion, Spread of Religion

Section titled “Religion, Spread of Religion”

2020-04-27 11:50:19

Buddhism

Section titled “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

Section titled “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

Section titled “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. ![[NIS - Social Life but imp#Ajivika sect]]

Brahmanism 1

Section titled “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

Section titled “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

Section titled “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

![[7.3 Chandragupta, Kautilya and Arthashastra#Role of Women in Arthshastra]]

![[NIS - Social Life but imp#^e94d02]]

Footnotes

Section titled “Footnotes”

  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 ↩