VEDA, UPANISHADS AND LIFE OF THE BUDDHA RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE IN 600 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Jul 27, 2023 266 likes •509 views

VEDA, UPANISHADS AND LIFE OF THE BUDDHA RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE IN 600 B.C.E c. 1500 B.C.E. VEDAS - Natural Forces as Gods Indra God of Thunder, king of the gods Brahmanaspati /Brahma God of the Creative Word Surya Sun God (Mitra,

SLIDE 1

VEDA, UPANISHADS AND LIFE OF THE BUDDHA

SLIDE 2

RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE IN 600 B.C.E

c. 1500 B.C.E.

VEDAS

Natural Forces as Gods

Indra – God of Thunder, king of the gods Brahmanaspati /Brahma– God of the Creative Word Surya – Sun God (Mitra, Vishnu – solar gods, sun cult) Agni – God of Fire Varuna – God of Ocean, also solar god Aditi – Mother of the Gods Saraswati – river goddess of inspiration Prithvi – earth goddess

Symbolic language
Caste system – hereditary and hierarchical

(brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya, sudra, achyuta)

SLIDE 3

RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE IN 500 B.C.E

c. 1500 B.C.E.

VEDAS (cont’d)

Fire Sacrifices – brahmin mediated offerings of

libations, grains and animals

Recognition of practitioners of extremism (Vratyas,

Keshins) – ascetic and middle path, shraman and brahmin

Ritual as Icon

SLIDE 4

RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE IN 500 B.C.E

c. 10th –

UPANISHADS 7th c. B.C.E.

Vedic reformism; proto-philosophic texts
Concern with ultimate reality as Unitary

(Brahman)

Bliss (Ananda) as basis of reality
Idea of self-division of Brahman as an

appearance through power of Maya

Individualized self-appearances of Brahman

= Atman

Affirmation of reincarnation
Emphasis on experience of Brahman through

meditation

Privileging of shramanic/monastic (muni)

existence

Freedom from cycle of rebirths (moksha /

jivanmukti)

SLIDE 5

SLIDE 6

SLIDE 7

Conception of the Buddha – Maya’s white elephant dream Bharhut Mahastupa, c. 2nd c. B.C.E.

SLIDE 8

Birth of Buddha at Lumbini, Gandhara, c. 2nd c. C.E.

SLIDE 9

Conception and Birth, Sarnath style, c. 6th c. C.E

SLIDE 10

Seer Asita’s prediction, Gandhara, 3rd – 4th c. C.E. – play of king and shraman ideas

idea of the philosopher-king

SLIDE 11

Gautama as a young adult meditating under a jambu tree, Gandhara,

c. 6th c.
Spontaneous meditation
Prelude to his bodhi

meditation

SLIDE 12

Gautama Encounters the Four Signs, Thailand, 20th c.

old age:

suffering as incapacity

sick man:

suffering as pain

dead man:
suffering

as non- existence

shraman:
seeking for

a way out

f suffering

SLIDE 13

Gautama departs from his palace, Gandhara, 4th c. C.E.

SLIDE 14

The Great Departure, Abanindranath Tagore,

c. 1918

At age 29, Gautama departs on his horse Kanthaka to find the solution to the problem of suffering

SLIDE 15

Gautama releases his horse and servant and shears his hair, Borobudur, 9th c. C.E.

SLIDE 16

From Rajagriha, Gautama studied with two teachers, Arada Kalama and Udaraka

Ramaputra. Having mastered

their meditation practices, he did not find the answer to his question on eradicating

suffering. He joined a band
f 5 wandering shramans and

came near Uruvela, trying to

utdo them in ascetic

practices. Gautama as an Ascetic, Gandhara, Sikri Stupa,

1st. – 3rd. c. C.E.

SLIDE 17

Liang Kai. Shakyamuni Descending from the

Mountains. Hanging
scroll. Ink and color on

silk, China, early 13th c. He remembers his spontaneous meditation and affirms the middle path – a Vedic choice

SLIDE 18

Gautama is attacked by the hordes of Mara, Mogao cave 428, N. Zhou, 6th c. C.E.

SLIDE 19

Gautama reaching Enlightenment, black schist, Nalanda monastery, 10th – 11th c. C.E.

SLIDE 20

Buddha teaches his first sermon, “turning the wheel of the Law (dharmachakra pravartana)”, Sarnath, 5th c. C.E.

SLIDE 21

THE FIRST SERMON (DHARMACHAKRA PRAVARTANA – TURNING THE WHEEL OF THE LAW)

SLIDE 22

Return to Kapilavastu, Rahula becomes a monk, Wat Chiang Man, Chiang Mai, c. 1926 .

SLIDE 23

VEDA, UPANISHADS AND LIFE OF THE BUDDHA

RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE IN 600 B.C.E

VEDAS

(brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya, sudra, achyuta)

RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE IN 500 B.C.E

VEDAS (cont’d)

libations, grains and animals

Keshins) – ascetic and middle path, shraman and brahmin

RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE IN 500 B.C.E

UPANISHADS 7th c. B.C.E.

(Brahman)

appearance through power of Maya

= Atman

meditation

existence

jivanmukti)

Conception of the Buddha – Maya’s white elephant dream Bharhut Mahastupa, c. 2nd c. B.C.E.

Birth of Buddha at Lumbini, Gandhara, c. 2nd c. C.E.

Conception and Birth, Sarnath style, c. 6th c. C.E

Seer Asita’s prediction, Gandhara, 3rd – 4th c. C.E. – play of king and shraman ideas

Gautama as a young adult meditating under a jambu tree, Gandhara,

meditation

Gautama Encounters the Four Signs, Thailand, 20th c.

suffering as incapacity

suffering as pain

as non- existence

a way out

Gautama departs from his palace, Gandhara, 4th c. C.E.

The Great Departure, Abanindranath Tagore,

At age 29, Gautama departs on his horse Kanthaka to find the solution to the problem of suffering

Gautama releases his horse and servant and shears his hair, Borobudur, 9th c. C.E.

From Rajagriha, Gautama studied with two teachers, Arada Kalama and Udaraka

their meditation practices, he did not find the answer to his question on eradicating

came near Uruvela, trying to

practices. Gautama as an Ascetic, Gandhara, Sikri Stupa,

Liang Kai. Shakyamuni Descending from the

silk, China, early 13th c. He remembers his spontaneous meditation and affirms the middle path – a Vedic choice

Gautama is attacked by the hordes of Mara, Mogao cave 428, N. Zhou, 6th c. C.E.

Gautama reaching Enlightenment, black schist, Nalanda monastery, 10th – 11th c. C.E.

Buddha teaches his first sermon, “turning the wheel of the Law (dharmachakra pravartana)”, Sarnath, 5th c. C.E.

THE FIRST SERMON (DHARMACHAKRA PRAVARTANA – TURNING THE WHEEL OF THE LAW)

Return to Kapilavastu, Rahula becomes a monk, Wat Chiang Man, Chiang Mai, c. 1926 .

Parinirvana of The Buddha, Kongobu-ji, Koyosan, 1086