DESTABALIZES THE EXISTING POLITICAL SYSTEM;

WHEN ALEX THE GREAT LEAVES THERE IS A POWER VACUUM

[300 BCE]

-CONQUERS MOST OF CENTRAL INDIA

-CENTRALIZED ADMINISTRATION

-BUILDS STRONG POLITICAL SYSTEM

-BUILDS STRONG MILITARY

-STABALIZES TAXES

-HIS SON FOLLOWS HIS REIGN

-THEN HIS GRANDSON

[268-232 BCE]

-CHANDRAGUPTA GRANDSON

-KNOWN AS ADMINISTRATOR & INTERROGATOR

-COMPLEX BUREAUCRACY (STILL CENTRALIZED)

-INCLUDED TAXATION AND COLLECTORS

-APPOINTED ACCOUNTANTS AND CLERKS

-BUILT MILITARY

-BUILT ROADS TO FACILITATE TRADE

-ROUGHLY 50 YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH THE MAURYAN EMPIRE COLLAPSED

-THE EMPIRE WAS SO CENTRALIZED THAT WITH HIS DEATH CAME DECLINE

-DEVOUT BUDDHIST 260 BCE

-BROUGHT STABILITY AND PROPERITY

-NO MICRO MANAGEMENT

-INVADED BY THE WHITE HUNS FROM CENTRAL ASIA

-FROM 450-550 IT EXISTED IN NAME ONLY

-DECENTRALIZATION MAKES INVASION EASIER

-URBAN GROWTH

-NEW SOCIAL HIERARCHIES

-NEW TRADE

-NEW CRAFTSMAN

-NEW MERCHANTS

-PRODUCTION & MANUFACTURING

NEW ADDITIONS TO THE CASTE SYSTEM

(CAN ONLY BE USED WHEN REFERRING TO INDIA)

-PRIEST (BRAHIMS)

-WARRIORS (ARISTOCRATES/KSHATRIYAS)

-PEASANTS (MERCHANTS/VAISHYAS)

-SERFS (SHUDRAS)

-GUILD (JATI)

-SYSTEM MODIFIED IN ORDER TO ADAPT TO CHANGES IN SOCIAL ORDER

-GUILD IS BASED ON TRADE

-POTTERS HANDED DOWN TO NEXT GENERATIONS

-LOCATED SOMEWHERE BETWEEN WARRIORS & MERCHANTS AS THE CATEGORIES INCREASE

-VERY RIGID; POTTERS RAISE POTTERS

1. JAINISM (DETACHMENT)

2. BUDDHISM (OVERCOME SUFFERING BY OVERCOMING DESIRE)

3. HINDUISM (BE ACTIVE IN THE WORLD BUT FULFIL YOUR DUTIES)

-BELIEF IN UNIVERSAL SOUL

-EVERYTHING POSSESSES A SOUL

-SOULS ARE TRAPPED & SUFFERING

-SOULS NEED PURIFICATION OF YOUR BEHAVIOR TO BE SET FREE

-BELIEF IN AHIMSA (LIFE OF NON-VIOLENCE)

-VERY FEW FOLLOWERS

-NO SOCIAL DISTINCTIONS

(APPEALS TO LOWER CLASS)

-FOLLOWERS FORMED A GROUP OF MONKS

(JAIN)

-FOUNDER OF JAINISM

-540-468 BCE

-LEAVES HOME AND WANDERS FOR 12 YEARS LOOKING FOR MEANING

-ENLIGHTENED BY NOT WEARING CLOTHES

-REJECTS ALL WORLDLY GOODS

-BELIVES THAT MATERIAL GOODS CORRUPT US

-APPEALS TO THE LOWER CLASS

-NO CASTE

-MORE PRACTICAL

[563-484 BCE]

-FOUNDER OF BUDDHISM

-DISSATISFIED WITH LIFE

-LOOKING FOR SOMETHING

-SITS UNDER A TREE FOR 49 DAYS

-TEMPTED BY SPIRITS OF TEMPTATION

-TEMPTED BY DEMONS

-LEAVES THE TREE AS THE ENLIGHTENED ONE (THE BUDDHA)

-DRAWS FOLLOWERS TO SPREAD TEACHINGS IN NORTHERN INDIA

1. SUFFERING IS A PART OF LIFE

2. DESIRE IS CAUSE OF ALL SUFFERING

3. GETTING RID OF DESIRES WILL DESTROY ALL SUFFERING

4. DESTROY DESIRE BY FOLLOWING THE NOBLE PATH

(LOVING KINDNESS)

-IS THE MIDDLE PATH

-BELIEF IN NIRVANA (SP INDEPENDENCE)

-BELIEF THAT DHARMA = TRUTH

-BELIEF IN MODERATE LIFE, DISCIPLINE, AND CONTROL

-EXPECTED TO GIVE UP PERSONAL BELONGINGS

-BURDEN EXIST

-NEW DEVELOPMENTS (3RD BCE - 1ST BCE)

-BUDDHA AS GOD

-BODDHISATIS (SAINTS, ENLIGHTENED, STAY ON EARTH)

-DONATIONS FROM WEALTHY (MONEY BUYS RELIGION AND OBLIGATIONS)

-BELIEF IN GREATER VEHICLE

-INCREASES FOLLOWERS

-SPREAD OF BUDDHISM

-4TH CE ARRIVED IN CHINA

-FITS CHINESE POLITICAL SYSTEMS, MORAL STANDARDS

-PROMISE OF SALVATION

-ELEMENT OF SOPHISTICATION

-RISE OF HINDUISM CAUSES DECLINE IN BUDDISM

-MEETS NEEDS OF ORDINARY PEOPLE

-PREIEST ARE HIGH RANKING

-SYSTEM RESPONSIBILITY (CASTE)

-EMBRACES THE MATERIAL WORLD

-FULFIL YOUR DUTY TO RECEIVE SALVATION

-ADDS STRENGTH TO THE CASTE

-SALVATION IS FOR THE MASSES

[300 BCE - 300 CE]

-### SEE DOC

POEM-ARJUNA IS SCARED TO FIGHT BUT HE HAS TO BECAUSE HE IS A WARRIOR; HAS A CONVERSATION WITH KRISHNA; DOESN'T WANT TO WAR AGAINST HIS OWN PEOPLE; KRISHNA PROCLAIMS THAT THIS IS HIS DUTY; REFUSING TO DO YOUR DUTY IS WORSE THAN THE ACTUAL ACT OF KILLING YOUR FAMILY