Thinkers, Beliefs And Buildings

Upanishadic thinkers:

a. They were curious about the meaning of life, the possibility of life after death and rebirth (transmigration).

b. They believed in the single ultimate reality (god) and soul.

c. They understood the significance of sacrificial tradition at believed that performing sacrifices will bring them good health, long life etc.

d. They also believed in doing penance and good Karmas.

FATALISTS: - (They belonged to the Ajinika tradition)

1. They believed that everything is predetermined.

2. Doing penance will neither help in gaining good karmas ‘nor help in getting rid of bad karmas.

3. Pleasure and pain cannot be altered in the course of samsara (transmigration).It can neither be lessened or increased

MATERIALIST :- (they belonged to the traditions of lokayats)

1. They did not believe in alms or sacrifice or offerings. This world or the next one.

2. According to them human beings is made up of five elements. When he dies the earthy in him returns to the earth, the fluid of water, the heat to fire, the unwind to air, and his senses pass into space

The most important teachings of Jainism are –

1. The entire world in animated: even stones, rocks and water have life

2. Non-injury to living beings, especially to humans beings, especially to humans, animals, plants and insects is central to Jaina philosophy is central to Jaina philosophy

3. According to Jaina teachings, the cycle of birth and rebirth is shaped through Karma.

4. Asceticism and penance are required to free oneself from the cycle of Karma. This can be achieved only by renouncing the world, Therefore monastic existence is a necessary condition of salvation.

5. Jaina monks and nuns took five vows, to abstain from killing, stealing and lying, to observe celibacy, and to abstain from possessing property.

The contribution of Shahjahan Begum and her successor Sultan Jehan Begum was praise worthy in the preservation of the Stupas at Sanchi. Their contribution can be described as follows:

1. They donated money for the up-keep of the Stupas at Sanchi.

2. Sultan Jahan Begum contributed a lot of money for the erection of a museum and a Guest House.

3. The European also supported to preserve the Stupa.

4. John Marshall lived in that guest house and wrote many books. He dedicated his important books on Sanchi to Sultan Jahan Begum.

Thus, the Stupas survived due to the wise decisions of the Begums of Bhopal.

(a) Dhanavati dated her inscription that she placed the inscription at Madhuvanaka in the first month of the hot season on the eighth day in the year 33 of the Maharaja named Havishka.

(b) I think that she (the Bhikkhuni Dhanvati installed an image of the Bodhisatta to show that Mahayana sect of Budhhism was becoming popular day by day and Boddhisattas were considered great personalities in Buddhism during the reign of the Kushana rulers.

(c) She has mentioned her own mother’s sister’s name Buddhamita. The lady was a Bhikkuni. She had also mentioned Bhikkuni Bala and her parents.

(d) She knew the Tipitaka.

(e) She learnt the text from the Bhikkhuni Buddhamita who was the female pupil of the Bala.

a. Dhanavati dated her inscription with the help of the Maharaja Huvishka, a Kushan ruler. This date was the eighth day of the first month of the hot season during the thirty third year of his rule.

b. Dhanavati had deep faith in Buddhism which is why; she got the statue of Bodhisatta installed to show that Mahanaya sect of Bhuddhism was considered great personalities in Bhuddhism popular.

c. She mentioned the name of her maternal aunt Buddhamita, her guru Bhikkhu Bala together with her parents.

d. She knew the Buddhist texts like Tipitaka.

e. She learnt this text from the female pupil of the Bhikkhu Bala. It is also possible that she might have learnt a few lessons from Buddhamita who knew the Tipitaka texts.

Art historians had to acquire familiarity with Buddhist literature to understand the sculpture because many early sculptures did not show Buddha in human form but through various symbols for E.g.:

A.1. The Stupa was meant to represent “Mahapari-nibbana”.

2. The wheel stood for the first sermon of the Buddha at Saranath.

3. A tree symbolises that the Buddha attained enlightenment while meditating under a tree.

4. The empty seat was meant to indicate the meditation of the Buddha some other sculptures at Sanchi were not directly inspired by Buddhist ideas but were derived from other popular tradition for E.g.:

B.1. The Shalabhanjika motif- This peculiar sculpture at Sanchi depicts a beautiful woman swinging from the edge of the gateway holding on to a tree.

According to popular belief, this was a woman whose touch caused trees to flower and hear fruit.

The Shalabhanjika motif was regarded as an auspicious symbol by the Buddhists as it suggested that many people who turned to Buddhism, enriched it with their own pre-Buddhist and non – Buddhist belief, practices and ideas.

2. Animal Motifs: - At Sanchi, some of the finest depiction of animals are found; like elephants, horses, monkeys cattle etc. Some animals figures can be related to Jataka stories while other were used to depict human attributes for E.g.: Elephants were depicted to signify strength and wisdom.

3. Maya and Gajalakshmi Motif: - This is the motif of a woman surrounded by Lotuses and Elephants which seem to be sprinkling water on her as if performing an “Abhisheka”.

Some historians identify her with Maya, the mother of the Buddha; while other identify her as gajalakshmi- the goddess of good fortune.

4. Serpent Motif – the serpent motif is found on several pillars, this seems to have been derived from popular traditions.

In both the figure we see depiction of a way of life. In figure 4.32 we see more depiction of animals and plants. The depiction of how houses are built in this figure are very rural in the depiction. Houses looks as if they are built of mud and the roof are made of thatch. The way they are dressed on can deduce that they are farmer of they are hunter. There is also a depiction of a man with a bow. He could be hunter.

In figure 4.33 we see a very different depiction, with architecture that looks that a town. The pillar and the person depicted inside seems to be of high status as there is someone carrying an umbrella on top of him. The sculpture also shows as if the depiction is of a palace and its way of life. We are able to see some people in their activities.

From the above analysis we can safely presume the figure 4.32 depicts rural way of live whereas figure 4.33 depicts urban way of life.

1. In Hinduism, around 6^th century B.C.E., there developed two traditions – Vaishnavism and Shaivism. In Vaishnavism, Vishnu was worshipped as the principal deity and in Shaivism, shiva was the chief god.

2. In these traditions there was a special bond between the devotee and the God – the bond of love and devotion i.e. Bhakti.

3. In Vaishnavism, over a period of time many cults developed in different parts of the country and as many as ten incarnations or “Avtars” of the deity were recognized.

4. These were the forms that the deity was believed to have assumed in order to save the world whenever it was threatened by disorder or destruction because of the dominance of evil forces.

5. Some of these were depicted in the sculptures too. For e.g.; the VARAHA OR BORA AVATAR of Vishnu rescuing the earth Goddess or Vishnu reclining on the serpent ‘SHESHNAG’.

6. Shiva was also depicted in human attributes of these deities are also depicted through symbols such as head – dresses ornaments and Ayudhas- weapons or auspicious objects the deities hold in their hands- how they are seated etc.

All this greatly enriched the sculpture of this period and created a unified religious tain the sacred relics of the Buddha.

a. Growth of Temple Architecture - Around this temple to house these images of Gods and Goddesses were also built.

b. The early temple was a small square room called the “Garbagriha”, with a single doorway for the worshipper to enter and offer worship to the image

c. Gradually a tall structure, known as the “Shikara” was built over the central shine

d. ‘temple wall’ were often decorated with sculpture

e. later on ‘assembly walls’ and ‘huge gateways’ were also added to the temples

f. Some of the temples were also cut into huge rocks as ‘ARTIFICIAL CAVES’. For e.g.:-the kaishnatha temple in Ellora.

Thus the growth of Vaishnavism and Shaivism led to the temple and cave architecture

From the earliest times, people considered the Stupas as sacred. These Stupas had special tress, unique rocks and inspiring beauty. They also had small shrines attached to them. They were sometimes called as Chaityas.

WHY WERE THEY BUILT – The Stupas were the mound the bodily remains or objects used by the Buddha were buried, so all these Stupas were regarded as sacred. Though Stupas have been there even before Buddha, yet, they are mainly associated with Buddhism. They are venerated as emblems of Bhuddhism as they contain the sacred relics of the Bhuddha. According the Ashokavadana, a Bhuddhist text, Ashoka distributed portions of the Bhudha’s relics to all important cities. He ordered the construction of Stupas over all relics. The important Stupas of Barhut, Sanchi and Sarnath had been built.

COMPLEX STURCTURE OF STUPAS – The Stupa is a Sanskrit word meaning a heap. It is a simple semi circular mound of earth. Later on it was also called Anda. Slowly structure became complex because an attempt was made to balance the round and square shapes. Above the Anda, it had the Harmika, a balcony like structure. These balconies represented the abode of the god. Near the Harmika, was a mast called the Yashti. It was often surmounted b a Chattri or umbrella. Around the mound, there was a railing. It circulated the sacred place from the secular world. The Stupas at Sanchi and Bharhut have stone railing. This railing was like a bamboo or wooden fence. It had four gateways, the worshippers mostly entered from the eastern gateway. They walked around the mound in a clockwise direction.

MONEY FOR THE CONSTRCUTION OF THE STUPAS – A lot of donations poured in for the construction and decorations for the Stupas. Kings like the Satvahanas offered huge amounts, similarly the guilds and the ivory workers fund of Sachi. Besides the financed part of one of the gateways of Sanchi. Besides hundred of men and women also donated for this purpose. They mention their name along with their place from where they had come. The Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis also contributed a lot for the construction of these monuments.