New Questions And Ideas - Class 6 History - Extra Questions

Dharma Chakra Pravarthana.

After the death of Buddha his followers collected his teachings and traditions in the form of Tripitakas. These are Vinaya, Dhamma and Abhidhamma pitakas. They are considered as holy texts of Buddhism. 

Buddha died at the age of 80 at Kushinagar. This has been called Mahapari nirvana. 

Buddhism was opposed to the idea of God and image worship. But, after Buddha's death, his followers preserved his relics and bones in Chaityas and Stupas and gradually began to worship them. After the emergence of Mahayanism Buddha's images and idols began to be worshipped.

The Buddha went to Sarnath and taught for the first time. He spent the rest of his life travelling and teaching people.

Jainism does not reject the existence of God completely, yet it advocates atheism. It denies the role of God in the daily affairs of people. It places God at a lower level than Jina. They also believe that every animate and inanimate thing possesses a soul. Jainism believes that it is only through purification of the soul that one can achieve freedom from rebirth and attain nirvana. Purification is possible through meditation, fasting, punishment of the body and thereby destruction of the body. The process is known as Sallekhana. The concept of Karma is a very important aspect of Jainism. 

After the first Jain council, the preachings of Mahaveera were compiled in 12 volumes. These were called 12 Angas by the Jains. They are in Prakrit language. 

Vardhamana was born in Kundalagrama in Vaishali, one of the republics. His father was Siddhartha, the king of the Gnatrika tribe. His mother was Trishala devi, the princess of the Republic of Licchavi. At the age of 30, Vardhamana set out in search of truth and, renounced his family and house. He wandered for 12 years in this quest and meditated. He punished his body by fasting. At the age of 42, he achieved enlightenment. Due to this he came to be known as Mahaveera and became a 'Jina'.

Mahaveera taught five vows and three principles of behaviour. The latter are called Triratnas. 
The five vows are : Non-violence, Truth, Astheya, Aparigraha and Brahmacharya. 
The triratnas are : Samyakgyan, Samyakdarshan and Samyakcharitra.

The three principles of behaviour taught by Mahaveera, known as triratnas, are - Samyakgyan, Samyakdarshan and Samyakcharitra.

Gautama Buddha's earlier name was Siddhartha. He was born in the 6th century B.C. His father Shuddodana was the king of the republic of Shakyas. Renouncing kingly luxury and familial happiness, Siddhartha became a hermit and embarked upon a quest for truth. On attaining enlightenment he became the Buddha.

The Noble Truths and Eightfold path are the essence of Buddha's teachings. 
The Noble Truths are - 
(1) The world is full of sorrow and suffering. 
(2) Desire is the root cause of sorrow. 
(3) Only by liberation from desires a peaceful life is possible. 
(4) Desire can be overcome by following the Eight fold .path. 
The Eight fold path was preached by Buddha for eliminating desires. This is also called the middle path. It included - Right (1) Action, (2) Speech, (3) Vision, (4) Livelihood, (5) Effort, (6) Recollection, (7) Resolve, (8) Thought. 

The word Kalachakra means cycles of time, and the Kalachakra system presents three such cycles - external, internal and alternative. The external and internal cycles deal with time as we normally know it, while the alternative cycles are practices for gaining liberation from these two. Kalachakra is one of the many Tantric teachings and esoteric practices in Tibetan Buddhism. The tradition's roots are in India, but its most active history and presence have been in the monasteries of Tibet. The tradition is a form of nondualism, and it is believed that the Kalachakra was taught by the Buddha himself.

The famous Jain Kannada poets were Pampa, Ponna, Ranna and Janna.

Gautam Buddha preached about life being full of suffering and unhappiness. He spoke of 'tanha' the desire to have more. He taught about 'Karma' our actions which affect us in the current life and also in the later lives. He taught people to be kind and to respect the lives of others. He used the language of the ordinary people, Prakrit, to talk to them.

Anagha was going on a trip to Varanasi. The place where Buddha gave his first sermon is near Varanasi. Anagha’s mother wanted her to know the story of Buddha so that Anagha could take some lessons from the life and messages of Buddha. We know that Buddha was a great thinker. His teachings are still important and relevant for us.

The Buddha belonged to a small gana known as the Sakya gana, and was a kshatriya.

Ideas and questions mentioned in the lesson and their relevance today.

• Life is full of suffering and unhappiness. It is due to our unfulfilled desires. This is true today since most people are not satisfied with what they have. They resort to unfair means out of greed and end up in suffering and trouble.
  
• Our actions ('Karma') affect us in our current life as well as next life.
  
• We should not hurt or kill any living being, according to Mahavira. This is important because every living being has a desire to live.
  
• Thinkers wanted to know about life after death and they wanted to know why sacrifices should be performed. Sacrifices are not justified since living being should be killed.
  
• Upanishadic thinkers also felt that something was permanent in the universe and it lasts even after death.
  

Mother Teresa was one such lady who gave up worldly pleasures and decided to serve humanity. She had become a nun at very early age. The sufferings of the people, especially the people affected by leprosy, made her serve  humanity. She started many homes, where the sick, old and infants were looked after. She wore simple clothes, a white cotton Saree with a blue border and ate the same food as other. 

The early history of viharas is unclear. Monasteries in the form of caves are dated to centuries before the start of the common era, for Ajivikas, Buddhists, and Jainas. 

Jainism was initially supported by only the traders.

'Karma' refers to our actions- good or bad.

The cycle of rebirth is determined by karma, literally "action". In the Buddhist tradition, karma refers to actions driven by intention , a deed done deliberately through body, speech or mind, which leads to future consequences.

Intending, one does karma by way of body, speech, & intellect.

The Buddha used Prakrit so that everyone could understand his teachings.

The Shudras were excluded from rituals

Shudra or Shoodra is the lowest varna or one of the four social categories found in the texts of Hinduism. Various sources translate it into English as a caste, or alternatively as a social class. It is the lowest rank of the four varnas.

Unlike the members of the three dvija varnas—Brahmans (priests and teachers), Kshatriya, and Vaishya (merchants)—Shudras are not permitted to perform the upanayana, the initiatory rite into the study of the Vedas (earliest sacred literature of India).

Sudras (also Sudhra or Shudra) are people occupying a position next to the bottom of the Hindu caste system in India. Most Sudras are menial workers.

 

The monks got temporary shelters built during rainy season, or they lived in caves.

Jainism was initially supported by traders.  Over centuries, Jainism spread to different parts of north India, and to Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Buddha was born as Siddhartha Gautama in a small 'gana' and was a kshatriya. At an early age, he left the comforts of home and went in search of knowledge. He wandered for several years, and met and discussed with other contemporary thinkers. He meditated for several days under a 'peepal tree at Bodh Gaya in Bihar. Here, after meditation, he attained enlightenment. This gave him the name 'Buddha' (the Enlightened One). He went to Sarnath and taught people. He travelled and preached for the rest of his life. He spoke of 'Tanha', 'Karma', etc. He died at Kushinagar.

The Buddha said that life is full of suffering and unhappiness. He said that its cause lies in our unfulfilled desires and dissatisfaction. He called this tanha or thirst. He suggested moderation in everything as a solution. He told people to be kind and to respect each and every life. He believed that the results of our actions (called karma), whether good or bad, affect us both in this life and the next. 

The Vinaya Pitaka gives the rules made for the Buddhist 'Sangha'.

The five basic principles of jainism are :-

Ahimsa(non-violence),

Satya(truthfulness),

Achaurya(non-stealing),

Bhramacharya(celibacy),

Aparigraha(non-possession).

Mahavira said that those who wish to know the truth must leave their homes. People must follow 'ahimsa' i.e. non violence. The Jainas had to lead very simple lives and be very honest throughout. Men had to give up everything, including their clothes.

The great lessons Buddha  taught his followers were:

The Basic Teachings of Buddha which are core to Buddhism are: