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Spiritual Transformations of the 2nd Century BCE

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Spiritual Transformations of the 2nd Century BCE

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    Slide 1:Spiritual Transformations of the 2nd Century BCE

    Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D. REL 231 Religions of India and Tibet Berea College Fall 2003

    Slide 2:THE MAURYAN EMPIRE (321-185 BCE)

    Slide 3:INDIA IN THE 2ND CENTURY BCE

    Unified under Mauryan Empire Host to multiple intellectual movements and religious traditions, including: Vedic orthodoxy Upanishadic schools (Samkhya, Yoga) Non-Vedic heterodoxy (Jaina, Theravada) Popular religion (cults of deities such as Narayana, Vasudeva, Krishna) Development of 2 textual categories: Sruti (that which is heard) revealed scripture, e.g., Vedas Smriti (that which is remembered) wisdom of sages, e.g., epics Emergence of 3 distinct spiritual paths within Vedic tradition: Karmamarga (path of action) dharma-oriented, rooted in Vedas Janamarga (path of knowledge) asceticism-oriented, rooted in Upanisads Bhaktimarga (path of devotion) worship-oriented, rooted in epics Characteristics of the period: Philosophically mystical Religiously eclectic Socially conservative

    Slide 4:THE BHAGAVAD GITA

    Song of the Lord Small portion of Mahabharata: Longest poem in world Describes war of succession to leadership of ksatriya Bharata clan, c. 1000 BCE Attained final written form between 600 and 100 BCE Technically smriti, but popularly regarded as sruti Concerns conflict between two families within Bharata clan: Kauravas (majority) Pandavas (minority, including Prince Arjuna)

    Slide 5:THEMES IN THE GITA

    Reinterprets older concepts: Brahman Dharma Karma Introduces avatara (incarnation) concept manifestation of ultimate reality (e.g., deity) in temporal form (e.g., human being) Develops 3 paradoxes: nondualistic theism deterministic freedom universalistic sectarianism

    Slide 6:NONDUALISTIC THEISM

    How can Krishna be both Brahman and avatara? In Upanisads: Brahman = impersonal absolute force, all-in-all Atman = collective identity of self in relation to whole Advaita = nonduality as ultimate nature of reality In Gita: Krishna = personal deity Arjuna = individual self Dvaita = duality of deity/devotee, self/other, dharma/karma, etc.

    Slide 7:DETERMINISTIC FREEDOM

    How can Arjuna both choose to act and acknowledge the law of karma? Human freedom is constrained by 3 factors: Nature (prakriti) basic material circumstances Karma consequences of previous actions that condition future actions Deity Krishna himself determines history Above all, human freedom is constrained by attachment to egoistic independence

    Slide 8:UNIVERSALISTIC SECTARIANISM

    How can one discern right action by cultivating karma and jana and bhakti? Karma overcomes unrighteousness (adharma) that seeks to avoid action Jana overcomes ignorance (avidya) about the nature of action Bhakti overcomes attachment (upadana) to the results of action All paths (margas) are valid contextually i.e., in the context of a particular level of developed understanding Paradox is the consequence of this progressive theory of truth

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