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Schools of Indian Philosophy
Introduction: After the state and the Varna divided social order were firmly established, ancient thinkers believed that an individual should strive for four goals. These are economic resources (Artha), social order regulation (dharma), sensual pleasures (Kama), and salvation (moksha). Arthashastra-Kautilya(Artha) Dharmashastras(laws) Kamasutra(pleasure) Darshana(salvation) In India, a philosophy developed as an investigation into the enigmas of life and existence. Indian Phi


Indian Sculpture Schools
Indians Sculptures are artistic expressions that reflect cultural characteristics. The Indian subcontinent has a long history of sculptural art. Sculptural remains in various forms- bear witness to the masterly skills of craftsmen that existed and have survived the ages. Because cultural creation was thought to be a reflection of the divine, saundarya, or aesthetic pleasure, was built into its production and consumption. It's no surprise that the majority of ancient and media


Developments Of Crafts In India
History And Background According to archaeological evidence and literature, textile creation is an early Indian art form that predates the Harappan civilisation by at least 5,000 years. Cotton, wool, and silk are the most common materials used in textiles. Textiles Cotton and wool appear to have played an important role in Indian history, dating back to the Harappan civilization. Indigenous silk was produced by the tribes of Bihar and Orissa in the north-eastern states. The n


Astronomy In Ancient India
Astronomy developed concurrently with mathematics as a complement to religious obsessions in the past. Both met the requirements of objectivity and subjectivity. Astronomy evolved from magical observations of the sky above to systematic observation and discussion, and finally to scientific investigation and interpretation, resulting in a complex field that is both effective and widely used. Astronomy developed from religious interpretations of the movement of stars and planet


Mathematics In India
Aryabhatta: The Great Mathematician Aryabhatta wrote the Aryabhatiya, a 121-verse manuscript (476-529 A.D.). He invented methods for arithmetic, geometry, algebra, and trigonometry in addition to astronomy. Also calculated the value of the 'pi' to be 3.1416 and talked about mathematical concepts like numerical squares and cube roots. Through sine functions, Aryabhata is credited with developing trigonometry. Background Aryabhatiya was particularly well-known in South India, w


The Bhakti Sects: Bhagvatism, Vaishnavism & Shaivism
Bhagvatism Bhagvatism was founded on Vasudeva Krishna's worship. He is recognised as having founded Bhagwatism. Krishna makes his first appearances as a teacher in the Jaiminiyae Brahamana and Tairminyae Upanishad. The Bhagwad Gita represents Krishna's ideology at its peak. The primary characteristics of Bhagvatism are as follows: Bhakti Prapati (total surrender) Nishkama Karma (selfless action) Information Abandonment of sacrifices and rituals Bhagvatism also includes some p


Jainism: An Introduction
History & Background Jains were historically referred to as Sramanes. While Jainism makes no claim to a single founder, the Jain holy book Anusruti records the existence of 24 Tirthankaras (guides to salvation). At various points in history, a Tirthankara revealed the truth, which literally translates as a teacher who makes a ford,' i.e. reveals the path. Who is referred to as 'Tirthankaras'? Like great teachers, Tirthankaras attained the highest spiritual goal of life and th


The Expansion Of Buddhism
In Theravada Buddhism, three collections of works are regarded as sacred scripture, collectively referred to as the "Three Baskets" (Tripitaka): The 'discipline basket' is a collection of regulations that apply to the upper class. The 'teaching basket' contains the Buddha's lectures. Buddhist theology is contained in the 'metaphysical basket.' Mahayana Buddhism's texts are far more extensive. The Mahayana 'canon' has no clearly defined boundaries. Yaksha The yaksha is a large


Buddhism: An Introduction
History and Background The early stages of Buddhism were mostly limited to India and are commonly referred to as Theravada Buddhism. Later Buddhism, which gained widespread popularity beyond India (particularly in China and Japan), was called Mahayana Buddhism. The main principle of Buddhist philosophy is the belief that all life is painful. Everyone is exposed to the horrors of birth, sickness, decrepitude, and death, as well as separation from what they love. Suffering is c


Southern Dynasties: Literature, Features & Philosophy
The Emergence of Tamil Literature Tamil literature began to emerge during the Sangam Period. By the third century B.C., Tamil had developed into a fully-formed language with its own writing system and literary uses. Inscriptions in Tamil Brahmi discovered in Jain and Buddhist caves in the Tamil Brahmi hills are the earliest evidence of the language's written tradition. Tamil heroic poetry, also known as Sangam literature, is the body of the Tamil literary tradition of ancient


Gupta Empire
The Gupta Empire ruled India between the early fourth and late sixth centuries CE. It ruled a large portion of the Indian subcontinent between 319 and 467 CE. Historians refer to this time period as India's Golden Age. The empire's ruling family was established by King Sri Gupta and included Chandragupta I, Samudragupta, and Chandragupta II alias Vikramaditya. Chandra Gupta-I Gupta Chandra-I founded the Gupta dynasty. Sri Gupta, the first known king of the Gupta line, was his


Administration and Economy Of Mauryan Empire
What were the factors that contributed to the decline of Mauryas? The commanders of Ashoka were given control of large swaths of lands. There appears to have been a division of land as well, with the eastern portions under Dasharatha's control and the western portions under Kunala's. Scholars have proposed a variety of theories to explain this loss of control. It is sometimes claimed that Ashoka's pro-Buddhist and pro-Jaina policies alienated the Brahmins, prompting Pushyamit


The Mahajanpadas & The Mauryan Empire
THE SIXTEEN MAHAJANAPADAS In Indian history, the sixth century B.C. is regarded as a turning point. The formation of early governments and towns, as well as the increased use of iron and the introduction of metal coinage, occurred during this time. As different schools of thought such as Buddhism and Jainism developed, they saw a lot of human activity. The mahajanapadas, or sixteen states, are mentioned in early Buddhist and Jain writings. Names like Vajji, Magadha, Koshala,


Vedic Period: Society, Economy & Religion
The Rigvedic Society The society was male dominant, where the father was the family's head and was known as 'grihapati and dampati. Families with a common origin created clans called kulas, which were controlled by a kulapati. Varna System The major social development was the Varna system. Traditionally, varnas were classified according to their complexion, separating society into Sveta varna (Aryans) and Krishna varna (non-Aryans). It was related to the profession in the sec


The Indus Valley Civilisation
The Indus valley civilisation was first discovered in 1921 in Harappa, Punjab, and again in 1922 in Mohenjodaro, Sindh, near the Indus river, both of which are now in Pakistan. Subsequently, artefacts of the civilisation have been discovered near Sutkagen Dor, in the Arabian Sea, near Rupnagar, at the foot of the Shimla highlands, nearly 1,600 kilometres to the northeast. Later exploration showed its existence southward along India's west coast, all the way to the Gulf of K
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