NCERT HISTORY CLASS-VI
CHAPTER-IX PART-II
THE SPREAD OF BUDDHISM
A Buddist council was organized to discuss important matters by Kanishka, the most famous ruler of Kushanas. A poet who composed the life of Buddha (Buddhacharita) was called Ashvagosha. Distinct features of Mahayana Buddhism, a new form of Buddhism.
- The sculptures depict different signs of Buddha's presence and his attainment of enlightenment under the peepal tree.
- Different types of Buddha statues were made in Mathura and also in Taxila.
- The belief in Bodhisattvas (Person who attained enlightenment) increased among people. Though they attained enlightenment, they didn't isolate themselves instead they started teaching and helping the poor. Many people in central Asia, Japan, China started worshiping them.
Due to the influence and spread of Buddhism, Many caves were hollowed out of hills for monks to live in, which were made by kings, queens, merchants, and farmers. Traders who pass through it also relax there for some time. Another older form of Buddhism is known as Theravada Buddhism which is more popular in Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia.
PILGRIMS
The person who undertakes journeys to holy places in order to offer worship was called a Pilgrims. The best known Chinese Buddhist pilgrims who came to the subcontinent were
1.Fa Xian (about 1600 years ago)
2. Xuan Zang (about 1400 years ago)
3. I-Qing (about 1350 years ago)
They visited famous monasteries and places related to the life of Buddha. Also, they all left many accounts on how the country and monasteries look like, the books they carried with them, the dangers they faced during the travel. Xuan Zank, who took many things like gold, silver, and sandalwood statues of Buddha, 600 manuscripts at the back of 20 horses, traveled all the way back through the land route. After that, he spends his life translating the manuscripts into Chinese.
THE BEGINNING OF BHAKTI
- At the time when people started worshiping someone or something, The worship of certain deities (includes Shiva, Vishnu, and some goddesses like Durga) become a central feature of Hinduism.
- The Bhakti is the way of worshiping these deities, anyone can follow Bhakti irrespective of rich and poor, high or low caste, men or women
- The idea of bhakti is present in Bhagavad Gita (sacred book of Hindus), In which Lord Krishna asks Arjuna to abandon all Dharma and take refuge in him, then only he can free him from all evil things.
- These forms of worship were spread among people throughout the country and everyone started following the system of Bhakti rather than the performance of elaborate sacrifice.
- According to beliefs, if the devotee worships the chosen deity with a pure heart, The Deity will appear in the form of the devotees' desire. These images were described and drawn nicely, these were placed in the special homes called temples. The Bhakti inspired many best experiences in arts like Sculture, poetry, and architecture.