question_answer

Trace out the growth of Buddhism. Explain the teachings of Buddha.

Or

Trace out how stupas were built. Explain why the stupa at Sanchi survived, but not at Amravati.

Answer:

Siddhartha (Buddha) one day persuaded, his charioteer to take him to the city. His first journey to the city acquainted him with the traumatic world outside. He was deeply anguished. When he saw an old man; a sick man and corpse, he realized that decay and destruction of die human body was inevitable. He also saw a homeless mendicant, who, it seemed to him, had come to terms with old age, disease and death and found peace. So he decided that he too would adopt the same path, after which he left his place and set out in search of his own truth. Under the a tree in Bodh Gaya, he enlightened with knowledge and gave his teachings to disciples and his teachings became very popular because many people were dissatisfied with the existing religious practices and were confused by the rapid social changes. The importance to conduce the values, rather than just claims of superiority on bases of birth.

Teachings:

1. The world is transient (anicca) and changing constantly.

2. There is nothing permanent or eternal.

3. In the transient world, sorrow is intrinsic to human existence. It is by following the path of moderation between severe penance and self-indulgence that human beings can rise above these wordly troubles.

4. Buddha emphasised individual agency and righteous action as the means to escape from the cycle of re-birth and attain self realisation.

5. We are the same as plants, as trees, as other people and as the rain that falls. We consist of that which is around us. If we destroy something around us, we destroy ourselves. If we cheat another, we cheat ourselves. Under this light of knowledge, Buddha and his followers never killed any animal.

Or

Inscriptions found on the railings and pillars of the stupas record donations made for buildings and decoration made on them. Some donations were made by kings, others were made by guilds such as that of ivory workers who financed a part of one of the gateways at Sanchi. Hundreds of donations were made by women and men who mention their names sometimes adding the name of the place from where they came as well as their occupations and names of their relatives.

Bhikkhus and bhikkunis also contributed towards building these monuments: stupas have Buddhist ideas and practises. Perhaps Amaravati was discovered before the scholars understood the value of the findings and realised how critical it was to preserve such things where they had been found instead they thought of removing them from the site. Also when Sanchi was discovered in "1818", three of its four gateways were still standing and the forth was lying on the ground.

Amaravati stupas at Amaravati were changed and some of the slabs from the Amaravati stupas had been taken to different places, for example, they are taken to Kolkata, Chennai and London and were used in other structures.

Sanchi: The stupas of Sanchi build in 1818 are still standing. Three of the gateways are still standing but the fourth had fallen mound. It was decided to take it to Paris or London. Finally, a number of factors helped to keep Sanchi as, it was and so it stands.