Tag: social studies

According to Gautama Buddha, sorrow is caused by excessive craving and desire. We can attain freedom from sorrow if we control our desires. In order  to gain control over our desires, we need to live a balanced and controlled life, and should not cause pain to any living being. Buddha taught that one should avoid extremes -extreme penance or extreme pleasure, but instead follow a middle path. That is why Buddhism is also called the Great Middle Path.

The teachings of Buddha came to be known as Buddhism. The teachings of Buddha and his followers have been compiled in three collections (Thripitikas) called the Sutta Pitaka, the Abhidhamma Pitaka and Vinaya Pitaka. Tripitaka or Three Baskets is a traditional term used for various Buddhist scriptures. It is also known as Pali Canon in English. 

Parivrajakas were seekers of truth who did not live permanently in any one place.They left their homes and wandered from village to village and forest to  forest.Hence they were called Parivrajakas(wanderers) or Bhikshus (mendicants or those who begged). Among these parivrajakas, Vardhamana Mahavira,Gautama Buddha, Makhkhali Goshala and Ajita Keshkambalin became very famous.

Fire used to keep off wild animal by early people.Natural fires caused overwhelmingly by lightning are highly evident on many landscapes. Birds such as hawks, and some other predators, are alert to opportunities to catch animals including invertebrates disturbed by such fires and similar benefits are likely to underlie the first human involvements with fires. Early humans were certainly familiar with the heat of the sun. They must have observed lightning flashes. The human control of fire likely required a cognitive ability to conceptualize the idea of fire.

The early farmers needed to clear forests by cutting trees and branches. They developed a new kind of stone tool which is called neolith by archeologists. It is after this new kind of stone tool that this period of early agriculture is called Neolithic Period.

Gautama Buddha found that people everywhere were miserable and in conflict with each other. He began to think, how can we get rid of this misery? Gautama also left his family and home in search of answers to such questions. He became a Parivrajaka, and after years of penance and meditation arrived at some answers to these questions. The teachings of Buddha came to be known as Buddhism.

The Kanheri Caves comprise a large basaltic rock outcrop into which 109 caves have been cut, dating from the 1st century BCE to the 10th century CE. By the 3rd century, the Kanheri Caves had become an important Buddhist institution for congregational practice, study, and meditation, and were considered a Buddhist educational center. The sculptural embellishments include representations of various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

Many people went to live in the forests in ashrams. In these ashrams, they meditated and pondered over several questions. They also had discussions with people who came to visit them and shared their teachings with others. People who lived in ashrams like this were called Rishis and Munis (sages).

The Chaitya at Karla is the largest of the cave temples. It is situated at Karle in Pune district of Maharashtra. It is said to have been sculptured between 100-125 A.D. The Chaitya was built like caves on hill sides. Stone workers using chisel and hammer carved living rocks and reproduced structures which carpenters and wood workers had made.They made large prayer halls, stupas and small rooms for monks all in the rock.They also carved beautiful images of people and animals and some times of the Buddha.

Today we use machines, tractors and tools made of steel etc. The earliest people also used tools; but these were made of stones, bones and wood. Initially, large stones were given sharp edges by very careful breaking with another stone. This gave the people a tool which enabled them to cut flesh, dig the earth for tubers and hunt animals.