India in Sixth century BC & the crisis of Bramanical Thoughts

7 Novembro 2017, 16:00 • João Manuel de Almeida Teles e Cunha

The C 600 BC saw the religious and economic reform movement in the Gangetic basin. Numerous religious sects arose in this area in Sixth Century BC. We hear of as many as 62 religious sects. Many of these sects were based on regional customs and rituals practiced by different people.

These changes were due to the steady growth of social discrimination and economic transformation. The causes which gave rise to religious reform movement and economic transformation were manifold as.

In the brahmanical society the vaishyas ranked third, the first two being brahmanas and kshatriyas. Naturally they looked for some religion which would improve their position. he vaishyas extended generous reform movement and religion of Mahavira and Buddha. The merchants, called the sethis made handsome gift to Gautama Buddha and his disciples. There are several reasons for it. First, Jainism and Buddhism in the initial stage did not attach any importance to the existing Varna system. 
 
The new form of property created social inequalities, and caused misery and sufferings to the masses of the people. So the common people yearned to return to primitive life. They were not allowed to touch gold and silver. They were to accept only as much from their patrons as was sufficient to keep body and soul together.

They, therefore, rebelled against the material advantages stemming from the new life in the Gangetic basin. In other words, we find the same kind of reaction against the changes in material life in north eastern India in the sixth century BC, as we notice against the changes introduced by the industrial revolution in modern times. The advent of the Industrial Revolution made many people thinks of return to the pre-machine age life, similarly people in the past wanted return to the pre-iron age life.

It was in the sixth century B.C. that there lived in India the founders of two great religions of mankind. They were Mahavira Jina and Gautama Buddha, the founders of Jainism and Buddhism. Enough of literature came to be written about Jina and Buddha and about their religions. Though the Jaina and the Buddhist literature were religious in character, yet they contained much information about political and social conditions of that time. History could be written from those literary sources. It was the rise of Jainism and Buddhism which made the sixth century B.C. great and glorious.

The Political Condition during 6th Century B.C.:

India, during the sixth century B.C., was divided into a number of Independent states and even north India had no single paramount power. Most of these states were monarchical but quite a large number of them had republican or oligarchic constitutions. The Buddhist and Jaina religious texts are more informative regarding them as compared to the Hindu religious texts.

The changed economic and social circumstances influenced contemporary religious thought. The formation of awakened groups of traders, industrialists and labour resulted in putting a challenge to the supremacy of the Brahmanas.

The formation of sub-castes also did the same. Several of these groups were rich as well which gave them an advantageous position in the society. It led to religious awakening in the society which resulted in formation of several religious sects.

There is no doubt that the rise of Jainism and Buddhism during this age was a result of the changed economic and social circumstances also. We also find that both of these religious sects got support from the neo-rich trading and industrial classes which were eager to get a better social status so far denied to them.

The same way, both Jainism and Buddhism drew large converts from new sub-castes who were interested in getting equal status for all castes thereby getting the facility of having better social status for themselves.

Thus, we find that the 6th century B.C. proved important not only because of certain useful political changes but also because of changes in economic, social and religious condition of the people which all affected not only their own times but also the times to come.