Socio-Economic and Politico-Religious Transformations in the Buddhist Era: A Gendered Perspective

Author(s): Dr. Monika Raj

Abstract:

The historiography of the Buddhist era in ancient India reveals a profound transitional phase, characterized by the efflorescence of trade and commerce, the proliferation of diverse political entities-encompassing both monarchical regimes and republican oligarchies—and the inexorable shift from agrarian village societies to burgeoning urban centers. This epoch, spanning roughly from the sixth to the fourth centuries BCE, marked a pivotal rupture in the subcontinent's socio-economic fabric, fostering an environment ripe for ideological contestation and cultural reconfiguration. In this milieu, canonical texts of the Vedic tradition, such as the Gṛhya Sūtras and Dharma Sūtras, underscore the paramount importance of saṃskāras-those ritualistic formations and life-cycle ceremonies designed to perpetuate the cultural and religious ethos intrinsic to Brahmanical orthodoxy. These rites served as bulwarks, reinforcing hierarchical structures and communal identities rooted in varṇa and āśrama paradigms, thereby ensuring the continuity of a sacral order that privileged inherited status and divine sanction. Conversely, heterodox movements, preeminently Buddhism, endeavored to subvert this entrenched valorization of saṃskāras. By positing that all phenomena are conditioned and impermanent (anicca), Buddhist doctrine, as articulated in the Pāli Canon, demystified these rituals, advocating instead a radical agency wherein individuals-irrespective of gender, for "man" here denotes humanity in its universality-forge their own destinies through ethical conduct, mindfulness, and the cultivation of wisdom.

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Pages: 30-32     |    3 View     |    0 Download