Sects and Schisms

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Sects and Schisms

• Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D.
• REL 260
• Buddhism
• Berea College
• Spring 2004

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INDIA IN THE 2ND CENTURY BCE

• Under Mauryan Empire (321-185 BCE), resists
  Greco-Macedonian domination
• Host to multiple intellectual movements and
  religious traditions, including
• Vedic orthodoxy
• Upanisadic schools
• Non-Vedic heterodoxy (Jainism, Buddhism)
• Popular religion (cults of local deities, e.g.,
  Krishna)
• Characteristics of the period
• Philosophically mystical
• Religiously eclectic
• Socially conservative

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ASOKA (r. 274-236 BCE)

• Inherits empire acquired by grandfather
  Chandragupta (r. 321-297 BCE), who defeated
  Alexanders heirs in northwest India
• Allegedly embraces Buddhism out of remorse for
  brutal wars
• Sponsors institutional growth of Buddhism
• Inscribes dharma on rock or pillar edicts
  throughout empire
• Distributes relics of Buddha
• Supports sangha
• Sponsors missionaries to China, Greece, southeast
  Asia

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THE MAURYAN EMPIRE (321-185 BCE)
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THE RISE OF THE STUPA

• Stupa relic monument
• Interest in relics of Buddha dates back to death
  of Sakyamuni
• Distribution and enshrinement of relics parallels
  expansion of Buddhism throughout India and rest
  of world
• Relics thought to exert positive karmic influence
  and assist with spread of dharma
• Stupas become centers of monastic community life
  and symbols of political patronage (e.g., Asokas
  sponsorship of stupa construction)

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IMPERIAL BUDDHISM

• In part because of royal sponsorship, dependence
  of sangha on laity intensifies
• Growth of lay followers (primarily members of
  vaisya class involved in Southwest Asian trade
  networks) encourages
• independence from monastic authority
• innovative doctrines and practices
• dialogue with Greek and Iranian religious
  traditions (e.g., mystery religions,
  Zoroastrianism)

• As a result of Mauryan imperial sponsorship,
  Buddhism becomes established throughout South
  Asia, especially northwest India, crossroads of
  Indo-Iranian-Greek cultural exchange
• Asoka becomes model of Buddhist monarch
• Bodhisattva (future Buddha)
• Dharmaraja (just king)
• Cakravartin (wheel-turning king secular
  equivalent of Buddha)

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THE SPLIT IN THE SANGHA

• By 1st century BCE, tensions surrounding
  interpretation of dharma between Sthavira
  (elders) and Mahasanghika (Great Assembly)
• Rise of Sanskrit-based progressivism eventually
  generates two main sectarian groups
• Mahayana (Greater Vehicle)
• Theravada (Way of Elders) -- sometimes labeled
  Hinayana (Lesser Vehicle)

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SECTARIAN DEBATES

• Central issues in debates between emerging
  Theravada and Mahayana sects
• Uniqueness of Sakyamuni Buddha
• Intepretation of key concepts (e.g., anatman)
• Authority of new sutras
• Status of various sectarian approaches or
  vehicles
• Legitimacy of Buddha-images
• Inclusion of non-Buddhist deities, ideas, and
  practices

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