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    Ancient Indian History NCERT 11th

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    Ram Mohan Vattikonda
    The document summarizes key aspects of ancient Indian history related to the Indus Valley civilization and Buddhism. It provides details on: 1) Facts about the large scale of the Indus Valley civilization across parts of modern India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, with over 5 million inhabitants across 1056 cities and sites. 2) The four Buddhist councils that were held at different periods to preserve Buddhist teachings, with the first establishing core scriptures and the last dividing Buddhism into Mahayana and Hinayana sects. 3) Important Buddhist scriptures like the Tripitakas and texts like the Dhammapada and Milinda Panha that were foundational to documenting the teachings of Buddhism.

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    Ancient Indian History NCERT 11th

    Uploaded by

    Ram Mohan Vattikonda
    264 views4 pages
    The document summarizes key aspects of ancient Indian history related to the Indus Valley civilization and Buddhism. It provides details on: 1) Facts about the large scale of the Indus Valley civilization across parts of modern India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, with over 5 million inhabitants across 1056 cities and sites. 2) The four Buddhist councils that were held at different periods to preserve Buddhist teachings, with the first establishing core scriptures and the last dividing Buddhism into Mahayana and Hinayana sects. 3) Important Buddhist scriptures like the Tripitakas and texts like the Dhammapada and Milinda Panha that were foundational to documenting the teachings of Buddhism.

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    Synopsis of Ancient Indian History

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    The document summarizes key aspects of ancient Indian history related to the Indus Valley civilization and Buddhism. It provides details on: 1) Facts about the large scale of the Indus Valley civilization across parts of modern India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, with over 5 million inhabitants across 1056 cities and sites. 2) The four Buddhist councils that were held at different periods to preserve Buddhist teachings, with the first establishing core scriptures and the last dividing Buddhism into Mahayana and Hinayana sects. 3) Important Buddhist scriptures like the Tripitakas and texts like the Dhammapada and Milinda Panha that were foundational to documenting the teachings of Buddhism.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    264 views4 pages

    Ancient Indian History NCERT 11th

    Uploaded by

    Ram Mohan Vattikonda
    The document summarizes key aspects of ancient Indian history related to the Indus Valley civilization and Buddhism. It provides details on: 1) Facts about the large scale of the Indus Valley civilization across parts of modern India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, with over 5 million inhabitants across 1056 cities and sites. 2) The four Buddhist councils that were held at different periods to preserve Buddhist teachings, with the first establishing core scriptures and the last dividing Buddhism into Mahayana and Hinayana sects. 3) Important Buddhist scriptures like the Tripitakas and texts like the Dhammapada and Milinda Panha that were foundational to documenting the teachings of Buddhism.

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    of 4
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    Some of the key takeaways from the passage are that the Indus Valley Civilization was one of the largest ancient civilizations in the world, with over 1056 cities discovered so far. It flourished along the Indus and Ghaggar-Hakra river valleys. The major urban centers included Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, Dholavira, Ganeriwala and Rakhigarhi.

    The major urban centers of the Indus Valley Civilization were Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, Dholavira, Ganeriwala and Rakhigarhi. These sites are mostly located along the Indus and Ghaggar-Hakra rivers and their tributaries.

    The objective of the first Buddhist council was to preserve the Buddha's teachings by compiling the Suttapitaka and Vinayapitaka. The third Buddhist council aimed to purify Buddhism from factions and corruption in the Sangha and compiled the Abhidhammapitaka, completing the Pali Tipitaka. Missionaries were also sent to other countries.

    Master Prelims 2020 WriteToBeIAS.

    com Short Notes

    Ancient Indian History - 11th NCERT

    Indus Valley • The Mesopotamia, Egypt, China and the Indus Valley Civilisation,
    Civilization the four great civilisations of the ancient world, the first three
    (Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China) have been broadly studied and well-
    known to everyone. But the fourth and of equal importance, the much
    more sophisticated Indus Valley Civilisation that flourished along the
    flood plains of Indus and Gaggar-Hakra is lost to human memory and
    till date remains puzzling.
    • It was in the 20th century, the lost and forgotten Indus Valley
    Civilisation was rediscovered and acknowledged and given equal
    importance with the other three civilisations (Mesopotamia, Egypt, and
    China).

    Facts for 1. Indus Valley Civilisation was the largest among the other four
    Prelims civilisations of the world (Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China)
    • The Indus Valley Civilisation was spread over an area of 1,260,000 sq.
    km over modern-India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan
    • The civilisation extended from Ghaggar-Hakra Valley in the east to
    Markran coast of Baluchistan in the west, from Afghanistan in the
    northeastern to Daimabad in Maharashtra in the south.
    2. The Population of Indus Valley Civilisation was over 5 million
    • The civilisation had over 5 million inhabitants.
    • Most of the inhabitants of the civilisation were artisans and traders.
    3. Nearly 1056 cities have been discovered
    • 1056 Harappan cities and settlements have been found of which 96
    have been excavated
    • Most of the settlements are mostly located in the broad region of the
    Indus and Ghaggar-Hakra Rivers and their tributaries.
    • The major urban centres are: Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Dholaviral,
    Ganeriawala and Rakhigarhi.
    4. Majority of the population lived in villages and it is not evident
    • Majority of the population of Indus Valley Civilisation lived in villages
    • It is not evident as the villages may have been constructed of
    destructible materials like mud or timber.
    • Hence, it is difficult to find out the lifestyle and culture in these
    villages which have been lost over a period of time without any trace.
    5. Scholars and archaeologists are uncertain about the naming
    • Since the first settlement was discovered along the banks of river Indus,
    the archaeologists named the civilisation as Indus Valley Civilisation. But

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    on contrary only around 100 sites have been found in the Indus
    Valley, while over 500 sites are found along the Gaggar-Hakra River
    (The present day Saraswati River).
    • Most of the archaeologists prefer to call them as ‘Indus-Saraswati
    Civilisation’ based on the two river systems, while other prefer to name
    them as Harappan Civilisation as the first settlement was discovered in this
    city (Harappa).
    • And, according to some archaeologists, the sites along the Gaggar-Hakra
    River are preserved as they lie in the uninhabited desert.

    Buddhist Councils And Important Texts


    Buddhist Four Buddhist Councils were held under different kings.
    Councils

    First • Conducted under the patronage of King Ajatasatru of Haryanka


    Buddhist dynasty.
    • It was held in 483 BC just after Buddha’s demise.
    Council
    • It was held at Sattapani caves (Sattaparnaguha) in Rajagriha.
    • The monk who presided over the first council was Mahakassapa.
    • Main objective was to preserve the Buddha’s teachings.
    • At this council, Ananda composed the Suttapitaka (Buddha’s
    Teachings) and Mahakassapa composed the Vinaypitaka (monastic
    code).

    Second • Conducted under the patronage of King Kalasoka of Sisunaga


    Buddhist dynasty.
    • It was held in 383 BC, i.e., hundred years after the Buddha’s death.
    Council
    • It was held at Vaishali.
    • Sabakami presided over the council.
    • Main objective was to discuss ten disputed points under the
    Vinaypitaka.
    • The first major split happened here – two groups that would later
    evolve into Theravada and Mahayana. The first group was called
    Thera (meaning Elder in Pali). They wanted to preserve the teachings
    of Buddha in the original spirit. The other group called
    Mahasanghika (Great Community) interpreted the Buddha’s teachings
    more liberally.

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    Third • Conducted under the patronage of Emperor Ashoka of Maurya


    Buddhist dynasty.
    • It was held in 250 BC at Pataliputra.
    Council
    • The council was presided over by Mogaliputta Tissa.
    • Main objective was to purify Buddhism from opportunistic factions
    and corruption in the Sangha.
    • The Abhidhamma Pitaka was composed here making the almost
    completion of the modern Pali Tipitaka.
    • Buddhist missionaries were sent to other countries.
    • Buddhism preached by Emperor Ashoka was Hinayana.

    Fourth • Conducted under the patronage of King Kanishka of Kushan dynasty.


    Buddhist • It was held in the 1st century AD at Kundalvana in Kashmir.
    • Vasumitra and Ashvaghosha presided over this council
    Council
    • All deliberations were conducted in Sanskrit.
    • Here, Abhidhamma texts were translated from Prakrit to Sanskrit.
    • This council resulted in the division of Buddhism into two sects
    namely, Mahayana (the Greater Vehicle) and Hinayana (the Lesser
    Vehicle).
    • Mahayana sect believed in idol worship, rituals and Boddhisattvas.
    They regarded the Buddha as God.
    • Hinayana continued the original teachings and practices of the Buddha.
    They adhere to the scriptures written in Pali while the Mahayana
    includes Sanskrit scriptures as well.

    Buddhist The most important sources of Buddhism are the Tripitakas / Tipitakas
    Texts written in Pali language. They are:
    1. Sutta Pitaka
    2. Vinaya Pitaka
    3. Abhidhamma Pitaka
    • Dhammapada: a part of the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Sutta Pitaka. It
    contains a collection of the sayings of the Buddha in verse form.
    • Milinda Panha: Literal meaning in Pali – Questions of Milinda. It
    was written around 100 BC. It contains a dialogue between the Indo-
    Greek King Menander I or Milinda of Bactria and sage Nagasena
    where Milinda asks questions on Buddhism to the sage.
    • Buddhacharita: it is an epic poem composed in Sanskrit by
    Ashvaghosha in early 2nd century AD. It is about the life of the
    Buddha.

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    Causes of the • Buddha’s magnetic personality.


    Spread of • He taught in Pali which the masses understood as opposed to Sanskrit.
    • He admitted people into the Sangha irrespective of caste distinctions.
    Buddhism
    • Initial Sanghas were democratic and disciplined organisations.
    • The monks travelled to different places preaching the teachings of
    Buddha.
    • It received royal patronage including from Bimbisara, Ajatasatru,
    Ashoka, Kanisha and Harshavardhana.

    Causes of the • Split into Mahayana and Hinayana weakened the religion.
    Decline of • There was corruption among the latter monks. They gave up austerity
    and indulged in luxuries. Moral standards deteriorated.
    Buddhism in
    • Royal patronage for Buddhism declined after the end of the Gupta
    India dynasty around 650 AD.
    • Orthodox Hinduism became more popular especially due to the
    works of Kumarila Bhatt and Adi Shankara.
    • The invasions by the Huns and later by the Islamic armies further
    declined the influence of Buddhism in the subcontinent.

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