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The Upanishads were another body of sacred texts that were mystical and highly philosophical works that sought to probe the inner meaning of the sacrifices prescribed in the Vedas.
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The Upanishads were composed over the centuries to define the ideas of Hinduism. This religion was never a single tradition, but it dissolved into a vast diversity of gods, spirits, beliefs, practices, rituals, and philosophies.
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The Vedas were condensed into writing by the brahmins after being orally transmitted for centuries.
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The second-wave civilizations of South Asia had begun to take shape across northern India.
Fragmented towns and cities, an astonishing range of ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity and distinctive religious tradition gave the Indian civilization a recognized identity. -
These three teachers would shape the traditions of Asia (China specifically). Buddha, founder of the (at first) Indian religion of Buddhism taught that suffering comes from bad desires and attachment.
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Siddharta Gautama, later known as The Buddha, founded the religion of Buddhism and taught that suffering is caused by desire/attachment. According to him, an end of suffering can be done through a modest and moral living and meditation practices.
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For a brief time, Northwestern India was conquered and ruled by the Persian/Achaemenid Empire. Later, when Alexander the Great conquered this Empire, new greek and Persian influences helped stimulate the Mauryan Empire.
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The Mauryan Empire had a large military and a civil bureaucracy,
many ministries to govern and spies to report to the government.
Its political structure was similar to the Persian, Chinese and Roman Empires. Well knows is this dynasty for its emperor Ashoka, who ruled over the 50 Million people in his kingdom.
Famous treatise: Arthashastra (The Science of Worldly Wealth) -
After his father dies (273 B.C.E.), Ashoka inherits the throne and proves to be a good leader by crushing many revolts that were against him and was able to introduce buddhism to India. Because of Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism and his moralistic approach to it which helped make him such a good leader compared to other emperors.
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The Mauryan Empire encompassed all but the southern tip of the subcontinent.
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Art, literature, architecture and science flourished in this era, much of it was supported by India's rulers. A frequently vibrant economy was able to create a focal point for trade (f.e. with China).
This Empire stood out through its cultural diversity, relatively peaceful/tolerant rule, achievements like free hospitals and its caste system. -
The Gupta Empire around 420 CE.
