Impact of Buddhism, Jainism, Islam and Christianity on Indian Society | Anthropology Optional for UPSC PDF Download

Introduction

• India occupies a unique place in the world community. It is the home of the followers of all the major religious ideologies of the world viz; Hinduism, Budhism, Jainism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Zorostrianism. All of these influenced Indian Society in varying degrees. This narration shall, however, be confined to the impact of Jainism, Budhism, Islam and Christianity and especially of Islam which had a profound impact in various spheres of life of Indian Society.

Jainism and Budhism 

• It is popularly believed that both Jainism and Budhism are, fundamentally, offshoots from ancient Hinduism. In terms of historical antiquity Jainism is a little older than Budhism because Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, was an older contemporary of Budha.

  Mahavira's period is popularly believed to be between 599-527 BC and Budha's is 560-480 BC.

• The ethical idealism of Jainism occupies the central place in any description of it’s impact on Indian Society. It has contributed significantly towards the strengthening of ethical life and moral virtues. Jainism stand for austerity - both external and internal - to shut the influx of evil. In the scheme of external austerity come such things as begging, fasting and lack of fetishism while humility, service to humanity, acquisition of knowledge, meditation, penances and other values come under the later. Instead of esoteric and complex ideas Jainism has laid down a simple ethical code for the people. Among the essence of Jainism the observance of the principles viz. Satya(truth), asteya (non-stealing)y  brahmacharya (non-adultery), and aparigraha (non-possession) stand prominent.

• In the Jain terminology the observance of these morals are virtues known as anuvarta. Ahimsa (non-violence, peace) occupies the pivotal position in Jainism. It preaches kindness to not only human society but other forms of life too. This gave rise to strict find puritan vegetarianism. Both the lay persons or believers (Shravakta) and the ascetic (Yati) are supposed to be bound by certain vows. These are cultivation of right state of mind, regular practice of meditation, observance of fasts on the eighth and fourteenth day of moon's waxing and waning period and confession of faults and the consequent penance. Intoxication of any kind is strictly prohibited in Jainism.

• In the field of public service, construction of dharmashalas (rest houses, inns), is widely acknowledged. In the field of fine arts their rock cut architecture, temple architecture and painting stand out as significant contributions. Because of several factors such as the orthodoxy of Jainism, it's affinity to Brahmanism, it's non-missionery spirit, and virtual absence of hostility with other rival faiths Jainism still flourishes in Indian Society despite the fact that like other religious ideologies it has also imbibed a number of distortions.

• Gautam Budha was a younger contemporary to Mahavira. His earlier name was Sidhartha and he had a spiritual and humanistic outlook since his childhood. The religious movement espoused by him - Budhism - gave the greatest jolt to the orthodox Brahmanism. Budhism exercised profound influence in shaping the various aspects of Indian Society. It's impact in socio-cultural, religious and political Spheres cannot be negated.

• Budhism developed a popular religion, without any complicated, elaborate and unintelligible rituals requiring necessarily a priestly class. This was one of the reasons for its mass appeal. The ethical code of Budhism is also relatively simple based on charity, purity, self sacrifice, truthfulness and control over passions. It laid great emphasis on love, equality and non-injury (non-violence).

• It is true that the Upanishads, too, had highlighted these virtues before the rise of Budhism but credit goes to Budhism for raising public morality to those heights never witnessed before. It became an article of faith for the followers of Budhism. But more importantly Budhism laid emphasis on the value that man is the architect of his own destiny, not any God or gods. There is a great element of individuality in Budhism and it is devoid of any elaborate idea of God.

• Although, Budhism could never dislodge Brahmanism from it's high pedestal it certainly jolted it and inspired institutional changes in Indian Society. Rejecting the caste system and it's concommitant evils, violent rituals based on animal sacrifices, pilgrimae, fasting and conservation, it preached total equality. In the Budhist religious system gods and godesses, fatalism, previous birth and movement of planets are not believed to be responsible for man's present plight. It exhorts people to seek answers from this world. Thus 'this worldliness' rather 'that worldliness' should be the basis of man's quest for seeking answers of the unknown. Compassion, equality between all human beings including gender equality, protection of all life forms and welfare of all tried to bind the entire society into one. Promotion of social equality and social justice helped Budhism cross the frontiers of Indian sub-continent and become  a world religion.

• The impact of Budhist thought may be seen also in our foreign policy (Panchsheel and non-alignment), national integration, mutual cooperation, peace efforts, Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of non-violence, upliftment of weaker sections and welfare of scheduled castes and depressed classes(dalits) and tribal population. Since Budhism identified ignorance as the root cause of sufferings, it laid great emphasis on acquisition of I knowledge. Promotion of democracy and democratic values is yet another contribution of Budhism to Indian society. Budhist sanghs and maths promoted democratic conduct and in the course of time it's impact was felt in many Hindu maths and religious institutions.

• In the field of education Budhism tried to make education practical, action oriented and geared towards social welfare. Most of the ancient India's universities such as Nalanda, Taxila, Vikrampur, Vikramshila, Sompuri, and others are products of Budhism. A free quest for the acquisition of knowledge in Budhism produced such eminent scholars as Dignang, Ashvadhosh, Nagaijun, Vasumitra, Charak, Matrachet, Dharmtrat and similar ones of highest order. The flag of independent India carries the picture of Ashoka's wheel and the national emblem has been adopted from Budhism. Budhism also popularised the Indian vernaculars and thus promoted respect for different languages and dialects. Undoubtedly, Budhism has exercised a great humanizing and philanthropic influence on Indian Society.

Islam

• The advent of Islam in India may be traced back to seventh century AD immediately after it's emergence in Arabia as a major religion. The word Islam has been derived from a root word which means "surrendering oneself to God". Thus, the true Muslim is supposed to submit to God's will and obey his Command and live at peace with his fellow men. The emergence of Islam revolutionised the Arab world and influenced all religions and territories where it could enter. Writing on the sociohistorical role of Islam, Harbans Mukhiya (1969) rightly comments that when Muhammed preached the doctrine of one god in polytheistic Arabia - there is no God except God - he was suggesting a great social change. For the concept of one God meant the concept of social equality. If there is only one God and He has created all then everybody is equal before him as children are before the father and therefore, everyone is equal to every other. Thus, the concept of a Muslim brotherhood (the millat) also sprang up from this basic premise. Also Islam did not sanction any exclusive governing class or even an exclusive priestly class.
• The impact of Islam was felt on Indian society mainly because of it's humanistic concepts. These include fraternity of human beings, justice as the governing principle of social ethics, charity towards the 'have nots', rejection of priesthood, simplicity of dogma, monotheism, emphasis on the beneficient (Rahman) and the merciful (Raheem) attributes of God, with implications for mercy and beneficence towards the creatures of God in fulfilment of the 'obligation towards humanity (haq-ul-ibad).
  In his all-time classic Influence of Islam on Indian Culture, Dr. Tara Chand, an eminent historianphilosopher has emphasised edso upon the message of sulhe-kul (peace for all and complete peace) of the Muslim Sufi Silsilah (mystic orders). "The Muslim Sufi Saints became popular heroes as the charismatic focus of human charity, fraternization of different communities, upholders of the rights of man and dissenters against the tyranny of the Muslim Sultan and the Muslim feudal aristocracy; their Khanqahs (monasteries) provided refuge to the oppressed and wretched, the miserable, the down trodden and the disinherited, irrespective of caste and creed" (Rasheeduddin Khan, 1987). In this way they symbolized the true essence of Isleun as defenders of the opressed and the under-privileged. However, many orthodox interpreters of Islam, tend to exclude or marginalise the sufism and sufis from the Islamic fold. Ironically, it was sufism and the sufi saints who were instrumental in the perpetuation of the 'humanistic Islam' the imperial Islam' remained confined within the ruling dynasties.
  "The sufi tradition of Islam was not only responsible for the perpetuation of the Islamic religious beliefs and metaphysics but also played a significant role in the spread of Islam in India. It's emphasis on ascetic personal ethic, ephemerality of material phenomenon (fana), and on mystical self abnegation, though being of foreign origin, was also in many ways concomitant with the Hindu tradition and made a deep impact on a large section of the Hindus. Non-ritualism and abstract monotheism as preached by the Sufi saints and philosophers was not only appealing to the Hindu masses but also tended to be in harmony with the forces of introversion and retreatism which had overtaken the Hindu tradition after its loss of political power"(Yogendra Singh, 1988). Many Muslim scholars and rulers made overt efforts to reconcile some aspects of the Hindu tradition with Islam. Akbar attempted it through introduction of a new synthetic cult called Divine Faith (Din-e-llahi) which was a mixture of Islam, Jainism, Hinduism and Zoroastrianism. Dara Shikoh pleaded for a synthesis of Upanishadic monotheism with that of Islam and emphasized similarities between the two traditions.
  Among the literary figures Amir Khusro did a great deal to interpret the endogenous tradition of Hinduism to the Muslim world. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries AD, many Muslim poets and writers even choose to write in Hindi. Moreoever, millions of people of deprived castes were attracted to Islam and embraced it in quest for better social conditions retaining many of their local or little traditions, thus contributing to the composite culture of India.
• The impact of Islam is clearly visible in our constitution accepting equality against the traditional hierarchical order of the Hindu society. Further, the enactment of Hindu Marriage Act allowing dissolution of marriage and giving more say to women and Hindu Sucession Act allowing share of women in the parental property were inspired by, among other factors, Islam’s social ideology.
• Islam deeply influenced the Hindu ceremonies, social habbits, thoughts and ideals, language and literature, sciences and arts. In the field of medical science the Muslims introduced in India the Greek method of treatment which the Arab had learnt from the Greeks and conserved it. This is known in this country as the Unani system of medicine. B.S. Upadhyaya, an eminent indologist in his well known work Feeders of Indian Culture (1973) has described in detail the contribution of Islam and Muslims in the reconstruction of Indian Society. The field of music is a unique example.
  It is well know that music is one of the most hated things in the orthodox version of Islam but many of the best known exponents of Shastriya Sangeet have been and still are Muslims. Ghazal, Lawani, Thumari, Qawwali, Dhun Chatrang were the creations of the Muslims which the Hindus accepted with gratitude. Muslim musicians invented numerous instruments of which some were Sarangi, Dilruba, Taus, Sitar, Rubab, Surbin, Sursingar Tabla and Algoza. Dance was another aspect of fine arts which was jointly cultivated by the Hindus and Muslims. Its Kathak style, cultivated in and brought from the Muslim countries, is the Muslim contribution which has held ground in Northern India for centuries. Music has been one rallying point where distinction between the communities has never been tolerated. In the field of architecture a whole change comes over in the field of Indian architecture when new measures and forms are given to it by the Muslim newcomers. Domes and turrets, arches and minarets adorn the buildings of numerous cities of India.
  "Muslims built in their newly choosen home, India, as they had built nowhere. There are no forts in the entire Muslim world outside India grander than those of Delhi and Agra, no towers more magnificient than the Qutub Minar, no gates more splendid than the Buland Darwaza of Sikri, no mosques as pretty as the Pearl and the Jama Masjid, none indeed as delicate, as subtle, as fascinating as the mausleum of Taj. There is no country in the world which can boast of greater or even equal number of Muslim monuments than those built in India either in variety or in surpassing beauty" (B.S. Upadhyaya, ibid). The Rajas of Rajputana errected their palaces, even their mausoleums in the Muslim style and donned the Mughal dress and affected the Mughal manners in their respective courts. The Chughtal style of painting risen from the Chinese background, has enriched the painting scene in India.