01:840:369 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Axial Age
2 Nov 2016
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Document Summary
Buddhism has its roots in the axial age. The axial age was from 300-800 bc, the centers of many ancient civilizations emerged, independent of one another. The brahmans referred to the intellectual, upper class of ancient indian society. Indian society was divided into classes in which brahmans were the top, above the kins, The outcasts were not even classified as a class, they were captured individuals from war. Indian social classes lasted for a very long time. Ritual professes to maintain a specific type of order and specific type of world in which humans participate in. If rituals were not properly performed then very bad things would happen - elevates the importance of the brahmans. Renunciates were individuals who took themselves out of their community and renounced the. General views of life - how individuals show live and by what beliefs. The buddha rejected the authority of society and embodied the spirit of the text instead.
