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  Religious Economy in Ancient India: Imaging Banaras in Buddhist perspectives

 

Introduction

The religious economy is an ethical approach in the economic theories. Religions are

ever-present across human societies. As Max Weber’s (19!" mentione# religion may

a$$ect signi$icant economic outcomes% such as economic gro&th% as many have #one

#ating at the very least ('ampante. % )1*". The assessment reveals that business people

on the +n#ian subcontinent utili,e# the tra#e an# commerce $rom a very early perio#.anaras ha# playe# a signi$icant role in the transportation o$ lephants% /orses% 0xen%

'amelits use# as the Vahana in the e#ic perio#. The economic importance o$  Banaras% it

ha# emerge# as a lea#ing Textile manu$acturing center at the time o$ u##ha. The #ress

o$ u##hist mon2s  Kasaya  (0range ro&n" has been manu$acture# in  Kashi. u##ha

&as given his $irst sermon 3arnath an# it &as closely relate# to the li$e o$ 4autama

u##ha. +t &as not only $amous $or the 'otton manu$acturing% but also in the mar2et o$ 

/orses. 5ater it &as a ma6or center o$ economic activities.

The evi#ences mentione# that people o$ +n#ian subcontinent ha# been in the business o$ 

tra#e an# commerce since the #a&n o$ civili,ation an# in an organi,e# &ay $rom at least7c in +n#ia (8hanna. . 3% )!". The use o$ Sreni in Ancient +n#ia &ere also a 2in#

o$ business an# municipal activity. The stu#y o$ religious economics o$ the economic

gro&th is more important than any religious values (3chumacher . % 19!!". Religious

economy re$ers to the spiritual choices that are available &ithin a society relate# to

 business an# commerce. Accor#ing to the assumption o$ religious economy% religious

 pluralism results in a situation in &hich religions an# religious organi,ations must

compete $or a#herents in much the same as in business competition (+annaccone 5.R%

)1)". The theory o$ religious economy is having mainly t&o approaches 1" 'ontrolle#

religious economics an# observes their structure: )" /istorical in nature an# analy,es

their past.

u##hist economy or religious economy is a spiritual approach to economic theories. +t

examines the psychology o$ the human min# an# emotions closely relate# to the

economic activity. The i#ea o$ religious economy re$ers to the religion as a pro#uct an#

 practice as a consumer. The term u##hist economics &ere coine# by .. 3chumacher in

19!!. Accor#ing to him ;u##hist economy must be very #i$$erent $rom the economics

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o$ mo#ern materialism% since the u##hist sees the essence o$ civili,ation% not in a

multiplication o$ &ants but in the puri$ication o$ human character.< /e begins his theory

&ith =Right 5ivelihoo#’. Religious economics theory ho& it relates to the Ancient +n#ia

commercial commo#ities. +n Ancient perio#% especially > th century ' &ere transitional

 phase because the ne& religion comes into existence an# they a$$ect the tra#ing system.

Ancient commercial tra$$ic into the +n#ian sub-continent% especially in the 4angetic plain

#uring the >th century '. This perio# &as a transitional perio# $or the social an# cultural

con#ition o$ that time% u##hism became a ma6or religion in the early historic perio#% it

&as patroni,e# by many o$ the 2ing#om li2e /aryana2a an# Mauryan #ynasty. The

commercial tra#e basically connecte# to the river ports in ancient +n#ia an# at this time

anaras &as the main tra#e center o$ this route.The contemporary scholars have pointe#

out that Mathura &as the ma6or center $or rituals%tra#e activities such as pro#uction an#

#istribution o$ goo#s% etc. (Thaper% 197>". +n this paper + &oul# examine the commercial

an# religious transactions an# o$$er a ne& perspective o$ the stu#y o$ the Ancient +n#ian

tra#ing system% an# try to #iscuss that ho& u##hism helpe# in the expansion o$ tra#e

&ithin the +n#ian subcontinent as &ell as &ith other countries.

+n u##hist teachings o$ eight $ol# path% ;Right 5ivelihoo#< is one o$ the re?uirements o$ 

the $ollo&ers. e$ore the emergence o$ u##hism tra#e &as not treate# as a noble

 pro$ession% one &ho travel across the sea% even $or tra#e purpose &as outcast $rom the

society% but as &e 2no& &ith u##hism there &as a beginning o$ a ne& era% era o$ 

exploration an# surplus pro#uction &hich ma#e tra#e much convenient (@ha% )!".

/ence &e can #erive the conclusion $rom various &ritings o$ u##hism that the religion

 playe# a remar2able role in tra#e% an# tra#e helpe# the u##hism in expan#ing in many

countries. 0n account o$ its ma6or role in the tra#e activities% many scholars christene#

such activities as =u##hist economies’ $or this expansion o$ tra#e an# contribution o$ 

u##hism. rom the u##hist point o$ vie&% there are t&o types o$ mechanisms &hich

&as $amous in those #ays one that enhances a man’s s2ill an# po&er an# one that turns

the &or2 o$ man over to a mechanical slave% leaving man in a position o$ having to serve

the slave. u##hist economics must be very #i$$erent $rom the economics o$ mo#ern

materialism% since the u##hist the essence o$ civili,ation% not in a #evelopment o$ &ants

 but in the re$inement o$ human character (@angubhai an# )Br. Can#an% 4. % )1D".

'ommerce &as the one o$ the largest urban activities in Ancient +n#ia. The &or#

=commerce’% #enote# the supply an# #eman# mar2et system. +t inclu#es the various $orms

o$ transactions. Anthropologists have the rules o$ classical economics base# on the

mo#ern mar2et system in tra#itional societies. aranasi% also 2no&n as enares% anaras%

or 8ashi% is a $amous /in#u holy city situate# on the ban2s o$ the river 4anges in the

+n#ian state o$ Ettar Fra#esh (Rana F.% )1)". The city is calle# 8asi% Gthe ra#iantG in

the Rigve#a. +t is o$ten re$erre# to as Gcity o$ temples an# learning.G+t is the ol#est living

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city an# is heterogeneous &ith multiple layers o$ religion% culture% art $orms% believes

nature% pro$iles an# in#ivi#ualities. +t is a sacre# an# holy place $or /in#u% u##hist% @ain

an# Muslim religion. +t is also the home to numerous religious monuments (*

temples% D mos?ues" an# is &ell-2no&n as a center o$ music% arts% cra$ts% e#ucation an#

learning (school o$ planning an# architecture% Ce& Belhi% 1991".

Banaras: Centre of Buddhist and Economy

aranasi% situate# at the southeastern part o$ Etter Fra#esh in Corthen +n#ia% rest on the

le$t ban2 o$ the holy river Ganga. +tHs popularly 2no&n as the cultural capital o$ +n#ia an#

one o$ the ol#est heritage cities o$ the Worl# because o$ the recor#s o$ incessant

settlement since 1 '. +t also calle# as  Kashi  in Ancient time an# also  Banaras

(enaras% &rongly spelle# in 'olonial perio#" (3ingh% Rana F.. )9". aranasi is the

uni?ue example o$ the architecture% artistic an# religious terminology in the tra#itional

+n#ian culture an# an existing example o$ this culture even to#ay. The excavation starte#

on the Rajghat % it reveale# the parts o$ the ol# city &all% &hich is #atable to 9 th century.'. Archeologists &or2e# in this area early 19*s an# 19>s on&ar#s% #iscover the

layers an# settlement at  Rajghat   (Biana 5. c2% 197)". The excavation has been very

limite# o$ this site. anaras &as the glorious city in the 4angetic valley nearly t&o

thousan# years% up to 9th century ' to the 1) th century AB. Buring 1)th century AB it

&as capital o$ Gahadavala #ynasty% at the en# o$ the 1) th century anaras &as completely

#estroye# by the Muslim army le# by Qutb-ud-din. +n Ancient times% many lo& areas li2e

small pools% la2es% etc. There &ere $our main &ater bo#ies at Ra6ghat. Man#a2ini (no&

Mai#agin an# name o$ holy river 4anga" la2e an#  Matsyodari5a2e in the north o$ 

Varuna River an# the Veni  (no& enia" la2e in the 3outh% it &as streaming calle#

Godaveri (no& 4o#aulia" into the 4anga at Bashashvame#ha ghat.

0$ the 3ixteen Maha6anapa#a% Kashi &as the one o$ the po&er$ul Maha6anapa#a in the

 beginning >th century. +t is the most $ertile region o$ +n#ian sub-continent. The economic

importance o$ Kashi% it ha# emerge# at lea#ing Textile manu$acturing in#ustries at the

time o$ u##ha. The #ress o$ u##hist mon2s  Kasaya  (0range bro&n" has been

manu$acture# in Kashi. +t &as not only $amous $or the 'otton manu$acturing but also $or 

the mar2et o$ /orses. The excavation at Rajghat  ha# i#enti$ie# that anaras have not the

impressive urbani,ation at the time o$ > th century '% but it emerge# as a commercial city

at that time. 3ome evi#ences mentione# that% it &as the birthplace o$ )Dr# @ain Tirthan2ar 

FarshvaCath. The u##ha gave his $irst 3ermon at 3arnath near aranasi this

 phenomenon calle# as = Dharmachakraarivartana’. 5ater  Kashi  &as annexe# by the

= Kosala’ Maha6anapa#a because o$ the con$lict bet&een = Kosala’ an# = Magadha’.

+n the e#ic literature% many evi#ences re$er to the tra#ers% sales an# many tra#ing

commo#ities an# me#ium o$ exchange. The literary re$erences clearly in#icate that the

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tra#e an# commerce &as practice# $or the earning livelihoo# since early e#ic age. 3ome

evi#ences in the e#ic Samhitas that the 'o& &as use# as tra#e commo#ities. 3ome o$ 

the metallic currency (4ol# #ust% 5ea# etc." &as use# in the commercial activities. +n

!attriya Samhita  mentione# that 4ol# #ust pai# $or the price o$ plant (Tattriya

3amhita.>.1.1% 1-)"% an# SatathaBrahamana  re$ers to use# 5ea# currency $or 

 purchasing Rice (3atpatha rahamana.1).I.).1". The  "ishk a use# as currency in the

e#ic perio#. At the time o$ #ryan% they #evelope# means o$ tra#e in place to place. +n

the e#ic perio#% the animals ha# playe# an important role in the transportation.

lephants% /orses% 0xen% 'amelits use# as the Vahana in this age.

The 4eography o$ +n#ia has playe# an important role in the Ancient +n#ian tra#ing

system% it connecte# to the  Mesootamia$ #rabia$ %gyt$ &honesia in tra#e relations. 0n

the sub6ect o$ +n#ian tra#e activities in ancient times% local ancient literature li2e the

 Rigveda$ Ramayana% Mahabharata an# &uranas give the su$$icient evi#ence o$ seaborne

tra#e o$ ancient +n#ia &ith her contemporary nations (3po#e2 an# 5ouro% )I". +n the

 beginning tra#e route has a very #i$$icult through Mountains an# hilly areas% the same

route passing through alleys% Rivers became easier. All over +n#ia there &ere various

tra#e centers but here anaras has been selecte# as my stu#y area because aranasi is

suitable $or the stu#y o$ social% economic an# religious bac2groun# o$ u##hist

expansion.

Relevance of the Study

+t is relevant to stu#y the impact o$ religion in tra#e an# commerce o$ the country%especially in Ancient +n#ia &here religion playe# important role in #ay to #ay li$e o$ man%

an# religious ortho#oxy on its height% in such context &e ha# a religion &hich &as so

liberal an# supportive even in the tra#e. u##hism &as really important to maintain tra#e

relations as historically &e $oun# that &ith the propagation o$ u##hism tra#e &as

increase# an# &ith the #ecline o$ u##hism it starte# #eclining.

Objective of the Study

• To chec2 &as really religion support tra#e an# commerce in ancient +n#ia%

especially &ith the emergence o$ u##hism.

• To examine the role o$ anaras in u##hist religious economy.

• To chec2 ho& u##hism supports tra#e an# commerce in anaras city% though its

 popularly 2no&n as /in#u city.

ethodology

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The Metho#ology $or this proposal &oul# be #escriptive an# analytical. oth primary an#

secon#ary sources &ill be use#. The primary sources &ill be collecte# $rom the archives

o$ enaras an# 5uc2no&. The secon#ary sources &ill be comprise# o$ boo2s% 6ournals%

eboo2s% unpublishe# thesis an# online sources. arious historical &ritings o$ 

contemporary travelers translation version &ill also re$er.

!no"ledge #ap

The role o$ religion in the economy is explore# by many scholars% particularly in

re$erence to various $iel#s li2e 3in#h province% Mathura etc.% but very less $ocus given to

anaras &hile many historical evi#ences sai# that anaras &as a huge center $or cra$ts

an# artisans. 3o here + &ill try to explore the role o$ anaras in the religious economy o$ 

+n#ia.