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1. PRE BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHICAL
TEACHINGS ON
EPISTEMOLOGY
Ven.Dangaswewa Vajira Thero
Subject –BUPH-22043
Year- Second Year
BHIKSU UNIVERSITY OF
SRILANKA

2. OUTLINES
Concept of Pre Buddhism
Social status quo of pre Buddhism
Philosophical teachings &
Epistemology
Conclusion
references

3. CONCEPT OF PRE BUDDHISM
 Indus valley civilization.(Mohejo daro-
harappa)
 People who have been living in this area are
not derived from any civilization
 Later the ARYANS ,men came from middle
east countries, came and invaded .
 None aryans followed their religious life with
concepts of Ascetic life style
 Aryans followed the way of God concept

4. RELIGIOUS STATUS BETWEEN ARYANS & NONE
ARYANS
Characteristic Indus Valley Aryans
Religious practice Meditation Sacrifice (to the gods)
Main practitioner Ascetic Priest
Purpose of life Liberation This life, then heaven
Focus in life Renunciation Rebirth as householder
Morals based on Karma Social values
Social position Equality Caste (Brahmanic)
Origin of Wisdom Own (meditation)
experience
Scriptures like Vedas

5. SOCIAL STATUS QUO OF PRE BUDDHISM
 THE INDUS VALLEY CIVILISATION
 People of the Indus Valley Civilization ,called Harappa Civilization after the major city
of Harappa, were mainly farmers, although recent finds are indicating a well
developed culture. Eminent scholars have concluded that the origins of the practices
of yoga and meditation can be traced to the Indus Valley civilization. An image of a
human figure has been found that is seated in a cross-legged posture, hands resting
on the knees and eyes narrowed ,clearly suggesting meditation. Also, the wandering
ascetic is frequently mentioned. These ascetics are said to have practiced methods
of mind training, to have been celibate, naked or clothed in the most meager of
garments, to have had no fixed abode, and to have taught a way beyond birth and
death.

6.  THE ARYANS
 According to most scholars, the
original Indus Valley civilization
was abruptly interrupted
sometime between 1800 and
1500 BCE by an invasion of the
Aryans ,people from a region
somewhere in Eastern Europe.
They were warriors and traders,
as opposed to the original
population of farmers. After the
middle of the second millennium
BCE, Indian society became
largely dominated by Aryan
values. Many of the Aryan
principles still dominate
"orthodox Indian philosophy" and
present-day Hinduism; such as
the importance of the Vedic
scriptures and the supremacy of
the Brahmic class ,origins of the
caste-system.

7. PHILOSOPHICAL TEACHINGS & EPISTEMOLOGY
 Indus valley
 The religion of the Indus Valley civilization evidently
contained several important elements. meditation, or the
practice of training the mind,
 the practice of renunciation, abandoning household life and living
the life of a homeless ascetic, or mendicant
 conception of rebirth or reincarnation occurring over the course of
a countless number of lives,
 a sense of moral responsibility extending beyond this life, some
form of the conception of karma.
 paramount goal of religious life, namely, the goal of liberation, of
freedom from the endless cycle of birth and death.

8. Aryans
 Their origins lay in Eastern Europe, and their
religion in many ways resembled that of the
ancient Greeks, Greek pantheon
 Aryans revered a number of gods who were
personifications of natural phenomena,
including
 Indra (not unlike Zeus), the god of thunder
lightning;
 Agni, the god of fire,
 Varuna, the god of water

9.  while the religion of the Indus Valley civilization
stressed renunciation, meditation, rebirth, karma,
and the final goal of liberation, the Aryan religion
stressed this life, ritual sacrifice, loyalty, wealth,
progeny, power, and heaven. Thus it is clear that
the sets of religious attitudes, practices, and values
professed by these two ancient civilizations of
India were almost diametrically opposed to each

10. EVIDENCES
 Buddha's life. For example, after his birth, two distinct
types of people made predictions about his future
greatness. The first prophesy was pronounced by
Asita, who was a hermit and ascetic living in the
mountains, although the biographies of the Buddha
insist that Asita was a Brahmin, a member of the
priestly caste of Aryan society.
 A little later, we are told that 108 Brahmins were
invited to the ceremony for bestowing a name on the
young Buddha. There, they also prophesied the future
greatness of the child. These men were evidently
priests who had not renounced household life and who
thus represented the original, orthodox practice
accepted in the Aryan fold.

11. CONCLUSION
 What is pre Buddhist period?
 People ,society, economy, politics, during this
era.
 Pre Buddhist Process of lifestyle of people in
India.
 Religion and epistemology in the
contemporary society .

12. REFERENCES
 Brhmajala sutta,silakkandavagga, diganikaya
 http://www.buddhismtoday.com/english/philosop
hy/thera/001-background.htm (00:03 A.M-
02/10/2016)
 http://www.viewonbuddhism.org/pre_buddhism_
history.html-(00:15A.M-02/10/2016)
 https://beingtrulyhuman.org/articles/issues/44/0
6-pre-buddhist-thought-in-india 00:15A.M-
02/10/2016)

13. THANK YOU