Abstract – In about 150 AD (the date is often disputed), Kautilya, also known as Chanakya and Vishnugupta, constructed the ‘Arthashastra’ and with its help proved to be the Kingmaker that he is recognized as today and established the Gupta dynasty. He is often regarded as ‘Arth’ meaning wealth, is one of the four aims of a Hindu life, ‘Kama’ (pleasure), ‘Dharm’ (duty) and ‘Moksh’ (salvation) being the other three. But it has a much wider interpretation of ‘Arth’ given by Kautilya through his ‘Arthashastra’. The material well-being of individuals is only a part of it. In this book, Kautilya mainly focuses on how an efficient kingdom shall run and what are the duties attached by each living entity involved in a kingdom. According to L.N. Rangarajan, …show more content…
He thought that the possession of might and joy makes a king greater hence a king should always attempt to increase his power. Kautilya though did not state this clearly but he did consider war an unavoidable compulsion. He also believed that it is the King’s duty to pursue substantial gain, divine good and pleasures. Kautilya thinks that for a King to achieve the given goals, he must generate wealth, build armies and should conquer the near kingdoms and expand the size of his kingdom. He believes that the strength of a kingdom lies in its military prowess and economic might. Kautilya suggested three types of war: “Open war, Concealed war and the Silent War”. Open war was what he describes as the war which is openly declared between rival states, concealed war as one which is similar to guerrilla war and Silent war which is fought on a continued basis inside the kingdom so that the power of the King does not get …show more content…
He suggests that it is an essential duty of the government to ensure law and justice in a state. His ultimate source of deriving law is ‘Dharma’. Kautilyan legal system was not much different than the judiciary which exists today. He too had judges, which he called ‘Dharmastha’ and magistrates which he called ‘Pradeshtr’. The difference between the two was that the former was concerned with crimes against the society while the latter was concerned with transaction between two parties. Whenever there was a conflict between custom and ‘Dharmashastra’ or between evidences and ‘Shastras’, the matter should be decided in accord with the ‘Dharma’. The Judges and Magistrates also had to be qualified for their positions in the court. A Judge must be thorough in Dharma and have the qualifications equivalent to that of a minister. A Judge shall be fair and impartial in order to gain the trust of the population into the legal system of the state. There should be a bench of 3 judges who shall hold court at frontier posts, sub – district headquarters, and provincial
In this paper, I will be explaining how Siddhartha had arrived at the Four Noble Truths. The first paragraph contains how Siddhartha’s life was full of suffering, pain, and sorrow. The second paragraph will be the cause of suffering is the desire for things that are really illusions in Siddhartha’s life. Following, in the third paragraph I will be explaining how the only way to cure suffering is to overcome desire. Finally, I will be explaining that the only way to overcome desire is to follow the Eightfold Path.
Nirvana for Sale by Rachelle M. Scott is an anthropological investigation into the intersection of wealth and piety in Thailand Theravada Buddhism. Through ethnographic methods, the book seeks to describe this relationship in a historically situated context. Thus, the book is concerned with cultural praxis within the context of religious discourses about wealth and piety.
The judges that are a part of this group has many different roles, some of which are to issues warrants, making a determination of probable cause in evidence, denying or granting bail to offenders, overseeing trials, making rulings on different motions and even overseeing hearings. The prosecuting attorney is the one who will represent that state in c...
A large amount of ancient texts contain themes relating to violence, power, and war, while others, such as The Bhagavad Gita and Confucius’ Analects, focus on individual and collective development through a series of selfless acts. The two texts provide an in-depth system of duties and learning created to provide direction for the betterment of the self, as well as society as a whole. The Bhagavad Gita places a greater focus on the duties of individuals that must be fulfilled to achieve an enlightened state with the divine forces. Contradictory consequences are presented for those who choose to act in an egotistical manner and deny their duties. Confucius’ Analects, on the other hand, places its main focus on collective development and responsibility
The Bhagavad-Gita, a portion of the great epic the Mahabharata, is the “most typical expression of Hinduism.” It is eighteen chapters long and was composed around the first century BCE. The sage Samjaya recites the story to the blind king Dhrtarastra, the father of the Kaurava princes. While presenting ideas of wisdom, duty, and liberation in the midst of the rivalry between the Kauravas, the Bhagavad-Gita epitomizes the teachings of Krishna. Focusing specifically on the moral struggle of the Pandava prince Arjuna, the Bhagavad-Gita’s major themes include yoga, karma, dharma, and moksa. Yoga, being discipline or the strict and “attentive cultivation of mental character and meaningful action” , is crucial to the text because it is dharma yoga, acting properly according to one’s dharma, and bhakti yoga, a disciplined life of devotion that allows one to achieve moksa, or liberation, one of the four aims of li...
“The art of war is of vital importance to the state. It is a matter of life and death, a road to either safety or ruin. Hence it is the subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected” by Sun Tzu by of Sun Tzu’s philosophy on warfare in 400-320 B.C. echoes back across time, when the ancient world was being shaped and carved by war.
The four main stages of life in Hinduism also take the caste system into account. The first stage is that of a student, being led by a teacher. T...
War is a universal phenomenon, it is a violent tool people use to accomplish their interests. It is not autonomous, rather policy always determines its character. Normally it starts when diplomacy fails to reach a peaceful end. War is not an end rather than a mean to reach the end, however, it does not end, and it only rests in preparation for better conditions. It is a simple and dynamic act with difficult and unstable factors which make it unpredictable and complex. It is a resistant environment where the simplest act is difficult to perform. In this paper, I will argue why war is a universal phenomenon and what are the implications of my argument to strategists.
Speaking on Wealth, Lady Philosophy says, “wealth cannot make a man free of want and self-sufficient, though this was the very promise we saw it offering” (83). Moreover, Philosophy points out that the gathering of wealth does not stop people from taking that wealth away (83). Indeed, by its very nature, wealth seems contradictory. If we collect wealth, we believe we will be self-sufficient and free of want, so we hoard it; But “being miserly always makes men hated” (65). In its acquisition, wealth takes away from others, as it is a limited thing, and only brings hatred and paranoia to those who gather it. “[I]t is only when money is transferred to others in the exercise of liberality and ceases to be possessed that it becomes valuable” (65). The acquisition of wealth, then, is folly and can never grant true happiness.
In this essay, I will be discussing how the formal theory of the rule of law is an erroneous means of establishing laws within a state. A central theme to addressing this essay is the distinction between formal and substantive theories of the rule of law. In order to reach the conclusion of the formal theory being proven to be insufficient, one must first appreciate the significant advantages which the substantive theory obtains. However, before doing so, I will briefly mention the importance of the rule of law in society and the requirements it needs to fulfil. Most people would dispute that the significance of law in society is to obtain justice, however justice is simply a term which is determined subjectively, it relates to an individuals moral viewpoint.
It is said that the Gandhara artists had the “hand of a Greek but the head and heart of an Indian.” In Sanskrit it was known as Puruṣapura, which literally
Artist unknown, Shiva Nataraja (Lord of the Dance), Chola period, Tamil Nadu, 9th-13th century. Bronze; 25”, Cleveland Museum of Art. This bronze sculpture shows Shiva Nataraja as a figure dancing within a decorative circle. The exterior depicts an arch of flames known as the ring of fire. A top of Shiva’s head is a crown of feathers arranged like a fan. Within his crown are small personified images. At the center of the crown is a small skull object shaped like an oval. To the left of the feathers is a small crescent moon. His face has two eyes and a faint smile. On his forehead is a third eye that is barely visible with the eye slightly open. Shiva’s long hair strands flow outward to the sides and top of the ring. Within Shiva’s hair is a small object to the right of his head, this object is known as a ganga.
Most people in the world derive their religious beliefs and traditions from their parents and peer influences. From a religious point of view, “There are many definitions for the term ‘religion’ in common usage. [Broadly defined], in order to include the greatest number of belief systems: ‘Religion is any specific system of belief about deity, often involving rituals, a code of ethics, and a philosophy of life’” (Robinson, 1996). However, in examining Hinduism, it is difficult to label the practices as a religion. This paper will expound upon the Hindu traditions, taking into account the characteristics of sacred elements, their meaning, and significance.
In Hinduism, human life requires pursuit of four goals called Purusarthas. The first goal is kama, or pleasure. It refers to the human desire for passion and emotion for both body and the mind. Happiness through the exercise of desire and passion is regarded as part of a well-rounded spiritual life. The second goal, Artha, or wealth and power. Hinduism allows the pursuit of both since a person needs them in order to support a family and maintain a household. In fact, the pursuit of them is considered noble and includes traditional work as well as civic service. But fulfillment of the third goal is the most significant. Dharma, or duty, is the standards by which one should live in cooperation with fellow human beings. Dharma includes a comprehensive set of rules for living
The Arthashastra prescribed that there shall be established a bench of three judges who shall hold court a frontier posts, sub district headquarters and provincial headquarters (samgrahanas, dronamukhas and sthaniyas).85 Their text which suggests that impersonation might have been prevalent. In verse 3.20.17, the text says — "No one shall pretend to be a magistrate and examine a suspect under oath". Further, there is a verse what exhorts the judge to take an initiative in certain types of lawsuits. It says — "The judges themselves shall take charge of the affairs of Gods, Brahmins, ascetics, women, minors, old people, the sick and those that are helpless (e.g. orphans) (even) when they do not approach the court'’. How and if at all this could have been practiced seems difficult to visualize. The idea innate implies that judges ought to take care of those revered