Gupta Dynasty - Gupta

Japanese: グプタ朝 - ぐぷたちょう（英語表記）Gupta

An ancient Indian dynasty (320-mid-6th century). The Gupta royal family was originally a small power in the Magadha region in the middle reaches of the Ganges River, but during the reign of Chandragupta I (reigned 320-335), they elevated their status by taking Kumaradevi of the prestigious Licchavi clan as their queen, expanding their territory and earning the title of "King of great kings" and "the greatest monarch." The Gupta calendar, which began in 320, was established to commemorate this king's accession to the throne. His son, Samudragupta (reigned 335-375), who succeeded him on the throne, is known as a great conqueror. The king's exploits are recorded in a eulogy (written by his general Harishena) carved on a stone pillar in Allahabad. The exaggerated poem says that the king made expeditions to various parts of India, including South India, and subjugated many nations, leading kings from as far away as Sri Lanka and Afghanistan to pledge their allegiance and send tributes. To demonstrate his power, the king also performed the Ashvamedha (horse-shrine festival), a Brahmanic ritual that had been considered to be performed only by "emperors" since ancient times. However, Samudragupta only directly ruled the Ganges River basin, and other regions were left to the rule of the old kings who had submitted to him. The Gupta Empire's rule was thus decentralized in character, and differed from the centralized rule of the Mauryan Empire.

The third king, Chandragupta II (reigned 375-414), continued his father's great achievements, defeating the Saka forces that remained in western India and annexing the land to Gupta territory. The Gupta dynasty reached its peak during the reign of this king, known as Vikramaditya (Super Sun King). The travelogue "Bukkoku-ki" by the Chinese monk Faxian describes the peace and prosperity of India at that time. The power of the Gupta dynasty was maintained during the reigns of the fourth king, Kumaragupta I (reigned 414-455) and the fifth king, Skandagupta (reigned 455-470), but it was dealt a major blow by the invasion of the Central Asian Huna people (Hephthalites) that began at the end of the 5th century, and in the 6th century, local governments gained independence in various places, causing a rapid decline. The Gupta dynasty collapsed around the middle of the 6th century, but little is known about its final period. Furthermore, a small government (the Late Gupta Empire) claiming to be a descendant of the Gupta Empire continued to exist in the Magadha region until around the beginning of the 8th century.

[Genichi Yamazaki]

Society and Economy

Faxian wrote that the Gupta Empire enjoyed economic prosperity and that traffic within the empire was free and safe. Literary works such as the 4th century works Mrityakatika (The Earthen Chariot) and the Kama Sutra, as well as works by Kalidasa in the early 5th century, depict a vibrant urban life. The vigorous economic activity of the time is best shown by gold coins. The early Gupta kings issued large quantities of gold coins. These coins were based on the standards of late Kushan gold coins, but they were of high purity and had sophisticated designs. However, in the later Gupta period, commerce and industry in the cities gradually declined, and economic activity became local and small-scale, centered on village society. With these economic changes and political decline, the purity of gold coins decreased, the number of coins issued decreased, and the designs became poor.

[Genichi Yamazaki]

culture

The Gupta period is known as the golden age of classical Indian culture. The great conqueror Samudragupta was a master of the veena (Japanese lute) and a poet, but other kings also loved and supported literature. In the field of Sanskrit literature, the court poet Kalidasa, known as the "Saint of Poetry," wrote the play Shakuntala and the lyric poem Meghaduta (The Messenger of the Clouds). In terms of art, purely Indian works such as the elegant Gupta style Buddha statues were produced. In the Deccan, the masterpieces of the murals at the Ajanta Caves were painted during this period. The sciences such as astronomy, physics, mathematics, and medicine also developed around the time of the Gupta period.

[Genichi Yamazaki]

religion

Although Buddhism had lost its former strength, academic research continued in monasteries across the country, and many learned monks emerged. Nalanda Temple, which later became a major center of Buddhist learning, was founded in the first half of the 5th century with the support of King Kumaragupta. Brahmanism gradually recovered from its decline after the Mauryan dynasty, but flourished under the protection of the royal family during the Gupta dynasty. The philosophical system of the various schools of Brahmanism known as the Six Schools of Philosophy also saw its primary establishment during this period. Hinduism, which was born from the fusion of Aryan Brahmanism with non-Aryan folk beliefs, was also beginning to spread among the royal family and the general public. It was during this period that Hindu temples began to be built.

[Genichi Yamazaki]

"The Kushan Dynasty and the Gupta Empire" by Toshio Yamazaki (included in "Iwanami Lectures on World History 3: Ancient History 3", 1970, Iwanami Shoten)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

古代インドの王朝（320年～6世紀なかば）。グプタ王家は初めガンジス川中流域マガダ地方の小勢力であったが、チャンドラグプタ1世（在位320～335ころ）の代に名門リッチャビ一族のクマーラデービーを妃(きさき)に迎えることによって地位を高め、領土を広げて「大王のなかの王」「最高の君主」と称した。320年に始まるグプタ暦は、この王の即位を記念して定められたものである。その子で王位を継いだサムドラグプタ（在位335ころ～375ころ）は大征服者として知られる。王の功業はアラハバードの石柱に刻まれた頌徳(しょうとく)詩（将軍ハリシェーナ作）に伝えられているが、誇張的表現に富んだその詩文によると、この王は南インドを含む各地に遠征して諸国を屈伏させたため、遠くスリランカやアフガニスタンに至る諸国の王までが、臣従を誓い貢ぎ物を送ってきたという。王はまた、自己の権力を誇示するために、古来「帝王」のみがなしうるとされてきたバラモン教の祭式アシュバメーダ（馬祠祭(ばしさい)）を挙行している。ただしサムドラグプタが直接支配したのはガンジス川流域のみであり、他の地方は帰順した旧来の諸王の支配にゆだねられている。グプタ朝の帝国支配はこのように地方分権的性格をもつものであり、中央集権的支配を採用したマウリヤ朝とは異なっていた。

　第3代のチャンドラグプタ2世（在位375ころ～414ころ）も、父王の偉業を継いで、西インドに残存していたサカ人の勢力を討ち、その地をグプタ領に併合している。ビクラマーディティヤ（超日王）とよばれるこの王の時代に、グプタ朝は最盛期を迎えた。中国僧の法顕(ほっけん)の旅行記『仏国記』に、当時のインドの平和と繁栄のようすが伝えられている。第4代のクマーラグプタ1世（在位414ころ～455ころ）と第5代のスカンダグプタ（在位455ころ～470ころ）の時代にもグプタ朝の勢力は維持されたが、5世紀末に始まる中央アジア系フーナ人（エフタル）の侵入によって大打撃を受け、6世紀に入ると地方政権が各地で独立したことも重なって急速に衰退した。グプタ朝は6世紀なかばごろ滅んだが、末期の模様についてはほとんどわからない。なお、マガダ地方にはその後も8世紀初めごろまで、グプタ朝の後裔(こうえい)と称する小政権（後期グプタ朝）が存在していた。

［山崎元一］

社会・経済

法顕は、グプタ朝のもとで経済的な繁栄がみられたこと、領内の交通が自由かつ安全であったことを記している。また4世紀ごろの文学作品『ムリッチャカティカー（土の小車）』や『カーマスートラ』、あるいは5世紀初めに出たカーリダーサの作品などには、華やかな都市生活が描かれている。当時における活発な経済活動は、金貨にもっともよく示されている。グプタ朝初期の諸王は大量の金貨を発行した。それらはクシャン朝後期の金貨の基準に従ったものであるが、純度は高く意匠も洗練されている。しかしグプタ朝も後期に入ると、都市の商工業はしだいに衰え、経済活動は村落社会を中心とする地方的で小規模なものへと変化してゆく。こうした経済的変化や政治的衰退に伴い、金貨の純度は低下し発行量は減り、意匠も劣悪なものになった。

［山崎元一］

文化

グプタ朝時代はインド古典文化の黄金時代として知られる。大征服者サムドラグプタはビーナ（琵琶(びわ)）の名手かつ詩人であったが、他の諸王も文芸を愛好しこれを保護した。サンスクリット文学の分野では、詩聖と称される宮廷詩人カーリダーサが出て、戯曲『シャクンタラー』や叙情詩『メーガドゥータ（雲の使者）』を書いた。美術の面では、優雅なグプタ式仏像に代表される純インド的な作品が生まれた。デカンではこの時代にアジャンタ石窟(せっくつ)寺院の壁画の代表作が描かれている。またグプタ時代の前後には、天文学、物理学、数学、医学などの諸科学も発達した。

［山崎元一］

宗教

仏教はかつての勢いを失っていたが、各地の僧院を中心に学問的研究が続けられ、多くの学僧が出た。後世に仏教教学の大中心となったナーランダー寺院は、5世紀前半にクマーラグプタ王の援助を得て創建されたものである。バラモン教はマウリヤ朝以後しだいに退勢を挽回(ばんかい)しつつあったが、グプタ朝時代に王室の保護を受けて栄えた。六派哲学とよばれるバラモン教諸学派の哲学体系も、この時代にいちおうの成立をみている。アーリア的なバラモン教に非アーリア的な民間信仰が融合して生まれたヒンドゥー教も、王家や民衆の間に浸透しつつあった。ヒンドゥー教の寺院が建造されるようになるのも、この時代からである。

［山崎元一］

『山崎利男著「クシャーン朝とグプタ帝国」（『岩波講座　世界歴史3　古代3』所収・1970・岩波書店）』

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