Buddha and the Indian Empire Term Paper

Total Length: 628 words ( 2 double-spaced pages)

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What Makes an Empire?Empires throughout human history have been diverse and unique, but some common elements make them recognizably imperial. The Persian, Greek, and Roman Empires all exercised hegemony over vast areas for long periods of time, relying on military might to maintain control. Their centers of political power were strong and centralized, not only allowing them to apportion resources effectively but also to communicate the unifying laws and principles that defined their rule. Moreover, these three empires often used both religious authority and cultural practices to legitimize their power and make it harder for subject peoples to challenge them—the ancestor worship of the Persians, the legends of divine origin amongst the Greeks, and shared gods large parts of the Roman world all served this purpose.While there are many other factors that separate or distinguish different empires from one another, a combination of military strength, strategic centralization and ideological framework appears essential for an imperial formation. Yet, as Xuanzang shows in his ancient records and documents regarding his visit to India in 629 BC, there is more to empire than military, strategy, and ideology.
One other aspect is culture. Culture must also be at the heart of empire—and it was certainly there at the heart of the Persian (intensely…

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…and economic forms. [2: Homer, The Iliad (University of Michigan, 2007), 1.] [3: Virgil, The Aeneid (Collector’s Library, 2004), 1.] [4: Huili, “A Biography of the Tripitaka Master,” Considering the Evidence: Documents, 345.]In conclusion, what makes an Empire is always the same—whether it is in China, Persia, Greece, Rome or India: it is the heritage and the ability of the people of the Empire to embrace it, sing it, and make it live in an epic way. It is the embodiment of the land’s pride in whatever it possesses—whether that is the story of the Buddha, the politics and philosophy of the Greeks, or the seeds….....

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https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/buddha-indian-empire-2178049