Download Early Civilizations of India

The Harappan Civilization
3300 BCE - 2400 BCE
Aerial View of Mohenjo-Daro
A Male Head, Mohenjo-Daro
Dravidian
A Priest-King, Mohenjo-Daro
Female Figures,
Harappa
Harappan Writing
Undecipherable to date.
Aryan Migration
 pastoral  depended on their cattle.
 warriors  horse-drawn chariots.
Sanskrit
writing
The Vedas
 1200 BCE-600 BCE.
 written in SANSKRIT.
 Hindu core of
beliefs:

hymns and poems.

religious prayers.

magical spells.

Rig Veda  oldest work.
lists of the gods
and goddesses.
Varna (Social Hierarchy)
Brahmins
Kshatriyas
Vaishyas
Shudras
Pariahs [Harijan]  Untouchables
The Caste System
Brahmins
WHO IS…
 The mouth?
Kshatriyas
 The arms?
 The legs?
Vaishyas
 The feet?
Shudras
The Vedic Age
The foundations for
Hinduism were
established!
Hinduism
• Basic Beliefs
– Dharma: duties that must be followed to achieve
liberation
– Karma: sum effect of one’s actions
– Moksha: Liberation – release from reincarnation
– Samsara: reincarnation (birth, death, rebirth)
• Sacred texts
– Vedas (sacred hymns of knowledge)
– Upanishads (philosophocal reflecetions on Vedas)
Jainism
•
•
•
•
•
Vardhamana Mahavira, 540-468 BCE
Abandoned privileged family to lead ascetic life
Promotes 7th c. movement based on Upanishads
Emphasis on selfless living, concern for all beings
Ahimsa
– Principle of extreme non-violence
– Jainists sweep earth, strain water, use slow movements
to avoid killing insects
– Ahimsa continues to inspire modern movements
(Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr.)
Yellow River Civilization
Neolithic Pottery
3000 BCE to
2000 BCE
The 4 Old-World
River Valley Cultures
Pan-Gu: Mythical Creator of the Universe
Yu, the Great
Xia
Founder of the
“Huangdi” – Emperor
 The “Yellow Emperor.”
 Legend has it that
he ruled for over
100 years.
 Associated with the
invention of
wheeled vehicles,
ships, armor,
pottery, and
silk-making.
Emperor Fuxi
 Mythical Xia
ruler.
 Taught the
Chinese how
to read and
write,
according to
legend.
Shang: 1523-1028 BCE
Oracle Bones
Oracle Bones Calendar
The Evolution of Chinese
Writing during the Shang
Pictographs
Semantic-Phonetics
Western Zhou: 1027-771 BCE
Pendant of a Dancer - jade
3c BCE (Zhou)
Zhou Coins - bronze
“T’ien Ming”
The Mandate of Heaven
1.The leader must lead by ability and virtue.
2.The dynasty's leadership must be justified
by succeeding generations.
3.The mandate could be revoked by negligence
and abuse; the will of the people was
important.
Start here
A new
dynasty
comes to power.
The emperor
reforms the govt.
& makes it more
efficient.
Emperor is
defeated !!
Lives of common
people improved;
taxes reduced;
farming encouraged.
Rebel bands find
strong leader who
unites them.
Attack the emperor.
Problems begin
(extensive wars,
invasions, etc.)
Poor lose
respect for govt.
They join rebels
& attack landlords.
Taxes increase;
men forced to
work for army.
Farming neglected.
Droughts,
floods,
famines occur.
Govt. increases
spending;
corruption.
Religions of South Asia
The essence of Buddhism
 The “middle way of wisdom and
compassion.”
 2,500 year old tradition.
 The 3 jewels of Buddhism:
 Buddha, the teacher.
 Dharma, the teachings.
 Sangha, the community.
Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 BCE)
 Born in NE India (Nepal).
 Raised in great luxury




to be a king.
At 29 he rejected his
luxurious life to seek
enlightenment and the
source of suffering.
Lived a strict, ascetic
life for 6 yrs.
Rejecting this extreme, sat in meditation,
and found nirvana.
Became “The Enlightened One,” at 35.
What is the fundamental
cause of all suffering?
Desire!
 Therefore, extinguish the self,
don’t obsess about oneself.
Four Noble Truths
1. There is suffering in the world.
To live is to suffer. (Dukkha)
 The Buddha found this out
when he was young and
experienced suffering and
death in others.
Four Noble Truths
2. The cause of suffering is
self-centered desire and
attachments. (Tanha)
Four Noble Truths
3. The solution is to eliminate
desire and attachments.
(Nirvana = “extinction”)
Four Noble Truths
4. To reach nirvana, one must
follow the Eightfold Path.
•
•
•
•
Right View
Right Attitude
Right Speech
Right Action
•
•
•
•
Right Livlihood
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration
Eightfold Path
Nirvana
 The union with the ultimate
spiritual reality.
 Escape from the cycle of rebirth.
Buddhist Altar
Types of Buddhism
 Therevada Buddhism
 Mahayana Buddhism
 Tibetan Buddhism
 Zen Buddhism
Theravada Buddhism
 The oldest school of Buddhism.
 The “Way of the Elders” or the





“Small Vehicle.”
Found in southern Asia.
The monastic life is the best way
to achieve nirvana.
Focus on wisdom and meditation.
Goal is to become a “Buddha,” or
“Enlightened One.”
Over 100,000,000 followers today.
Mahayana Buddhism
 The “Great Vehicle.”
 Founded in northern Asia (China, Japan).
 Buddhism “for the masses.”
 Seek guidance from Boddhisatvas, wise
beings.
 Goal: Not just individual escape from the
wheel, but the salvation of all humanity
through self-sacrifice of those
enlightened few.
Boddhisatva
Tibetan Buddhism
 The “Diamond Vehicle.” [Vajrayana]
 Developed in Tibet in the 7c CE.
 A mix of Theravada and Mahayana.
 Boddhisatvas include
Lamas, like the Dalai Lama.
 The Tibetan Book
of the Dead
Zen Buddhism
 The “Meditation School.”
 Seeks sudden enlightenment [satori] through
meditation, arriving at emptiness [sunyata].
 Use of meditation masters [Roshi].
 Beauty, art, and aesthetics:
 Gardens.
 Archery.
 Tea ceremony.
 Calligraphy.
551 – 479 B.C.E.
Born in the feudal
state of Liu.
Became a teacher
and editor of books
Li --> Rite, rules, ritual decorum (Binding
force of an enduring stable society)
Ren --> humaneness, benevolence,
humanity
Shu --> Reciprocity, empathy
Yi --> Righteousness
Xiao --> Filial Piety (Respect your elders!)
1. Ruler
Subject
2. Father
Son
3. Husband
Wife
4. Older
Brother
Younger
Brother
5. Older
Friend
Younger
Friend
1. Status
2. Age
3. Gender
The single most important Confucian work.
In Chinese, it means “conversation.”
Focus on practicalities of interpersonal
relationships and the relationship of
the role of rulers and ministers to the
conduct of government.
Knowing what he knows and knowing what he doesn’t
know, is characteristics of the person who knows.
Making a mistake and not correcting it, is making
another mistake.
The superior man blames himself; the inferior man
blames others.
To go too far is as wrong as to fall short.
372 - 289 B.C.E. (Disciple of Confucius.)
Starts off with the assumption that “people are
basically good.”
If someone does something bad, education, not
punishment, is the answer.
Good people will mend their ways in accordance
to their inherent goodness.
The emperor is the example of proper behavior
Social relationships are based on “rites” or “rituals.”
Even religious rituals are important for SOCIAL, not
religious, reasons, acc. to Confucius.
INDIA
CHINA
1. Brahmin
1. Scholar-Gentry
2. Kshatriyas
2. Peasants
3. Vaishyas
3. Artisans
4. Shudras
4. Merchants
Untouchables
Soldiers
Imperial Nobility
Domestic Slaves
280? - 233 B.C.E.
Lived during the late Warring
States period.
Legalism became the political
philosophy of the
Qin [Ch’in] Dynasty.
1. Human nature is naturally selfish.
2. Intellectualism and literacy is
discouraged.
3. Law is the supreme authority and
replaces morality.
4. The ruler must rule with a strong,
punishing hand.
5. War is the means of strengthening
a ruler’s power.
One who favors the principle that
individuals should obey a powerful
authority rather than exercise
individual freedom.
The ruler, therefore, “cracks his whip”
on the backs of his subjects!
Not sure when he died.
[604 B.C.E.-?]
His name means “Old Master”
Was he Confucius’ teacher?
The basic text of Daoism.
In Chinese = The Classic in the Way and Its Power.
“Those who speak know nothing:
Those who know are silent.”
These words, I am told,
Were spoken by Laozi.
If we are to believe that Laozi,
Was himself one who knew,
How is it that he wrote a book,
Of five thousand words?
1. Dao [Tao] is the first-cause of the
universe. It is a force that flows through
all life.
2. A believer’s goal is to become one with
Dao; one with nature. [“The butterfly or
the man?” story.]
3. Wu wei --> “Let nature take its course.”
--> “The art of doing nothing.”
--> “Go with the flow!”
4. Man is unhappy because he lives acc. to
man-made laws, customs, & traditions that
are contrary to the ways of nature.
To escape the “social, political, & cultural traps
of life, one must escape by:
1. Rejecting formal knowledge and
learning.
2. Relying on the senses and instincts.
3. Discovering the nature and
“rhythm” of the universe.
4. Ignoring political and social laws.
Feminine
Passive
Darkness
Cold
Weak
Earth
Moon
Masculine
Active
Light
Warmth
Strong
Heaven
Sun
How is a man to live in a world dominated by
chaos, suffering, and absurdity??
Confucianism --> Moral order in society.
Legalism --> Rule by harsh law & order.
Daoism --> Freedom for individuals and
less govt. to avoid
uniformity and conformity.