Download Ch. 3 Ancient Indian Civilizations

 Complex
social organization that
began after Indo-Aryan migration
 Varnas- four distinct social classes
› Jati- smaller subgroups
 Born into your parents subgroup
 Could only marry within it
 Determined what job you could
hold and who you could eat with
 Today gov’t has abolished caste
system, but remains influential part of
Indian society
 Upanishads-
written explanation of
Vedic religion
› Most people illiterate; teachings shared
in two epics
 Mahabharata- great battles in the
Northern India kingdom
 Bhagavad Gita- most famous Hindu
Scripture
 Ramayana- depicts duties and
relationships of humans
Battle of Kurukshetra
Om- sacred
Hindu Symbol
Rama on the shoulders
of Hanuman fighting the
demon-king Ravana
 India’s
major religion and world’s 3rd
largest
 Developed from Brahmin priest’s
explanation of the Vedas
 Monism- belief in the unity of God and
creation
 Brahman- divine essence that fills
everything in the world
 Self or Atman- individual essence
Maya- belief that the world is an
illusion
› People need to accept the
illusion to gain salvation
 Reincarnation- belief in rebirth of
souls
› A soul doesn’t die; reborn into the
body of another human or
animal
 Hindus believe it takes many
lifetimes to recognize maya and
that requires reincarnation
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 Brahma
can be represented as many
gods
› Brahma the Creator
› Vishnu the Preserver
› Siva the Destroyer
 Other gods represented as spirits of
trees, animals, and people
 Not polytheistic, or monotheistic, but
monistic
 Dharma-
doing one’s moral duty in this life
so the soul can advance to the next
 Karma- the good or bad force created by
a person’s actions
› Reborn into a higher social group or
lower or possibly animal
 Nirvana- perfect peace of the soul;
reincarnation complete and soul unites
with Brahman
 Yoga-
a set of mental and physical
exercises to bring the body and soul
together
 Origins of festivals- to honor returning
seasons
 Sacred Animals
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Ex. Cows
provided power for plows and carts
Produced milk and butter for food
Protected by law
 Siddhartha
Gautama- founder;
Buddha or “Enlightened One”
› Wealthy in his youth; shocked by
tragedies of life
› Great Renunciation- left his family to
discover truth and meaning
› Understood the truth that forms the
basis of life while mediating under a
tree
› “Way of Life”
 Accepted
some Hindu teachings;
reincarnation
 The Soul- good is rewarded/ evil punished
 Salvation = knowing the “Four Noble
Truths” & following the “Eightfold Path”
 Did not accept Hindu gods
 Denied importance of caste system
 Any person of any caste could reach
nirvana
1. All human life involves suffering and
sorrow
 2. The desire for a life of pleasure and
material gain causes suffering and sorrow
 3. Renouncing desire frees people from
suffering and helps their souls attain
nirvana
 4. The Eightfold Path leads to renunciation,
or denial of desire and attainment of
nirvana
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Right Views- seeing life
as it really is
Right Intentions- living a
life of good will; striving
toward perfection
Right to Speechavoiding lies and gossip
Right Action- trying to
be law-abiding and
honest
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Right Living- avoiding
work that harms others
Right Effort- seeking to
prevent evil
Right Mindfulnessconstant awareness of
one’s self
Right Concentrationdirecting the mind in
meditation
Spread of Buddhism
• Spread during Buddha’s life; wide acceptance in
Asia
• Buddhism rose then declined in India; opposed by
Brahmins
Theravada Buddhism
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Traditional beliefs
Buddha is a great
teacher and spiritual
leader
Myanmar, Thailand, Sri
Lanka and Laos are
followers of this
branch
Mahayana Buddhism
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Buddha is a god and
savior
More elaborate
ceremonies
China, Vietnam, Korea
and Japan are
followers of this branch