ANCIENT INDIA

1. ANCIENT INDIA

2. GEOGRAPHY • Great size and diverse landscapes = cultural diversity and hard to unite • Indian subcontinent = a large landmass that is part of a continent • Monsoons = seasonal winds in India that bring rain in the summer

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4. The Aryans and the Vedic Period • Between 2000-1500 BC a group of nomadic Indo-European people formed a new civilization along the Ganges river • A warlike people who went from being nomads to farmers • Developed Sanskrit, their writing system around 1000 BC • Sacred writings called the Vedas – a collection of hymns, prayers, and other religious teachings

5. People settled in smaller villages, which banded together under regional leaders called rajas • The social structure was based on the caste system • Caste system = a set rigid categories in ancient India that determined a person’s occupation and position in society • Caste = social class

6. Society was divided into four social classes called varnas • Brahmans = priestly class in charge of religious ceremonies, is the highest ranking • Kshatriyas = warriors and rulers • Vaisyas = commoners, mostly farmers and merchants • Sudras = people who were not Aryans, mostly peasants with limited rights in society, servants • The four varnas are also subdivided into hundreds of smaller castes • Untouchables = people who are not part of the caste system, lowest part of society • Are given menial, degrading tasks that other Indians would not accept (trash collecting, handling dead bodies)

8. Valued Cattle – Cows were sacred • Women had less rights and were not equal • Job was to have children and obey and respect their husbands at all times • Sati • Virtuous woman who joined her husband on his funeral pyre • In ancient India the dead were burned in a funeral pyre • Suttee required a wife to throw herself on her dead husband’s flaming body to join him in death • Women who refused were considered disrespectful

9. The Aryans were polytheistic • The Aryans practiced the religion of Hinduism

10. Hinduism • One of the world’s oldest religions • Practiced in ancient India by the Aryans • Religious beliefs of the Hindus are found in the Vedas, a collection of hymns and religious ceremonies • Beliefs • Polytheistic, belief in the caste system • Brahman – single force, external being that created and preserves the world, a form of ultimate reality

11. Every person has an atman, or soul, that is an aspect of Brahman • A person’s atman shapes their personality and cannot be destroyed by death • The duty of the atman is to seek to know this ultimate reality called Brahman • Devas = various manifestations of Brahman, are active in the world

12. Continual pattern of birth, death, and rebirth • At death the atman is released from the body and later reborn in another • Called reincarnation = belief that the individual soul is reborn into a new form after death • The nature of the person’s new life will be shaped by their karma • Karma = force generated by a person’s actions that determines how the person will be reborn in the next life • good karma = reborn into a higher caste • bad karma = reborn into a lower caste • Gave religious basis for the rigid caste system and hope to the lower castes

13. The ultimate goal of human existence is achieve moksha, or union with Brahman • Moksha = escape or release from the cycle of rebirth • Atman leaves the world and reunites with Brahman – Hindus work toward achieving this • The way to achieve moksha is to fulfill one’s dharma • Dharma = (divine law) a person’s spiritual duties and obligations which they must follow to achieve liberation • Various depending on status and caste • Fulfilling dharma allows a person to create good karma

14. Make a pilgrimage to a holy location • Pilgrimage = religious journey • For Hindus one of the most holy places they want to visit in their lifetime is the Ganges river, believe that the water is holy • Believe that bathing in the Ganges will purify and remove some bad karma

15. Buddhism • Founded in the 6th century BC by Siddartha Gautama • Later took the name of Buddha, which means “Enlightened One” • His goal was to seek the cure for human suffering • Resolved to find a way to overcome age and sickness to keep people from having to suffer

16. Decided one must deny the reality of the material world • Pain, poverty, and sorrow are caused by attachments to things of this world • Once you let go of worldly cares, pain and sorrow can be forgotten and wisdom can be achieved (bodhi) • Achieving wisdom is a key step to achieving nirvana • Nirvana = end of self and reunion with the Great World Soul • A state of perfect peace in which the soul will be free from suffering • Four Noble Truths • Ordinary life is full of suffering • This suffering is caused by our desire to satisfy ourselves with pleasure and material goods

17. Overcoming these desires during life eventually brings suffering to an end • The way to end desire is to follow the Eightfold Path • Eightfold Path = a series of steps that leads to Enlightenment • Right view Right livelihood • Right attitude Right effort • Right speech Right mindfulness • Right action Right concentration • Can also be expressed as the Middle Way, which advises people to live in moderation in the search for nirvana

18. Other beliefs • Believe in reincarnation • Do not believe in the caste system • Do not worship any gods, Buddha forbade followers to worship his image • Spread of Buddhism • Starts out in India, but loses popularity to Islam • Spreads to Southeast Asia