Ancient India

Indus River Valley Some of the earliest people in India

lived along the Indus River, for the same reasons people in North Africa and the Middle East settled around the Nile and the Tigris and Euphrates

By the Indus River communities developed

Social Structure of Ancient India

Varnas is the system of four main social classes Brahmans: Priests, study and teach the

Vedas, perform religious ceremonies Kshatriyas: Warriors, Rulers, study the

Vedas, lead the gov’t and head the army Vaisyas: Common people, merchants,

artisans, farmers, tend the herds, sell products

Sudras: Unskilled laborers, servants, serve other Varnas

Parihas: Slaves, perform unclean tasks

Early India’s Social System

GROUPS OUTSIDE VARNAS: Pariahs = orange

VARNAS: Brahmans = red Kshatriyas =

purple Vaisyas = blue Sudras = green

Concept of Duty Dharma is the duties of the males

who belonged to each varna The concept of dharma includes doing

what is proper for one’s age

HINDUISM

Hinduism Based on different beliefs and practices Differences from other religions: was

not founded on the teachings of one person and does not have one holy book

As a result, it became a complex religion of many deities

Three important gods: Brahma the creator Vishnu the preserver Shiva the destroyer

Hinduism (cont’d) Religious writings is the Upanishads They tell that all living things have

souls and all souls are part of one eternal spirit, the Brahman Nerguna

To experience true freedom a soul must be separated from the material world and united with the Brahman Nerguna

Hinduism Cycle of Rebirth

Reincarnation rebirth of the soul A soul passes through many lifetimes

before it achieves union with the universal spirit

Karma determines the cycle of rebirth How a person lives their life will determine

what form they take on in the next life; failure to fulfill your dharma means you might be reborn into a lower varna

To move towards universal spirit you must have good karma and fulfill your dharma

Hinduism Cycle of Rebirth (cont’d)

Ahimsa practice that requires believers to protect humans, animals, plants, insects

Still important today Cycle of rebirth continues until a

person reaches spiritual perfection Ultimate aim of life is moksha, or

release from the pain and suffering of rebirth after rebirth

BUDDHISM

Buddhism Founded by Siddhartha Gautama

A Kshatriya prince Lived a sheltered life and one day was

exposed to scenes of misery Wandered for 7 yrs as a hermit to seek

the truth through fasting and self-denial Soon he began to share his insights with

others and the meaning of his “enlightenment”

Began to be called Buddha or “Enlightened One”

Four Noble Truths 1: all people suffer and know sorrow 2: people suffer because their desires

bind them to the cycle of rebirth 3: people could end their suffering by

eliminating their desires 4: one cold eliminate desire by

following the Eightfold Path

The Eightfold Path Urges his followers to do 8 things:

Know the truth Resist evil Say nothing to hurt others Respect life Work for the good of others Free their minds of evil Control their thoughts Practice meditation

The Eightfold Path (cont’d)

By following the path one could reach nirvana or a state of freedom from the cycle of rebirth

Buddha rejected the varna system Said your place in life depended on

the person, not their birth Did not believe in caste system or

Hindu deities

Spread of Buddhism Buddha spent 40 years teaching After his death monks spread this belief

to India, Asia (China, Japan, Korea) Architecture honored Buddha through

stupas or large stone mounds over the bones of Buddhist holy people

Theravada: close to original teachings (SE Asia, S Asia)

Mahayana: encouraged worship of Buddha as savior (China, Korea, Japan)

Mauryan Empire• 322 BC Founder: Chandragupta Asoka – after fierce wars of

conquest, became “enlightened”

Renounced war Followed Buddhist teachings Buddhism official religion, but

Hinduism tolerated Spread Buddhism throughout

India and other parts of Asia

Asoka’s Rock Edicts

Laws carved on rocks and pillars throughout empire

Written in local languages

Laws stressed concern for other human beings

Gupta Empire 320AD-535AD: after

Mauryan Empire India’s “Golden

Age” – arts & sciences flourished b/c low taxes

Began to write down rules for everything: grammar, drama, politics

Sanskrit of Gupta court became major language of north

Economy of EmpiresAgricultural

(agrarian)Coastal Rim –

trade in cotton, gems, spice, gold, silk, cashmere