Chapter 6

Review and Discussion

Ancient IndiaAncient India

GaneshaGanesha

Roots of Hinduism• Who’s the founder?Who’s the founder?• No original founder No original founder • Grew out of early Aryan beliefs

in multiple Gods. • Is there a sacred text?Is there a sacred text?• Beliefs come from the Vedas and Beliefs come from the Vedas and

other Indian epics, poems and other Indian epics, poems and songssongs

• Each believer sees Brahman differently

Polytheistic or monotheistic ?

• Hinduism is sometimes called a polytheistic religion, but strictly speaking, this is not entirely accurate.

• Hinduism believes in One God (Brahman), but recognizes that the One God can appear to humans in multiple names and forms

• Three most important gods:– Brahma-the Creator– Vishnu-the preserver– Shiva-the destroyer

Characteristic of gods• Each god represents a Each god represents a

characteristic of characteristic of BrahmaBrahmann. .

• How many gods exist?• As many as 330 million

gods

BrahmaBrahmann the Creator the Creatorgod of knowledge & intellectgod of knowledge & intellect

ReincarnationReincarnation• What’s the ultimate goal

of existence?• to achieve moksha, or

union with Brahman. • What is reincarnation?• the soul (atman) passes

through many lifetimes: before it finally achieves moksha

Methods to Achieve Moksha:Karma

• Explain Karma Explain Karma • the lifetime actions that the lifetime actions that

affect a person’s fate affect a person’s fate • Good choices leads to Good choices leads to

higher rebirth higher rebirth • Bad choices leads to lower Bad choices leads to lower

birth maybe a rat or an birth maybe a rat or an ant ant

Methods to Achieve Moksha

• AhimsaAhimsa??• Promote Promote

nonviolence nonviolence toward all living toward all living thingsthings

Methods to Achieve Moksha

• What is Dharma?What is Dharma?• Follow the religious Follow the religious

& moral duties of & moral duties of your varna or caste your varna or caste

• Code of conduct for Code of conduct for each casteeach caste

Harijan "outside" the caste system

(once known as "untouchables")

• The “Untouchables” were thought to be dirty and impure.

• There jobs consisted of cleaning the sewers and digging graves

• Represented about 20% of the population

Effects of the Caste: Duty• Ensured social order. How?• Caste rules governed every

aspect of life: clothes, foods, friendship, marriage, job, neighborhood and education

• Law of Karma determined caste

• It gave people a sense of identity

HinduismHinduism

• What does the red dot represent?

• symbolizes the mark of the supreme being and identifies you as Hindu.

Hinduism Hinduism TodayToday

• 33rdrd largest religion in largest religion in the worldthe world

• Estimated I billion Estimated I billion Hindus in the world. Hindus in the world.

• Mostly live in India Mostly live in India and Nepal.and Nepal.

India’s Caste SystemIndia’s Caste SystemStill Alive Today!Still Alive Today!

• Though the castes system is now illegal by Indian law - its “duties” still remain a strong social influence.

• There are very few who will ignore the “duties” but if it happens it is generally in the urban areas.

India’s Caste SystemIndia’s Caste SystemStill Alive Today!Still Alive Today!

“They died for love…” • In 2002, two teenagers (16 & 17) killed

by their father and brother for “dating” outside their caste!

• Another young female teen in 2000 was hung in public display for her young male lover to see what happens when you venture outside your caste!

• None of these were give a proper Hindu funeral, all of the family members and the village ignored this key Hindu teaching.

Rise of Buddhism

• Many Hindus grew dissatisfied with religion looking for more spirituality.

Siddhartha Gautama• Born around 566 BCE • Founder of Buddhism Founder of Buddhism • Grew up an Indian prince

surrounded by wealth and luxury

• Saddened by amount of Saddened by amount of suffering by people. suffering by people.

Buddha: The Enlightened One

“Four Noble Truths”: 1. All life is full of suffering 1. All life is full of suffering 2. The cause of suffering is2. The cause of suffering is

wrong desires like wealth wrong desires like wealth and power and power

3. The only cure for suffering is 3. The only cure for suffering is to overcome desire to overcome desire

4. The way overcome is by 4. The way overcome is by following the “Noble Eight-following the “Noble Eight-

fold Path.”fold Path.”

The Teachings of the The Teachings of the BuddhaBuddha

•Enlightenment is achieved through meditation.

1

The Teachings of the Buddha• What is the ultimate

goal?• reach nirvana, or union

with the universe and release from the cycle of rebirth.

• Life is no longer filled with suffering and pain!

How Buddhism Spread from India to East Asia

Spread of BuddhismSpread of Buddhism•How did Buddhism Spread?

•Missionaries and Traders helped to spread Buddhism across India to many parts of Asia.

Theravada Vs. Mahayana• Theravada “way of the elders”• Follow the original teachings of Buddhism• Buddha was a great teacher not a god and individuals could

reach enlightenment through his teachings• Mahayana “large vehicle”• Practiced in Japan, Korea, China, Mongolia, Tibet and Nepal• Buddha was a god and pay homage to Buddha like deities

who came in the form of men and believe they can be saved by the faith in these gods

• Allowed for a broader interpretation of the teachings of Buddhism because Buddha had not provided for all the answers

Jainism • Who is the founder?• Mahavira (540-468 BCE) the last Tirthankars• Goal?• Reach enlightenment through meditation and Asceticism

(self-denial and abstinence from worldly pleasures) • Any gods?• worship of Tirthankars. It is not the physical form that is to

be worshipped, but the virtues and qualities which are to be praised.

• What did it emphasize?• the holiness of all living beings and went into extremes to

not kill anything • all souls are equal because they all possess the potential of

being liberated and attaining Moksha

Geography•Mauryan Empire lasted from (322 B.C.E to 185 B.C.E.

Southern Asia and parts of Central Asia

•Situation on rich alluvial soil and mineral deposits.

WarInvasion of Alexander the Great (320 B.C.E)

Defeat of Seleucus (305 B.C.E.)

Battle at Kalinga (265 to 264 B.C.E.)

ChandraguptaChandragupta: : 321 BCE-298 321 BCE-298 BCEBCE

ChandraguptaChandragupta: : 321 BCE-298 321 BCE-298 BCEBCE Unified northern India.Unified northern India.

Defeated the PersianDefeated the Persian general general SeleucusSeleucus..

Divided his empire intoDivided his empire into provinces, then districts provinces, then districts for tax assessments and law for tax assessments and law enforcement. enforcement.

He feared assassination [like SaddamHe feared assassination [like Saddam Hussein] Hussein] food tasters, slept in food tasters, slept in differentdifferent rooms, etc. rooms, etc.

301 BCE 301 BCE gave up his throne & gave up his throne & becamebecame a Jain. a Jain.

Trade/Economy•Mauryan empire was driven by agriculture

•Farmers were free of tax and crop collections

•Internal trade expanded greatly due to newfound political unity and internal peace

•Chandragupta established single currency across India.

Silver punch mark coin

Writing System

Sanskrit - was the writing system that was used during the Mauryan Empire. Only used by scholars however.

Religious Beliefs

Buddhism Hinduism

Jainism

Social Structure

Gender and Family Structure

The Caste System

•Regulated the marriages

•Passed down the family, hard to move upward.

Hierarchy

•Husbands, fathers were dominant, women were always submissive

•Laws limited women’s life and abilities.

The ArtsThe Mauryan Empire were the first in India to transition from wood to stone in their architecture and art.

Stupa

Pillars

Coins

Asoka (304 – 232 BCE)Asoka (304 – 232 BCE)Asoka (304 – 232 BCE)Asoka (304 – 232 BCE) Religious conversion Religious conversion after the gruesome after the gruesome battle of battle of KalingaKalinga in in 262 BCE. 262 BCE.

Dedicated his life to Dedicated his life to Buddhism. Buddhism.

Built extensive roads.Built extensive roads.

ConflictConflict how to balance the how to balance the methods of keeping methods of keeping powerpower and Buddha’s demands to and Buddha’s demands to become a selfless become a selfless person?person?

Migration/Population•50 million. A third of the world’s population at the time

•Greek populations remained in the NW under Ashoka’s rule

•Ashoka’s Edicts were written in Greek

Asoka’Asoka’s s

EmpireEmpire

Asoka’Asoka’s s

EmpireEmpire

Asoka’s law Asoka’s law codecode

Asoka’s law Asoka’s law codecode Edicts scattered inEdicts scattered in

more than 30 places more than 30 places in India, Nepal, in India, Nepal, Pakistan, & Afghanistan. Pakistan, & Afghanistan.

Written mostly inWritten mostly in Sanskrit, but one was in Sanskrit, but one was in Greek and Aramaic. Greek and Aramaic.

10 rock edicts.10 rock edicts.

Each pillar [Each pillar [stupastupa] is 40’-50’ high.] is 40’-50’ high.

Buddhist principles dominate his Buddhist principles dominate his laws.laws.

Gupta Empire:Gupta Empire: 320 CE – 320 CE – 647 CE647 CE

Gupta Empire:Gupta Empire: 320 CE – 320 CE – 647 CE647 CE

Gupta RulersGupta RulersGupta RulersGupta Rulers Chandra GuptaChandra Gupta II

r. 320 – 335 CEr. 320 – 335 CE

“ “Great King of Kings”Great King of Kings”

Chandra Gupta IIChandra Gupta II

r. 375 - 415 CEr. 375 - 415 CE

Profitable trade withProfitable trade with the Mediterranean the Mediterranean world! world!

Hindu revival.Hindu revival.

Huns invade – 450 CEHuns invade – 450 CE

Fa-Hsien: Life in Gupta Fa-Hsien: Life in Gupta IndiaIndia

Fa-Hsien: Life in Gupta Fa-Hsien: Life in Gupta IndiaIndia Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along the Chinese Buddhist monk traveled along the

Silk Road and visited India in the 5c. Silk Road and visited India in the 5c.

He was following the pathHe was following the path of the Buddha. of the Buddha.

He reported the people to be happy, relatively free of He reported the people to be happy, relatively free of government oppression, and inclined towards courtesy government oppression, and inclined towards courtesy and charity. Other references in the journal, however, and charity. Other references in the journal, however, indicate that the caste system was rapidly assuming its indicate that the caste system was rapidly assuming its basic features, including "untouchability," the social basic features, including "untouchability," the social isolation of a lowest class that is doomed to menial labor.isolation of a lowest class that is doomed to menial labor.

International Trade International Trade Routes during the GuptasRoutes during the Guptas

International Trade International Trade Routes during the GuptasRoutes during the Guptas

Extensive Trade:Extensive Trade:4c4c

Extensive Trade:Extensive Trade:4c4c

spices

spices

spicesspices

gold & gold &

ivoryivory

gold & gold & ivoryivory

rice & rice & wheatwheathorseshorses

cotton goods

cotton goods

cotton goods

cotton goodssilkssilks

GuptGuptaa

ArtArt

GuptGuptaa

ArtArt

Greatly influenced Greatly influenced Southeast Asian art & Southeast Asian art &

architecture.architecture.

MedicineMedicineMedicineMedicine LiteratureLiteratureLiteratureLiterature

MathematicsMathematicsMathematicsMathematicsAstronomyAstronomyAstronomyAstronomy

PrintedPrintedmedicinal medicinal

guidesguides

1000 1000 diseasesdiseasesclassifiedclassified

PlasticPlasticSurgerySurgery

C-sectionsC-sectionsperformeperforme

dd

InoculatioInoculationsns

500 healing500 healingplants plants

identifiedidentified

DecimalDecimalSystemSystem

ConceptConceptof Zeroof Zero

PI = 3.1416PI = 3.1416

KalidasKalidasaa

SolarSolarCalendarCalendar

The The earthearth

is roundis round

GuptaGuptaIndiaIndia

Gupta Gupta AchievemeAchieveme

ntsnts

Gupta Gupta AchievemeAchieveme

ntsnts

The Decline of the The Decline of the GuptasGuptas

The Decline of the The Decline of the GuptasGuptas

Invasion of the White Huns in the 4c Invasion of the White Huns in the 4c signaledsignaled the end of the Gupta Golden Age, even the end of the Gupta Golden Age, even thoughthough at first, the Guptas defeated them. at first, the Guptas defeated them.

After the decline of the Gupta empire, After the decline of the Gupta empire, northnorth India broke into a number of separate India broke into a number of separate HinduHindu kingdoms and was not really unified kingdoms and was not really unified again untilagain until the coming of the Muslims in the 7c. the coming of the Muslims in the 7c.

Indian women during the Gupta Empire? • Why did their status declined noticeably since the Vedic

period? • the emergence of a nonagricultural middle class, which

placed a high value on the acquisition and inheritance of property.

• Women lost• the right to own and inherit property.• Could not participating in many religious ceremonies. • Marriage• (Young age 6 or 7) intended to ensure that a woman would

behave according to her husband’s wishes.• Ritual of Sati• extreme example (a widow was expected to cremate

herself on her husband’s funeral)

BhartrhariBhartrhariBhartrhariBhartrhari 5c India court poet and philosopher.5c India court poet and philosopher.

Knowledge is man's crowning mark,Knowledge is man's crowning mark,A treasure secretly buried,A treasure secretly buried,The source of luxury, fame, and bliss,The source of luxury, fame, and bliss,A guru most venerable,A guru most venerable,A friend on foreign journeys,A friend on foreign journeys,The pinnacle of divinity.The pinnacle of divinity.Knowledge is valued by kings Knowledge is valued by kings beyond wealth--- beyond wealth---When he lacks it, a man is a brute.When he lacks it, a man is a brute.

Discuss the ways that early Southeast Asia participated in the world system.

• Location• the strategic location of Southeast Asia in the global trade

routes connecting China, India, and the Mediterranean. – Cultural diffusion

• expanded trade networks and contributed goods • The impressive navigational skills • riding the monsoon winds and interpreting wave patterns,

clouds, and winds led them to explore the Indian and Pacific Oceans

• Religion• Hindu/Buddhist culture served as a source of knowledge,

prestige, and legitimacy for rulers• Fused Indian religious and political ideas and methods with

their own traditions to create a unique culture.