Ancient India Flashcards
What is the difference between a religion and a philosophy?
Religion is believing in a set of values
Philosophy is investigation and analysis of ideas and methods.
What is a doctrine?
A statement of rules or policies that are taught to someone.
What is the Rig Veda? What does it teach us about Hinduism?
The oldest and principle of the Vedas. Hindus don’t like to be given a direct answer to their questions. They like to search for the answer and come up with their own conclusions.
What is the caste system? What groups make this system? How are they ranked?
A class structure. Brahmins-priests or scholars Kshatriyas- warriors Vaishyas- traders or merchants Shudras- laborers and servants Untouchables- dirty jobs
Define Maya
A doctrine which holds that the material world is illusory.
Define Samsara
Refers to both the world of material existence, and the passing of souls from one life to another.
Define Moksha
The release of the soul
Define Karma
A doctrine which holds that an individual’s fate or destiny in this cycle can be influenced by good or evil actions in the past phases of the soul’s existence.
Define Dharma
Righteousness or justice embodied in social or moral law
Who are the Dravidians? Why are they important?
The original dark skinned inhabitants of ancient India. Shows that with different groups of people more cultures spread.
Who are the Aryans? Why are they important?
Group of people who immigrated to India and kicked Dravidians out. Shows that with different groups of people living in one are, more cultures spread.
Define Sanskrit
The ancient Indian language in which the Hindu scriptures and classical Indian epic poems are written.
Define Reincarnation
The rebirth of a should in a new body.
What does it mean to be Hindu?
To believe in reincarnation and the release of the soul through daily practices.
Define Ablution
A ceremonial act of washing parts if the body
How is Buddhism related to Hinduism?
Both groups believe in reincarnation
How do the character of Siddhartha and the actual Siddhartha Gautama differ?
The paths they take are different but the outcome is the same. The real Siddhartha leaves his wife and children to become enlightened. One day he is sitting under a tree when he becomes enlightened. The Siddhartha in the book goes on a VERY long journey to finally become enlightened.
What did the real Siddhartha’s father try to protect him from? Why?
He tried to protect Siddhartha from leaving royalty and becoming a monk. He didn’t want Siddhartha to see the horrors of the world.
What are the four noble truths?
All life is suffering
All suffering is caused by desire
If you end desire, you will end suffering
You can end suffering by following the eight-fold path
What is the eight-fold path?
Right speech Right occupation Right action Right effort Right mindfulness Right concentration Right belief Right intentions
What happened in the real Siddhartha’s life between receiving enlightenment and dying at Oudh forty years later?
He taught for 40 years about how to curve desire.
Retell the plot of the novel Siddhartha.
As a young men Siddhartha and Govinda leave their fathers in the Brahmin community to go find answers to Siddhartha’s unanswered questions and to become enlightened. They suffer with the Samanas for a few years. Then they go and find Buddha. Govinda stays with the Buddha and his followers but Siddhartha moves on. He meets Kamala and Kamaswani. He becomes materialistic, and then decides to leave. Kamala is pregnant. He wants to kill himself but then he remembers Om and remembers his youth. He meets Govinda in the forest who is still with the Buddha. Siddhartha then meets Vasudeva. He learns about the to river. He meets Kamala and his son. Kamala dies. His son goes back to the village. Siddhartha is sad. Then he is ok cuz he remembers the cycle. Vasudeva leaves to become enlightened. Govinda comes back and realizes Siddhartha is now enlightened and wants to learn from him.
Who are the main characters?
Siddhartha Govinda Kamala Vasudeva The river
Who are the minor characters?
The father The Samanas Buddha Kamaswani Little Siddhartha Visitors
