Ancient India

Question 1

What is the difference between a religion and a philosophy?

Answer 1

Religion is believing in a set of values

Philosophy is investigation and analysis of ideas and methods.

Question 2

What is a doctrine?

Answer 2

A statement of rules or policies that are taught to someone.

Question 3

What is the Rig Veda? What does it teach us about Hinduism?

Answer 3

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.

Question 4

What is the caste system? What groups make this system? How are they ranked?

Answer 4

A class structure.
Brahmins-priests or scholars
Kshatriyas- warriors
Vaishyas- traders or merchants
Shudras- laborers and servants
Untouchables- dirty jobs

Question 5

Define Maya

Answer 5

A doctrine which holds that the material world is illusory.

Question 6

Define Samsara

Answer 6

Refers to both the world of material existence, and the passing of souls from one life to another.

Question 7

Define Moksha

Answer 7

The release of the soul

Question 8

Define Karma

Answer 8

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.

Question 9

Define Dharma

Answer 9

Righteousness or justice embodied in social or moral law

Question 10

Who are the Dravidians? Why are they important?

Answer 10

The original dark skinned inhabitants of ancient India. Shows that with different groups of people more cultures spread.

Question 11

Who are the Aryans? Why are they important?

Answer 11

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.

Question 12

Define Sanskrit

Answer 12

The ancient Indian language in which the Hindu scriptures and classical Indian epic poems are written.

Question 13

Define Reincarnation

Answer 13

The rebirth of a should in a new body.

Question 14

What does it mean to be Hindu?

Answer 14

To believe in reincarnation and the release of the soul through daily practices.

Question 15

Define Ablution

Answer 15

A ceremonial act of washing parts if the body

Question 16

How is Buddhism related to Hinduism?

Answer 16

Both groups believe in reincarnation

Question 17

How do the character of Siddhartha and the actual Siddhartha Gautama differ?

Answer 17

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.

Question 18

What did the real Siddhartha’s father try to protect him from? Why?

Answer 18

He tried to protect Siddhartha from leaving royalty and becoming a monk. He didn’t want Siddhartha to see the horrors of the world.

Question 19

What are the four noble truths?

Answer 19

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

Question 20

What is the eight-fold path?

Answer 20

Right speech
Right occupation
Right action
Right effort
Right mindfulness
Right concentration
Right belief
Right intentions

Question 21

What happened in the real Siddhartha’s life between receiving enlightenment and dying at Oudh forty years later?

Answer 21

He taught for 40 years about how to curve desire.

Question 22

Retell the plot of the novel Siddhartha.

Answer 22

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.

Question 23

Who are the main characters?

Answer 23

Siddhartha
Govinda
Kamala
Vasudeva
The river

Question 24

Who are the minor characters?

Answer 24

The father
The Samanas
Buddha
Kamaswani
Little Siddhartha
Visitors

Question 25

What does Siddhartha see as the “problem” with the Brahmins?

Answer 25

They learn a lot of knowledge but do not gain and experience wisdom. They only know a certain amount.

Question 26

What is the problem with the Samanas?

Answer 26

They never actually accomplish their goal.

Question 27

What is the problem with the teachings of the Buddha?

Answer 27

One cannot become enlightened with only knowledge. One needs wisdom.

Question 28

What is the problem with living with the merchants?

Answer 28

They are materialistic. They have too much desire.

Question 29

What are the themes of Siddhartha?

Answer 29

Fathers lose their sons
The material worlds and the spiritual worlds conflict
Time is an illusion
Wisdom cannot be talked
Love involves risk
The question of truth

Question 30

What do the characters in the novel ultimately represent?

Answer 30

They are all forms of Siddhartha on his journey to become enlightened.

Question 31

How did Buddhism travel from India, where it is virtually no longer practiced, to China?

Answer 31

Along the Silk Road