Ancient India- Chapter 5 Flashcards
subcontinent
a large landmass that is smaller than a continent
monsoons
seasonal wind patterns that cause wet and dry seasons
Sanskrit
the most important language of ancient India
The varnas
Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, Sudras
caste system
divided IndiaN SOCIETY INTO GROUPS based on a persons birth, wealth, or occupation
The vedas
four sacred texts in Hinduism
the Rigveda
oldest of the vedas; probably written before 1000BC
raja
a leader who ruled a village and the land around it
Brahmins
India’s priests and were seen as the highest varna
Kshatriyas
rulers and warriors
Vaisyas
farmers, craftspeople, and traders
Sudras
workers and sevants
the untouchables
people who broke the caste rules and were banned from their castes and homes
Hinduism
the largest religion in India today
Atman
soul
Hindus belief of ultimate goal
to reunite the soul with brahman
Brahman
the universal spirit
reincarnation
process of rebirth; souls are reborn many times, each time with a different body
Brahma
the creator
Siva
the destroyer
Vishnu
the preserver
Hindu Trinity
Brahma, Siva, Vishnu
Karma
the effects that good or bad actions have on a person’s soul
moksha
salvation or freedom from life’s worries and the cycle of rebirth
dharma
a set of spiritual duties
Jainism
based on the teachings of a an named Hahavira
nonviolence
the avoidance of violent actions
ahimsa
the Sanskrit word for nonviolence
Sikhism
has its root in the teachings of Guru Nanak, who lived in the 1400s; monotheistic; blends ideas from other religions
meditation
the focusing of the mind on spiritual ideas
the Buddha
Enlightened one; siddhartha Gautama; found enlightenment; founder of buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama
Hindu Prince; asked questions about the meaning of life; traveled and meditated; found enlightenment; the Buddha
Buddhism
a religion based on the teachings of the Buddha
Nirvana
a state of perfect peace
the four noble truths
- sufferings and unhappiness are a part of human life. no one can escape sorrow
- sufferings come from our desires for pleasure and material goods. people cause their own misery because they want things they can’t have
- people can overcome desire and ignorance and reach nirvana
the eight fold path
- right thought 2. right intent 3. right speech 4. right action 5. right livelihood 6. right effort 7. right mindfulness 8. right concentration
missionaries
people who work to spread their religious beliefs
Candragupta Maurya
founded mauryan dynasty but later gave up throne to become jainist monk
asoka
strongest mauryan emperor; converted to buddhism, swore against wars and improved lives of his people
Candra gupta
founded Gupta dynasty; brought much of northern india under his control
Gupta dynasty
hinduism main religion but supported buddhism and jainism
fall of the gupta dynasty
huns invaded in late 400s and gupta rule had ended by mid 500s
Mahabharata
one of worlds longest literary works; religious epic about a struggle between 2 families for control of a kingdom
Ramayana
religious epic about a prince named Rama who is Vishnu in human form and has to save his wife Siva
metallurgy
the science of working with metals
alloys
a mixture of 2 or more metals
inoculation
injecting a person with a small dose of a virus to help them build up defenses against disease
astronomy
the study of the stars and planets
