Ancient India Test

Question 1

pantheism

Answer 1

god(Brahman) is everything, everything is god(Brahman)

Question 2

polytheism

Answer 2

worship in a variety of gods(each represents a human form of Brahman)

Question 3

edict

Answer 3

official orders

Question 4

Sanskrit

Answer 4

an ancient Indian language

Question 5

Vedas

Answer 5

ancient texts that are the foundation of Hinduism

Question 6

The Ramayana

Answer 6

a story to learn lessons of right and wrong

Question 7

caste system

Answer 7

social hiearchy in Hinduism which came from the belief in dharma

Question 8

Brahman

Answer 8

is everything, and everything is him

Question 9

dharma

Answer 9

a duty believed people were born w/ a set of skills to best serve society

Question 10

karma

Answer 10

a belief that what you do in this life, will affect your standing in your next life

Question 11

samsara

Answer 11

the cycle of reincarnation; goes until you are truly practicing your dharma

Question 12

pilgrimage

Answer 12

a spiritual/reflective journey

Question 13

moksha

Answer 13

freedom from samsara

Question 14

ascetic

Answer 14

someone who gives up worldly pleasures

Question 15

enlightenment

Answer 15

great happiness from deep knowledge

Question 16

nirvana

Answer 16

what happens when you achieve enlightenment, which is true happiness and peace

Question 17

Four Noble Truths

Answer 17

1. Suffering is ever-present and nothing lasts forever.
2. Suffering is caused by your cravings.
3. Suffering can be ended by giving up your cravings.
4. You can give up your cravings by following the Eightfold Path.
   eg. we suffer by wanting things

Question 18

Eightfold Path

Answer 18

1. Understand the Four Noble Truths.
2. Be selfless.
3. Don’t lie or gossip.
4. Don’t kill or steal.
5. Don’t harm others with your job.
6. Do good, prevent evil.
7. Be aware of feelings.
8. Meditate.
   eg. ways to be a good person

Question 19

The Battle of Kalinga

Answer 19

one of the brutalist and bloodiest battles in world history

Question 20

Chandragupta Maurya

Answer 20

a ruler who truly unified India by using elephants and spies

Question 21

Ashoka the Great

Answer 21

Ruled India from 268-232 BCE who initially was cruel until the battle of Kalinga, after the battle he issued edicts and turned Buddhism into the state religion

Question 22

Buddha

Answer 22

the awakened one

Question 23

Prince Siddhartha

Answer 23

the Buddha, a prince that lived in India from 563-483 BCE, ascetic, and achieved Nirvana. Learned the three forms of suffering: aging, death, sickness.

Question 24

Compare and contrast Hinduism and Buddhism

Answer 24

Hinduism: deities, pantheism, polytheism, pilgrimages, caste system, Brahman
Both: sacred texts, reincarnation, dharma, karma
Buddhism: Buddha, nirvana, enlightenment, Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, meditation, asceticism, embracement of all people regardless of social class

Question 25

Describe the four original Varnas that eventually led to the caste system

Answer 25

1) Brahmins- educate and lead
2) Kshatriyas- protect society
3) Vaishayas- make the economy hum along
4) Shudras- provide service to others

Question 26

Explain the Law of the Fishes

Answer 26

Keep your friends close but your enemies closer. Big fish eat little fish, but don’t let the little fish gang up on the big fish. Be the bread in the enemy sandwich.

Question 27

What are the four core beliefs of Hinduism?

Answer 27

1) Belief in one supreme being.
2) Pursue the knowledge of truth.
3) Strive for moral order.
4) Time is cyclical.

Question 28

What are the three core beliefs of Buddhism

Answer 28

1) Reincarnation.
2) Embrace all people regardless of social class.
3) Teach people to reach enlightenment

Question 29

Timeline

Answer 29

1. Hinduism
2. Siddhartha discovers the 3 forms of suffering
3. Buddhism
4. Chandragupta unifies India
5. The Battle of Kalinga
6. Ashoka converts to Buddhism
7. Ashoka puts pillars up of his edicts
8. The Mauryan empire ends

Question 30

Explain how the Ramayana demonstrated Hindu core beliefs and values

Answer 30

In the Ramayana, when Rama is seeking to kill Ravana which is him striving for moral order by doing his dharma, which is to kill Ravana and when he kills he, he is demonstrating that core belief because he did his dharma and regained moral order for the people by doing his dharma

Question 31

Describe three of Ashoka the Great’s different edicts. Also, explain how each one represented a Buddhist value.

Answer 31

1) Aid the poor/elderly and respect them- this represents the Buddhist value and core belief of embracing all people regardless of social class because aiding and respecting the poor is helping people regardless of socioeconomical standing.

2) Make Buddhism the state religion- this represents the Buddhist value of teaching people to reach enlightenment because if people are practicing Buddhism, then people will help each other out in the quest to enlightenment.

3) Created hospitals for humans and animals- this represents the Buddhist value in the eightfold path that states, you should not harm others with your job. Jobs such as fisherman and hunter would be illegal because this edict prevents the haming of others because of your occupation.