Chapter 3 Flashcards
Harappan
The first indian civilization; also known as the indus valley civilization
Aryans
The dominant people in the north india after the decline of the Indus Valley civilization; they spoke an early form of Sanskrit
Rigveda
The earliest collection of indian hymns, ritual texts, and philosophical treaties, it is the central source of information on early aryans
Brahmins
Priests of the Aryans; they supported the growth of royal power in return for royal confirmation of their own religious rights, power and status
caste system
the indian system of dividing society into hereditary groups whose members interacted primarily with the group, and especially married within the group
Samsara
the transmigration of souls by a continual process of rebirth
karma
the tally of good and bad deeds that determines the status of an individual’s next life
brahman
the unchanging ultimate reality, according to the upanishads
Four Noble Truths
The buddha’s massage that pain and suffering are inescapable parts of life; suffering and anxiety are cued by human desires and attachments; people can understand and triumph over these weaknesses; and the triumph is made possible by following a simple code of conduct
Eightfold Path
The code of conduct set forth by the Buddha in his first sermon, beginning with “right conduct” and ending with “right contemplation”
nirvana
a state of blissful nothings and freedom from reincarnation
sutras
the written teachings of the buddha, first transcribed in the second or first century BCE
Mahayana
The “Great Vehicle,” a tradition of Buddhism that aspires to be more inclusive
bodhisattvas
Buddhas to be who stayed in the world after enlightenment to help others on the path to salvation
dharma
The sanskrit word for moral law, central both to Buddhist and Hindu teachings
