Chapter 4: Culture and Religion in Eurasia/North Africa Flashcards
In about what period was there a “great emergence of durable cultural traditions that have shaped the world ever sense”
500 B.C.E
Who were the two important figures in China
Confucius and Laozi (Daoism)
Who was an important figure in India
Siddhartha Gautama (set Buddhism in motion)
Who were the important figures in the Middle East
Zarathustra (Zoroaster), Muhammad, Jesus, and prophets such as Isaiah (Judaism)
What were Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, et al.?
Important Greek thinkers for rational humanism
What were belief systems on a “quest” for
a source of order and meaning in the universe and a guide for humanity
Why is it believed these changes in religion happened
major social changes such as the iron-age, emergence of new states, and more global contact
What was the age of warring states
China breaking into chaos and warring states
What 3 belief systems came out of the warring states
Legalism, Confucianism, and Daosim
What was the goal of the belief systems which came out during the age of warring states
to bring order
How were Zoroastrianism and Judaism different from most religions of the time
they believe in one god (monotheistic), idea of final judgement, and belief in the coming of a messiah
What similarities did Buddhism and Christianity share
both had main teachers who were “wisdom teachers” who challenged conventional ideas and taught compassion and morality
What is the collection of Confucius’ teachings called
the Analects
How does Legalism work
strict laws, harsh punishment
What does Confucianism teach
a hierarchy of role models for people to look up to and guides on ideal order for people
Confucian virtues of ideal men were in what concepts
wen and wu
What is wen (Confucianism)
refined qualities of rationality, scholarship, and literary and artistic abilities
What is wu (Confucianism)
physical and martial male achievements
What was more superior, wen or wu?
wen
Was confucianism religious?
No, it was secular but made religious by some
Who is Daoism associated with
Laozi
What was Laozi the author of
Daodejing
What was the central concept of Daoism
Natural Order
How was Daosim (in many ways) the opposite of Confucianism
education and striving for improvement was artificial and useless, sufficient living, and it urged withdrawal into the natural world
What was the dao
the way of nature
Who was Hinduism’s founder
Hinduism had no historical founder
Hinduism developed along what
Indian civilization
What is the Vedas
a Hindu text of poems, hymns, rituals, and prayer compiled by brahmins (Hindu preist)
Was the Vedas oral or written
for a while it was transmitted orally until it was written in Sanskrit in 1500-600 B.C.E
What was developed in response to dissatisfaction with the brahmins
the Upanishads (mystical, philosophical works)
What is samsara (in Hinduism)
reincarnation
What governs samsara
karma
What is atman (in Hinduism)
the individual human soul
What religion expressed India’ s gender system
Hinduism
In what religion is sexual pleasure a legitimate goal for men and women (lol)
Hinudism
What gender were most Hindu deities
female
What religion did Buddhism develop side by side with
Hinduism
What is Buddha’s real name
Siddhartha Gautama
What made Siddhartha Gautama the Buddha
his “enlightenment”
What is the central Buddhist teaching
life is suffering
What is the goal of Buddhism
to reach enlightenment, nirvana
What did Buddhism have large elements of
Hindu teaching
What are some elements that Hinduism and Buddhism have in commonl
life as an illusion, karma, rebirth, meditation, and hope for release from the cycle of rebirth
In India, who did Buddhism appeal to
lower castes (classes) and women
Where did the notion of a single supreme Deity develop
Zoroastrianism nad Judaism
Who is the god of Zoroastrianism
Azura Mazda
Who is the source of evil in Zoroastrianism
Angra Mainyu
What do Zoroastrians believe will happen on judgement day
restoration of the world to purity and peace
What caused the final decline of Zoroastrianism in Persia
arrival of Islam
Where did Judaism develop
among the Hebrews
What do the Jews believe is a covenant
a relationship with Yahweh (God)
What did Judaism provide a foundation for
Christianity and Islam
What was the Greek way of knowing
constant questioning and rational thinking
What were the differences between Buddhism and Christianity
Siddhartha Gautama grew up royal while Jesus came from a poor family, Jesus’ teachings were less political, Jesus was active for only ~3 years, and Jesus was executed unlike Buddha. and Christianity was Monotheistic
How did the Roman Empire use Christianity
like a “social glue”
After the Roman Empire turned monotheistic did it return to it’s older polytheism
no
What did Buddhists clash over
interpretation of the Buddha’s teachings
What are the Upanishads
mystical, philosophical works which probe the inner meaning of Vedic rituals
