India Flashcards
-India’s largest religion
-No single founder or sacred text
-Everything is part of the unchanging, all powerful spiritual force, Brahman
-Polytheistic - more than 33,000 gods
-Moksha
Hinduism
After death, souls are reborn into another form
-Determined by karma & dharma
Reincarnation
Founder is Siddharta Gautama
-Key to happiness = detachment from all worldly goods & desires
-Believe in karma, dharma, & reincarnation
-Appealed to lower class
-Revolves around tranquility & nature
-Kindness to all living creatures
-Nirvana
Buddhism
Teaching of the Buddha
-All life is suffering
-The origin of suffering
-Suffering can be ended
-The noble eightfold path to ending suffering
Four Noble Truths
Teaching of the Buddha
-Right understanding
-Right resolve
-Right speech
-Right action
-Right livelihood
-Right effort
-Right mindfulness
-Right meditation
Eightfold Path
Highest mountains in the world located in India
-Slowed cultural diffusion between india and eastern neighbor
- Allowed some level of cultural exchange
-Migration & invasion route
-Mountain pass - Khyber Pass
Himalaya Mountains
India’s greatest epic
-100,00 verses
-Warfare & religion
-Rival Aryan tribes fighting over Ganges
Mahabharata
What is the religion of India?
Polytheism
Most powerful 500 years after Maurya
-Philosophy
-Math (#10/decimals)
-Medicine/surgeries/smallpox vaccination
-Physics
-Language
-Literature
-Music/dance
-Art (sculpture/painting)
Golden Guptas
-Founder is Chandragupta Maurya
-Ganges valley -> constant turmoil/competition
-Bureaucracy
-Capital at Pataliputra
Maurya Empire
What was the writing/language in India?
Sanskrit
What was the river valley in India?
Indus River Valley
A seasonal wind accompanied by heavy summer rains -> drench land -> water crops
Monsoon
Ideal ruler
Chakravartin
What was the social class in India?
- Priests - Brahmins
- Warriors - Kshatriyas
- Merchants - Vaishyas
- Laborers - Sudras
Untouchables/outcasts - largest group & outside caste system
What were the women’s rights in India?
Women didn’t have many rights/obeyed husband
Harappa & Mohenjo Daro
Twin cities
The set of rules each Hindu must follow
Dharma
It determines the form in which the soul is reborn
Karma
Cycle of rebirth; AKA reincarnation
Samsara
When the soul is united with the god Brahma
Moksha
Final goal; union w/ universe from cycle of rebirth
Nirvana
-Built stupas to show his devotion
-Put up pillars to show his benevolent rule
-Sent missionaries to spread Buddhism
Ashoka
Benevolent
Kindness
Mound-like monuments to the Buddha
Stupa
