India Flashcards by Renee V

Gupta Dynasty

Founder Chandra Gupta/based in Magadha/peace prosperity ideas/decentralized leadership/golden age science and math

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What happens after the Mauryan Empire?

Division into many kingdoms (Xiongnu seize power and form Kusha Kingdom, Regional kingdom of Bactria

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Ashoka

Grandson of Chandragupta, expanded empire all of India besides south/built roads/converts to Buddhism after gruesome battle of Kalinga/built stone pillars with Buddhist inscriptions in Sanskrit spread nonviolence

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Education (guru)

Male studied the Hindu Vedas with a guru teacher to conduct religious family rituals or for professional reasons

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Chandragupta Maurya

First emperor of first unified Mauryan Empire, drives out Greek Kingdom of Magadha, highly centralized/despotic tyranny/bureaucratic administrative system like Persia and China/spies/feared assassination/divided into provinces/Becomes Jain starves to death

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Kingdom of Magadha

Most significant ruling kingdom after alexander

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Kalidasa

Greatest Indian poet, wrote play Shakuntala

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Astronomy

Solar calendar and round earh

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Kautilya (Chanakya)

Chandragupta’s advisor of Brahmin caste who wrote Treatise on Material Gain or Arthashastra supporting royal power and against anarchy, rational law>sacred

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Math

Zeros, decimals, and Pi

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Pataliputra

Capital of Mauryan Empire

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Gupta decline

Invasion of Xiongnu or “White Huns” smaller local kingdoms dominate until Mughal Empire (muslim)

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Social caste system

Connected to hinduism (most popular religion) reincarnation MokshaBrahmin priestKshatriyas warriorVaishyas peasants/merchantsSudras common pplParias/unthought lea

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Twice born

Privilege ceremony at puberty where young males initiated into adulthood to Indian society

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Jati

Extended family or kinship group of a particular class each with its own economy/political function

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Sati

Encouraged wife to die if husband dies bad woman rights

Fa-Hsien

Chinese monk Buddhist travels to India and reports a golden age during Gupta dynasty

Shift from Indus River to…

Ganges river

Jainism

Mahavira, abandoned high class family to lead ascetic life, rejected caste

Agricultural issues

Unpredictable climate/ monsoons, payed taxes or rent to landlords

Copper and gold led to development of

Banking

Ahimsa

Principle of extreme nonviolence, jainists swept earth, strained water etc to avoid killing insects

Siddhartha Guatama

The Buddha, prince lived isolated life, left palace saw suffering, became monk, meditate under tree, enlightened

4 Noble Truths

End suffering by ending material desires by following eight-fold

Eight-fold path/ Middle Way

Changing the way u think and speak to follow the 4-noble truths/balance by rejecting ascetism and great wealth

Boddhisatvas

Put nirvana on hold to help other enlighten

Mahayana and Hinayana (Theravada) Buddhism

Mahayana is the newer development w/ god and Theravada is the original

Bhagavad Gita (Mahabharata)

First epics written of dialouge between Arjuna and Krisha during civil war sets forward ethics of Dharma

Stupa

Housed relics of Buddha

How was Buddhism different from Brahmanism?

Denied existence ofIndividual soul/Atman and a material world through middle path, bodhi was wisdom of abandoning worldly cares, egalitarian (no class devision), all humans reach nirvana, no gods/ worshipping of Buddhas image after death, philosophy>religion, woman better treatment

Rock chamber

Ashoka constructed to provide rooms to house monks/ wandering ascetics

Symbols of Guatama

Not portrayed in human form...wheel of life, bodhi tree, and footprint

Upanishads

Collection of sacred texts that form the foundation of Hindu religious thought

Aryan

Chandragupta Maurya was one, indo European Ganges river group who conquered India from Alexander's empire, influenced Hinduism/social class Varnas/Sanskrit

Hinduism

Brahma: creator, Vishnu: protector, shiva: destroyer, remove bodily distractions goal, reincarnate cycle till enlightenment with moksha, dharma good karma

Ramayana

Shorter epic of ruler Rama with religious/moral significance

How was hinduism different from Buddhism?

Remove bodily distractions from life, (b=reach nirvana, expel illusion of existence) constant cycle of reincarnation until enlightenment follow dharma (b=reborn from karma until nirvana) extreme asceticism (b= "middle way" balance) priests and rituals