Maurya and Gupta Empires Flashcards
Dharma
The divine law that rules karma; it requires all people to do their duty based on their social status
Hinduism
The major Indian religion which grew out of Aryan religious beliefs
Yoga
A method of training in Hinduism that leads you to oneness with God
Buddhism
A religion introduced in northern India in the 6th century BC by Siddhartha Gautama
Ascetics
A person who practices self denial to achieve an understanding of ultimate reality
Nirvana
In Buddhism the ultimate reality, the end of the self and a reunion with the Great World Soul
Mauryan Empire
323 BC–185 BC
Gupta Empire
320 AD–550 AD
Vedic Religion also called
Hinduism
Does Hinduism have a single founder of set of beliefs?
No
Religion is seen as a way to
Liberate the soul from the illusions and pain of everyday life
Goal of a person that believes in Hinduism
Your atman (individual soul) rejoins Brahman (god or the over soul)
Brahman has 3 personalities:
Brahma (creator)
Vishnu (protector)
Shiva (destroyer)
Trimurti
Brahma
Shiva
Vishnu
————— of gods in Hinduism
Thousands
Reincarnation
The belief that the individual soul is reborn in a different form after death
Samsara
The process of these rebirths
Many Indian religions share a belief in
Reincarnation
Founder of Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama, a Kshtriya and prince
Key idea of Buddhism
All living things suffer; only religious life saves you from suffering
The goal of Buddhism is ———-: ————————-
Enlightenment
A state of perfect wisdom
What are the 4 Noble Truths?
What Siddhartha understood in his enlightened state
List the 4 Noble Truths of Buddhism
- All life is suffering
- Cause of suffering: people’s selfish desires for temporary, worldly pleasures
- End desires to end suffering
- Overcome desires and attain enlightenment by following the Eightfold Path
Eightfold Path
Right intention Right action Right effort Right understanding Right speech Right livelihood Right concentration Right mindfulness
Hindu scriptures
The Vedas, the Mahabarta, and the Ramayana
Buddhist Scriptures
They’re called SUTRAS (which are discussions or speeches made by the Buddha, written down by his followers)
Buddhism and Hinduism both accept the idea of —————
Reincarnation
B vs H: —– is created and destroyed in a ——
World
Cycle
Buddhism rejected the ——– and ——
Caste system
Polytheism
Mauryan Empire united by ———– around 323 BC
Chandragupta Maurya
M. Kicked —— out of the —– Valley with a powerful military
Greeks
Indus
M. ———– his people to finance —- (some paid half their income)
Heavily taxed
Wars
M. ————– government
Bureaucratic
M. —– provinces headed by a royal ——-
4
Prince
M. Local ——- for —– and ———
Districts
Taxes
Law keeping
M, secret —–/—– (think Eyes of king in Persia)
Police/spies
Asoka is
The grandson of Chandragupta
Asoka wages — to expand —-
War
Power
Asoka: Battle of Kalingua
100,000 soldiers dead plus unknown number of civilians
Asoka converted to ——— –> peace to all beings and nonviolence
Buddhism
Asoka placed ————-(——) all over the empire urging peace, fairness, and religious tolerance (acceptance of different people)
Stone pillars
Edicts
Gupta Empire is united by —————-
Chandra Gupta
Gupta has an emphasis on —————- (as opposed to Asoka/Mauryan)
Hindu culture
Gupta located in northern —— on the ——— and ———- Rivers
India
Indus
Ganges
Sandra
Chandra’s son
Sandra loved —— and ——- but also expanded the ——-
Poetry
Music
Empire
Chandra Gupta II
Expanded trade and the empire
Gupta empire is called a ———-because of ——, ————, and ————-
Golden empire
Peace
Political efficiency
Economic prosperity
Gupta government divided into ———- run by members of ——– (called ———)
Provinces
Gupta family
Viceroys
Gupta political control ————- and ————-; more —/—-
Less centralized
Top down
Power/involvement
Maurya: —– tax was chief source of ——-;—– (a tax on almost all items traded) was second big source
Land
King’s money
Toll tax
Gupta: Gupta family owns —-,——, a lot of —–. They manage —— within India, along with the ——– and benefit from it
Silver Gold mines Land Trade Silk Road
The caste system is the most important ————
Element of society
A review, top to bottom of society
Brahmins
Kshtriyas
Vaisyas
Shudras
Can you marry outside of your caste?
No
Can you change your caste?
No
Shudras (farmers/peasants) are the ————–
Largest group
Maurya: people still divided into —–; part of ————–
Tribes
Chandragupta
Maurya’s achievement is to unite ——– ——— ———into one state
Smaller
Warring
Tribal groups
Gupta India was a ——- society: families headed by the ——
Patriarchal
Oldest male
China imports
Buddhism Cloth Glass Spices Diamonds Incense Pepper Shells Ivory Timber Textiles
China exports
Silk Spices Teas Porcelain Cloth Clothing Jade
India imports
Silk Spices Teas Porcelain Cloth Clothing
India exports
Ivory Textiles Glass Precious stones Diamonds Pepper Tortoise shells Incense Cloth (calico) Spices Timber Buddhism
