Chapter 3 Ancient India and China

2600 B.C.- 550 A.D.

Section 1- Early Civilizations of India and Pakistan

Geography

Subcontinent- a large landmass that juts out from a continent India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal Bhutan Mountains- Hindu Kush and Himalayas Three zones- Gangetic Plain, Deccan plateau and the coastal plains Monsoons- seasonal winds
October- blow from northeast June- blow from southwest

Indus Civilization

Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro

Well planned cities 3 miles in circumference Well planned plumbing systems Farmers and traders Contact with Sumer Writing is not related to Cuneiform Polytheistic Veneration for buffalo and bull Sacred Cow

Decline 1900 B.C.

Cities

abandoned No more writing Crude pottery Flood? Earthquake? Attack?

Aryan Civilization
2000

B.C.-1500 B.C. the Aryans migrated into India from southern Russia Most of what we know about them comes from the Vedas

The Vedas are a collection of hymns, chants, ritual instructions, and other religious teachings 1500-500 B.C. called the Vedic Age

From Nomads to Farming

The

Aryans mixed with the people they conquered Learned how to farm from them Developed iron axes and weapons Rulers called Rajahs

Depended on a council of elders Fought with other rajahs

Societal Structure
People

divided into groups depending on their occupation

1. Brahmins- priests 2. Kshatriyas- warriors 3. Vaisyas- herders, farmers, artisans and merchants 4. Sudras- people with little or no Aryan blood. Included farmers, servants and laborers. Lowest place in society.

Religious Beliefs

Polytheistic Gods and goddesses embodied natural forces Chief god was Indra, god of war Brahmins offered sacrifices or food and drink to the gods for their good favor Brahman- a single spiritual power that exists in everything Mystics- people who seek direct communion with divine forces

Epic Literature
Written

in Sanskrit Mahabharata and the Ramayana Inside the Mahabharata is the BhagavadGita Dharma- devotion to ones duty

Hinduism (quiz material starts here)

Characteristics of Hinduism
Very

complex Countless gods and goddesses God is one, but wise people know it by many names. All god and goddesses are a part of the brahman and make it more tangible

Brahma- creator Vishnu- preserver Shiva- destroyer

Sacred Texts
Vedas

Upanishads- one section of the Vedas that deals with mystical questions Who is the Knower? What makes my mind think? Does life have a purpose, or is it governed by chance? What is the cause of the Cosmos? Upanishads

Bhagavad-Gita
song

of the divine one Told by Krishna- and avatar of Vishnu Concise guide to Hindu philosophy and a guide to life

Achieving Moksha

Atman- essential self Moksha- uniting with brahman Reincarnation- rebirth of the soul into another bodily form Karma- actions in this life that affect your fate in the next life All existence is ranked, humans are closest to brahman

Live a good life, create good karma, reborn into a higher existence Live a bad life, create bad karma, suffer at a lower level of existence

Achieving Moksha continued

Dharma-

religious and moral duty of an individual Ahimsa- non-violence

Jainism
Mahavira

develops Jainism around 500

B.C. Rejected the authority of Brahmin priests Emphasized meditation, self-denial, and extreme forms of ahimsa

Buddhism

Buddhism Spreads Beyond India

Buddhist

monasteries become centers of

learning Spreads to Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Korea, Japan

Dalai Lama
Tibetan

Buddhism Called Gelug Buddhism

Tripitaka

Three Baskets of Wisdom

Basket of Discipline- rules for monastic life Basket of Discourse- contains sermons and discussion of ethics and doctrine attributed to the Buddha or his disciples Basket of Special Doctrine- additional doctrine All contain legends and other narratives as well

Total canon of Theravada Buddhism Preliminary body of teachings for Mahayana Buddhism

Mahayana Buddhism
Easier

for ordinary people to follow Picture the Buddha and other holy beings as compassionate gods Afterlife filled with many heavens and hells Spread to China, Tibet, Korea, and Japan

Theravada Buddhism
Follows

Buddhas original teachings Life devoted to hard spiritual work Only monks and nuns could hope to achieve nirvana Spread to Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia