Ancient India

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Ancient India

• Out of 2 groups of people
• one diverse religion

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Indus/Dravidian People
Indo-Aryans

• Written language
• Industry trade
• Agriculture
• Planned Cities
• Citadel
• Underground sewers
• Oven baked bricks

• Nomadic tribes
• Herded cattle, sheep goats
• Warriors
• Male dominated
• No cities
• No written lang. only oral tradit.

The Indo-Aryans maybe conquered and enslaved the
Indus Valley People c.1500 BCE
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From the clash of these two cultures came

• Structure of Society the Varna or castes
• The religion Hinduism
• Religious writings

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Caste System
priests
Varna (castes) divided into 3000 subcastes, jati,
based on occupation
Nobles, warriors, royalty
Merchants skilled workers
Servants, peasants, slaves, laborers
Untouchables Outcaste, pariah
outside caste system
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Hinduism

• One religion and many

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Hindu Gods
millions of other gods
divine essence, atman in all things
Trinity
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Hindu Beliefs

• Worshiping many gods
• Reincarnation cycle of rebirth (samsara,
  transmigration)
• Atman spirit that goes from birth to rebirth
  (sort of like soul)
• Karma every action is rewarded or punished in
  this life or a next life

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• Dharma ones moral duty in life may differ
  according to varna
• Maya the illusion of the material world
  (diversity)
• reality is the divine essence (Brahmanunity)
• Moksha release from pain suffering of rebirth

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• Ahimsa reverence for all life forms
• Yoga mental and physical discipline to free
  mind/spirit from bodily control
• Asceticism extreme self-denial
• Nirvana ultimate goal to escape cycle of
  rebirth

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• Guru teacher
• Yogi yoga guru

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Religious Writings

• Vedas Books of Knowledge
• -oral tradition songs, prayers, stories of the
  Indo-Aryans

• - eventually written in Sanskrit

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Religious Writings
"What makes my mind think, my eyes see, my tongue
speak, my body live?"What happens when this body
dies? mysticism

• Upanishads mystical/ philosophical discussions
• -reality and illusion
• -unity and diversity

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Religious Writings The Epics

• Epic long heroic tale
• Also began as oral tradition teaching tools
• Mahabarata great war
• -Bhagavad-Gita song of God
• -Krishnas instruction on love and morality

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Religious Writings - Epics

• Ramayana Story of Rama and wife Sita
• allegorical sense represents Indo-Aryans
  establishing hold over north India moving
  influence south
• religious/mythical point of view Rama represents
  the noble man, following dharma and living
  rightly
• Sita is the honorable wife

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A Hindus goal

• Immediate goal A good Hindu should follow the
  dharma of his caste. If he does this , karma
  will cause the transmigration of his atman into a
  higher caste/varna in his next life.
• Ultimate goal.The Atman will recognize maya,
  escape samsara, achieve Nirvana and be one with
  Brahman.

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Modern India
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Today India is
The largest democracy in the world
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New ideas threaten the status quo - 5th c. BCE

• Jainism - Mahavira
• Buddhism Siddartha Gautama

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Jainism

• Jina the conqueror
• Mahavira the last conqueror
• Holiness of the life force
• Extreme ahimsa
• Karma detachment
• Monogamy honesty
• Became city dwellers trade
• vegetarian

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• .

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Buddhism

• The Middle Way

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BuddhaThe Enlightened One
Siddhartha Gautama the traditional story

• 6th c. BC, Born a prince, isolated
• into world, saw illness, death old age
• Left family (Great Renunciation) in search of
  truth
• austere, ascetic life for years, it didnt help
• 35th birthdayweeks of meditation became the
  Enlightened One

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Four Noble Truths

• All life is suffering sorrow
• suffering is caused by greedy desire
• To eliminate suffering must eliminate desire
• To eliminate desire follow the Eight-Fold Path or
  the Middle Way to reach Nirvana

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Eightfold Path... The Middle Way

• Know the truth
• Resist evil
• Say nothing to hurt others
• Respect life
• Work for the good of others
• Free mind of evil
• Control thoughts
• Practice meditation

wisdom
morality
meditation
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The Eightfold Path Expanded
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Compare/Contrast with Hinduism

• Same
• reincarnation - sort of
• Nirvana
• Karma
• Ahimsa reverence for all living things
• Dharma .

• Different Buddhists
• Do not believe in worshipping gods
• Reject caste/ varna system
• Believe one can escape cycle of rebirth by
  following 8-fold Path a universal dharma

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Spread of Buddhism

• Asoka 3rd c. BC ruler who sent out Buddhist
  missionaries
• Rise of Buddhism leads to a flowering of
  architecture and the arts
• Stupas large stone mounds built over the bones
  of holy people
• Paintings/statues of Buddha
• Zen temples, surrounded by beautiful gardens

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Two Branches of Buddhism

• Theravada (Way of the Elders)
• View Buddha as a teacher
• South and SE Asia
• Tripitika - scriptures

• Mahayana
• View Buddha as a savior/divine being
• China, Korea, Japan
• Bodhisattvas saints

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More variations within Mahayana Buddhism

• In Nepal, Buddhists believe Buddha is the
  incarnation of Hindu God Vishnu
• Tantric Buddhism in Tibet Buddhism and nature
  worship
• Zen Buddhism (Japan) focuses on meditation
  harmony simplicity

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Sowho is this???

• This is NOT the Buddha
• This is Pu-tai or Hotei
• A fertility symbol who was said to bring gifts to
  small children (think Santa Claus)
• As Hotei one of the
• 7 Japanese Shinto Gods

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• cf. Mahavira, Siddhartha Gautama
• Jesus of Nazareth

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Classical India

• Local Princes (rajahs)
• Mauryan Empire 322 BC
• Founder Chandragupta
• Asoka after fierce wars of conquest, became
  enlightened
• Renounced war
• Followed Buddhist teachings
• Encouraged tolerance
• Spread Buddhism throughout India and other parts
  of Asia by missionaries

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Asokas Rock Edicts

• Laws carved on rocks and pillars throughout
  empire
• Laws stressed concern for other human beings

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Govt contd Gupta Empire

• Gupta Empire
• 320AD-535AD
• Indias Golden Age arts sciences flourished
• Began to write down rules for everything
  grammar,
• drama, politics

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Classical Society

• Caste System
• Women respected but had little power or
  independence
• Polygamy - many wives
• Suttee /sati wives ritual suicide

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Classical Language/Writing

• Sanskrit (ancient written language of
  Indo-Aryans)
• Vedas
• Upanishads Epics
• Panchatantra collection of tales that presented
  moral lessons thru animals who acted like humans

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Ancient Art/Architecture

• Golden Age during Gupta Empire
• (Drama, poetry, math and sciences flourished)
• Stupas mound shaped shrines to
  Buddha/bodhisattvas
• Temples with brightly painted sculptures

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Classical Math / Science

• Math
• Principles of algebra
• Infinity Zero
• Value of Pi
• Arabic numerals

• Science
• Earth is round
• Some knowledge of gravity
• Identified 7 planets
• Medicine
• Set bones, operations, invented medical
  instruments