India

India

1. Culture

   • Art
     • Dramas popularized: Happy ending
       • Sculpture: Of Buddah
         • Architecture importance grow with Hinduism spread (temples
     • The Panchatantra: fables that inspired Indians
     • Epic writings
       • Mahabharata: epic narrative
         • Bhagavad Gita: part of Mahabharata, consider one of great books
       • Ramayama: epic poem

2. Religion

   • Hinduism
     • Monism: belief that God and their creation are one and the same
     • Dharma: ones role in life -- their duty
     • Goal = reject maya, achieve moksha, find nirvana
     • Nirvana: state of enlightenment
     • Moksha: end of reincarnation
     • Life after death = reincarnation/rebirth or nirvana
     • Braha central God of Hinduism, is everything
     • Resulted from idea of Vedas and Upanishads
     • Process of reincarnation: next life depends on ones karma, good karma = good position in society, bad karma = low position
     • Maya: illusion
     • Vedas: Religious works of literature
     • Upanishads: collection of texts that containing central philosophical concepts of Hinduism
     • Stupas: structures containing Buddhis relics (typically ashes), used as a place of meditation
     • Vedanta: hindu philosophy
   • Buddhism
     • Four Noble Truths
       • Life is suffering
         • Suffering is caused by desire
           • In order to end suffering, end desire
             • Do so by following the Eightfold Path
     • Eight Fold Path
       • Right view
         • Right intention
           • Right speech
             • Right action
               • Right livelihood
                 • Right effort
                   • Right mindfulness
                     • Right concentration
     • Siddhartha Gautama = BUDDAH
       • Early life: wealthy and sheltered = become unhappy
         • Left palace to wander, saw reality of the world around him
           • Sought the truth, reach enlightenment (NOW CALLED BUDDHA)
             • Reach enligtenment by following 4 noble truths and 8fold path
   • Brahmins: Vedic priests

3. Key Terms

   • Caste System: Four Varnas (classes), placement according to birth
     • 1) Leaders and Warriors
     • 2) Brahmins: priests and scholars
     • 3) Merchants, traders and Farmers
     • 4) Peasants or menial laborers
     • 5) The Pariahs, or untouchables (butchers, and or very poor peoples) - looked down upon
     • Subgroups (JATI): 3000
       • Rules = Strict
         • Born into subgroup
         • Same professions in each Jati
         • Eat, work, worship w/ members of same Jati
         • Cannot marry outside of Jati
   • Polygyny/polygamy: many wives, widely practice (esp. in higher castes)

4. Geography

   • Oceans/Seas: Indian Ocean, Arabia Sea, Bay of Bengal
     • Mountains: Himalayas, Hindu Kush, Ghats
       • Plains: Indo-Ganges
         • Plateaus: Deccan
           • RIvers: Indus and Ganges
             • Thar Desert
               • Climate: monsoons = unpredicatable = dominate climate

5. Notable Indian Rulers/Major Dynasties/Major points of their rule

   • Chandragupta Maurya
     • Started Mauryan Dynasty (50 yrs)
     • Greatest Achievement: unified much of northern India
       • Following unification, rigid bureaucracy established = Mining increases and is lucrative, Weavers and spinners work in small factories, weight and measure standardized throughout empire, and standards for doctors
       • his efficiency = more enemies
   • Asoka
     • Greatest Acheivement: spread of Buddhism
       • Started off as a warrior, changed life an became Buddhist
         • Created Rules of conduct (displayed on stone pillars)
   • Chandra Gupta
     • Started Gupta dynasty
       • Hinduism become dominant religion
     • Political system = less centralized, more power to local leaders
       • Advancements in art
     • Skanda Gupta
       • Last great Gupta king - used all money to defend empire - organized army to fight invaders

6. Economy

   • Heavily based around trade (south) and farming (north)
   • Rajas: Minor chief, in control of the people, got money from farmers
   • Traded: silk, cotton, wool ivory, spices, and previous gems

7. Education

   • Eventually became availible to all castes (not women tho)
     • Higher the caste, the better the education
       • Nalanda: Buddhist university

8. Math/Science/Medicine

   • Vacination was developed
   • Sterilized instruments and disinfected wounds.
   • Mathematicians understood abstract and negative numbers

9. Women's Roles

   • Women = looked down upon
   • Considered property of men

10. Traditional hindu practices:

    • Animal worship: COWS