Ancient India Chapter 3 (Sec . 1 & 2)

Ancient India Chapter 3 (Sec. 1 & 2)

I. Geography A. Subcontinent of South Asia B. Modern Pakistan, Bangladesh, & India

C. Indus River Valley civ. started 3000 BC

D. Regions of India: 1. Northern Plain *Indus & Ganges Rivers

Ganges River “River of Life” *sacred Hindu river

2. Tibetain Platueu Himalayan Mts. “Place of the Snow” Mt. Everest 29,035 ft. high Chomolungma *Tibetan name “Goddess Mother of the World” Sir George Everest 1865

Edmund Hillary *1st to climb 1953

Hilary & Tenzig Norgay

3. Hindu Kush Mts. Khyber Pass *migrating & invading tribes

4. Deccan (Southland) triangle shaped plateau 5. Costal Rim agriculture & fishing Bay of Bengal - East Arabian Sea - West

E. Monsoon *seasonal winds Summer Monsoon June - Sept torrential rain sign of goodness of heaven

Winter Monsoon Nov. - May drought

II. Ancient Cities A. Twin Capitals: Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro “Place of the Dead”

Harappa Mohenjo Daro

Dravidians *descendants of ancient Harappan’s

The so-called "Priest King" from Mohenjo-daro, by far the the best known ancient Indus figure

Mohenjo Daro

Great Bath

The Great Bath, Mohenjo-daro

Ancient Indus Street, Mohenjo-daro

View from Stupa towards Great Bath, Mohenjo-daro

Ancient Indus Valley City Well, Mohenjo-daro, Sindh

The Buddhist Stupa (circa 200 A.D.), Mohenjo-daro

Mohenjodaro, Larkana District, Sindh, Pakistan

B. 1st planned cities *city blocks Citadel *Fortress Kilns *ovens to bake bricks

C. Theocracy (Priest – Kings) controlled each city Unicorn *sacred mythical creature Animism spirits inhabit things of nature (trees & animals )

III. Aryans 1500 BC - 1000 BC A. Indo-European nomads Invaded India 1500 BC Khyber Pass (Hindu Kush) sheep & cattle herders War *desire for more cattle

Indo-Europeans/Aryans

B. Tribes group of related families common ancestor

C. Rajah - Prince elected chief / leader in war D. Maharaja - Great Prince or King

E. Religion Vedic Age 1500 BC - 1000 BC Rig Vedas (Knowledge) *AryanSacred books *oldest religious document in the world

Gods represented forces of nature Sky / Father Earth / Mother That One - Supreme God *created universe Indra - Warrior god Brahmins - Priests

Indra

F. Literature Sanskrit *Aryan written language 1000 BC India’s Historical Epics: 1. Ramayana *the duties & ideals of Aryan Warrior Rama - Ideal king Sita - faithful wife

2. Mahabharata 100 BC *World’ s longest poem 90,000 stanzas War between Arjuna & Cousin

G. Society in Ancient India 1. Social Classes: Caste System *social group based on birth strict set of rules prohibited marriages between members of different castes Priests: Brahmans Warriors: Kshatriyas Landowners, merchants, herders: Vaisyas Servants & peasants: Sudras Untouchables *lowest Caste

3000 sub castes

The Brahmins, or priests: the highest varna, believed to have emerged from Brahma's mouth.The Kshatriyas: the warrior or ruling class who were made from Brahma's arms.The Vaishyas: merchants or artisans who came from Brahma's thighs.The Shudras: the unskilled labourers and servants who emerged from Brahma's feet. These were the lowest class, or varna. The Untouchables: those too lowly to be within the varna system.

The Brahmins, or priests: the highest varna, believed to have emerged from Brahma's mouth.The Kshatriyas: the warrior or ruling class who were made from Brahma's arms.The Vaishyas: merchants or artisans who came from Brahma's thighs.The Shudras: the unskilled labourers and servants who emerged from Brahma's feet. These were the lowest class, or varna. The Untouchables: those too lowly to be within the varna system.

The Brahmins, or priests: the highest varna, believed to have emerged from Brahma's mouth.The Kshatriyas: the warrior or ruling class who were made from Brahma's arms.The Vaishyas: merchants or artisans who came from Brahma's thighs.The Shudras: the unskilled labourers and servants who emerged from Brahma's feet. These were the lowest class, or varna. The Untouchables: those too lowly to be within the varna system.

The Brahmins, or priests: the highest varna, believed to have emerged from Brahma's mouth.The Kshatriyas: the warrior or ruling class who were made from Brahma's arms.The Vaishyas: merchants or artisans who came from Brahma's thighs.The Shudras: the unskilled labourers and servants who emerged from Brahma's feet. These were the lowest class, or varna. The Untouchables: those too lowly to be within the varna system.

2. Extended Family *3 generations lived together grandparents, parents, & children

Dowry - gift of money or goods for daughters marriage

3. Guru - teacher

4. Suttee *ceremonial suicide women threw herself on husbands funeral fire

IV. Two Major Religions of India A. Hinduism *Major Religion of India ** worlds oldest religion dev. from Aryan beliefs & Vedas

Concepts of Hinduism:1. Brahman *single supreme force uniting everything in universe

2. Atman (Soul)

3. Karma all actions in this life affect rebirth in next life Law of Karma Evil *punished souls reborn lower caste Good *born higher caste

4. Dharma (divine law) laws regulating actions of caste members ex. Brahmins can’t eat meat *Untouchables must tap 2 sticks **Caste system reinforces Hinduism

5. Yoga (union) physical & mental discipline

6. Trimuti **3 main gods of Hinduism: a. Brahma - Creator of World Drum symbol of creation

33,000 different Hindu Gods

b. Vishnu - Preserver of World

c. Shiva Destroyer of World Flame *symbol of destruction

7. Reincarnation *soul reborn

B. Buddhism: 2nd major religion of India Siddhartha Gautama 563 BC - 483 BC Buddha “Enlightened One”

1. Great Renunciation (Age of 29) Old Man, Sick Man, & Dead man “Would that sickness, age, and death be forever bound!” Buddha: search for truth & cure of human suffering

2. Bo Tree *Holy Tree of Buddhism Siddhartha reached enlightenment became Buddha

Maha Bodhi (Pipal) Tree The Buddha attained His Enlightenment under this Bodhi Tree on the full-moon day of Vaisatha (Wesak), 623 B.C. -Bodhi Pallanka-

3. Buddhism: Teachings of Buddha “Triptaka “Three Baskets of Wisdom *sacred texts of Buddhism

Four Noble Truths: a. Life is full of suffering & sorrow b. Suffering caused by desire c. Renounce desire attain Nirvana (Perfect Peace) d. Follow the Middle Way Middle Way (Eightfold Path) Right View Right Intention Right Speech Right Action Right Livelihood Right Effort Right Mindfulness Right Concentration

The Dharma wheel (Skt. chakra; Tib. 'khor lo) evolved as a symbol of the Buddha's teachings. The Buddha was the one who "turned the wheel of the dharma" and thus the wheel symbol is the Dharmachakra, or "wheel of law." The Tibetan term for Dharmachakra, chos kyi'khor lo, literally means "the wheel of transformation."

“Work out your own salvation with diligence.” Buddha’s last words

Kushinagar is the location of the Buddha's death at the ripe age of 80.

4. Two Schools of Buddhism Theravada *Lesser Vehicle *Buddha is a teacher India & South East Asia

Mahayana *Greater Vehicle *Buddha seen as a god savior of humanity China, Korea, Japan

5. Ajanta Caves 300 AD Monks painted scenes of Buddha’s life

6. Asoka “2nd to Buddha” Greatest ruler of Ancient India

7. Dali Lama “Ocean of Wisdom” Spiritual leader of Buddhism

V. Empires in India A. Darius 500 BC *Persian King conquered Indus Valley

B. Alexander the Great 327 BC NW. India

C. Mauryan Dynasty Chandragupta Maurya 324 BC *1st Indian Emperor Autocratic - rule with absolute power Pataliputa capital city on Ganges river Homing Pigeons - messages to capital

D. Gupta Empire 310 AD - 412 AD “Golden Age” Math: concept of zero decimal system Medicine: scalpel setting broken bones plastic surgery

Chandragupta II 375 AD - 415 AD *Indian Empire greatest size