Chapter 7 Review and Discussion

Hinduism is generally regarded as the world's oldest Ancient India Ganesha Castes Hinduism Hinduism is generally regarded as the world's oldest organized religion

Roots of Hinduism Who’s the founder? No original founder Grew out of early Aryan beliefs in multiple Gods. Is there a sacred text? Beliefs come from the Vedas and other Indian epics, poems and songs Each believer sees Brahman differently

Polytheistic or monotheistic ? Hinduism is sometimes called a polytheistic religion, but strictly speaking, this is not entirely accurate. Hinduism believes in One God (Brahman), but recognizes that the One God can appear to humans in multiple names and forms Three most important gods: Brahma-the Creator Vishnu-the preserver Shiva-the destroyer

Characteristic of gods Each god represents a characteristic of Brahman. How many gods exist? As many as 330 million gods Brahman the Creator god of knowledge & intellect

Reincarnation What’s the ultimate goal of existence? to achieve moksha, or union with Brahman. What is reincarnation? the soul (atman) passes through many lifetimes: before it finally achieves moksha

Methods to Achieve Moksha: Karma Explain Karma the lifetime actions that affect a person’s fate Good choices leads to higher rebirth Bad choices leads to lower birth maybe a rat or an ant

Methods to Achieve Moksha Ahimsa? Promote nonviolence toward all living things

Methods to Achieve Moksha What is Dharma? Follow the religious & moral duties of your varna or caste Code of conduct for each caste

Harijan "outside" the caste system (once known as "untouchables") The “Untouchables” were thought to be dirty and un-pure. There jobs consisted of cleaning the sewers and digging graves Represented about 20% of the population

Effects of the Caste: Duty Ensured social order. How? Caste rules governed every aspect of life: clothes, foods, friendship, marriage, job, neighborhood and education Law of Karma determined caste It gave people a sense of identity

Hinduism What does the red dot represent? symbolizes the mark of the supreme being and identifies you as Hindu.

Hinduism Today 3rd largest religion in the world Estimated I billion Hindus in the world. Mostly live in India and Nepal.

India’s Caste System Still Alive Today! Though the castes system is now illegal by Indian law - its “duties” still remain a strong social influence. There are very few who will ignore the “duties” but if it happens it is generally in the urban areas.

India’s Caste System Still Alive Today! “They died for love…” In 2002, two teenagers (16 & 17) killed by their father and brother for “dating” outside their caste! Another young female teen in 2000 was hung in public display for her young male lover to see what happens when you venture outside your caste! None of these were give a proper Hindu funeral, all of the family members and the village ignored this key Hindu teaching.

Rise of Buddhism Many Hindus grew dissatisfied with religion looking for more spirituality.

Siddhartha Gautama Born around 566 BCE Founder of Buddhism Grew up an Indian prince surrounded by wealth and luxury Saddened by amount of suffering by people.

Enlightenment Comes: The Bodhi Tree Experience “Enlightened after forty-nine days of deep meditation and fasting Siddhartha became the enlightened one, “Buddha” and discovered the Four Nobles Truths:

Buddha: The Enlightened One “Four Noble Truths”: 1. All life is full of suffering 2. The cause of suffering is wrong desires like wealth and power 3. The only cure for suffering is to overcome desire 4. The way overcome is by following the “Noble Eight- fold Path.”

The Teachings of the Buddha 1 The Teachings of the Buddha It is important to live a moral life. Enlightenment is achieved through meditation.

The Teachings of the Buddha 1 The Teachings of the Buddha What is the ultimate goal? reach nirvana, or union with the universe and release from the cycle of rebirth. Life is no longer filled with suffering and pain!

Spread of Buddhism

How Buddhism Spread from India to East Asia

Spread of Buddhism How did Buddhism Spread? Missionaries and Traders helped to spread Buddhism across India to many parts of Asia. Two largest groups of Buddhists are the Mahayana and Theravada

Theravada Vs. Mahayana Theravada “way of the elders” Southeast Asia (parts of southwest China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand) and parts of Vietnam Follow the original teachings of Buddhism Buddha was a great teacher not a god and individuals could reach enlightenment through his teachings the bodhisattva is seen as seeking enlightenment so that, once awakened, he may efficiently aid other beings with the expertise of supreme wisdom Mahayana “large vehicle Practiced in Japan, Korea, China, Mongolia, Tibet and Nepal Buddha was a god and pay homage to Buddha like deities who came in the form of men and believe they can be saved by the faith in these gods Allowed for a broader interpretation of the teachings of Buddhism because Buddha had not provided for all the answers Zen Buddhism Believe in simplicity, harmony, and tranquility Enlightenment comes from deep meditation and revelation Bodhisattva is one who delays his own final and complete enlightenment in order to save all sentient beings out of his enormous compassion. He is on a mission to liberate all sentient beings, and only then will he rest and complete his own enlightenment.

Jainism Extremist went naked and starved themselves to death Who is the founder? Mahavira (540-468 BCE) What did it emphasize? the holiness of all living beings and went into extremes to not kill anything Extremist went naked and starved themselves to death Less extreme devoted themselves to commerce and banking and avoided agriculture

Focused on the individual and rejected the caste system Jainism VS. Buddhism Similarities provided alternatives to Vedic religion and the authority of the Brahmin priests. Offered an alternative path to salvation through individual inquiry into the nature of the self Focused on the individual and rejected the caste system Difference (Buddhist) rejected Jainist asceticism (self-denying) and chose a more popular “Middle Path” of moderation. rejected the emphasis on gods of other religions Emphasized minimizing desire and went searching for spiritual truth offered the possibility of escape from the eternal cycle of reincarnations.

2 Empires of India

The Maurya Empire Maurya rulers created a strong central government. These rulers: supervised the building of roads and harbors. collected taxes and managed state-owned factories. created royal courts.

The Maurya Empire Maurya rulers created a strong central government. These rulers: created a secret police force to report on corruption, crime, and dissent, or opposing ideas. trained warriors to guard the royal palace.

Asoka - The Most Honored King Became emperor in 268 B.C.E Converted to Buddhism and rejected violence Help his people “his children” by making roads and planting trees Promoted Buddhism but preached tolerance of other religions

Mauryan Empire. (324 -184 B.C.E) The Mauryan Empire overcame natural and geographic obstacles, as well as India’s complex social hierarchy, to politically unify India. Legacy The Mauryan Empire’s longest-lasting impact was to expedite the formation of a common Indian civilization. Particularly important was the conversion of the Mauryan ruler Ashoka to Buddhism, resulting in the spread of Buddhist influence. Even after the collapse of the Mauryan Empire, there continued to be economic, cultural, and intellectual development that was at least partially due to Mauryan rule.

The Guptas 320 – 550 C.E. 2 Under the Guptas, India enjoyed a period of great cultural achievement. “Golden Age” Learning… Scholars taught many subjects at Hindu and Buddhist schools.

The Golden Age of the Guptas 2 The Golden Age of the Guptas Under the Guptas, India enjoyed a period of great cultural achievement. Medicine… Doctors treated illnesses with herbs, performed surgery, set broken bones, and vaccinated against smallpox.

The Golden Age of the Guptas 2 The Golden Age of the Guptas Under the Guptas, India enjoyed a period of great cultural achievement. Mathematics… Mathematicians invented system of numbers we use today and developed decimal system and concept of zero.

The Golden Age of the Guptas 2 The Golden Age of the Guptas Under the Guptas, India enjoyed a period of great cultural achievement. Architecture… Builders designed magnificent stone temples and dome-shaped shrines called stupas.

Family Life The ideal was the joint family, in which extended family all lived under one roof. The family was patriarchal. The father or oldest male had absolute authority. Family wishes came before individual wishes. Early on, children learned family duties, such as obedience of caste rules. Parents had a duty to arrange good marriages for their children, based on caste and family interests. The status and freedom of women decreased over time. A woman’s duties were to marry, obey her husband, and raise children.

Indian women during the Gupta Empire Indian women during the Gupta Empire? What important factors affected those women’s lives? Gupta literary works reveal standing had declined noticeably since the Vedic period. This decline was due in large part to the emergence of a nonagricultural middle class, which placed a high value on the acquisition and inheritance of property. Women lost the right to own and inherit property. barred from participating in many religious ceremonies. Marriage (Young age 6 or 7) practice intended to ensure that a woman would behave according to her husband’s wishes. Ritual of Sati The most extreme example of Indian women’s position in which a widow was expected to cremate herself on her husband’s funeral.

Discuss the ways that early Southeast Asia participated in the world system. Location the strategic location of Southeast Asia in the global trade routes connecting China, India, and the Mediterranean. expanded trade networks and contributed goods The impressive navigational skills riding the monsoon winds and interpreting wave patterns, clouds, swells, and winds led them to explore the Indian and Pacific Oceans and knit together the shores of India, East Asia, and the islands of the Pacific. Religion Hindu/Buddhist culture served as a source of knowledge, prestige, and legitimacy for rulers They fused Indian religious and political ideas and methods with their own traditions to create a unique culture. Legacy important role as a linkage and contributor to the world system by sailing and trading, absorbing and sharing in the world markets.