Classical India

1
Classical India

• Unit 10

2
Hinduism

• One of the worlds oldest religions.
• Practiced by most in India today.
• Developed as a blend of Aryan and Indian
  indigenous beliefs.
• Origins are difficult to trace. (No Founder)
• Evolved over thousands of years and influenced by
  various cultures and people.
• Practices differ from place to place
• A few teachings are fundamental by all.

3
Brahman

• Belief in Brahman eternal being that created and
  preserves the world.
• Everything in the world in an aspect of Brahman,
  including humans.
• Human mind not capable of understanding.
• Everyone has an atman a soul that shapes your
  personality. Can not be destroyed, even in death.
  
• Various manifestations of Brahman called devas
  (day-vuhs) help to maintain order.
• Devas Brahman the creator, Vishnu the preserver,
  and Siva the destroyer. Some Hindus believe in
  more, others believe in one.

4
(No Transcript)
5
Rebirth Salvation

• The universe and everyone in it are part of a
  continual pattern of birth, death, and rebirth.
• In death the atman is released and later reborn
  in another. Called Reincarnation.
• The nature of the persons new life will be
  shaped by his or her Karma the sum effect of his
  or her deeds and actions during life.

6
Ultimate Goal

• The ultimate goal is Moksha escape from the
  cycle of rebirth, worldly cares, difficulties,
  and the atman reunites with Brahman.
• To achieve this you have to fulfill your dharma
  set of spiritual duties and obligations.
• Dharma is based on your class and station in life
  and fulfilling this creates good Karma.

7
Sacred Texts

• The Vedas sacred hymns of praise, earliest
  writings. Revealed to them by Brahman.
• Later writings inspired by the Vedas include the
  upanishads are reflections on the Vedas also
  revealed by Brahman.
• Sacred epics bases on themes found in the vedas
  but composed by sages. What it means to live by
  vedic teachings.

8
The Vedas
9
Practices

• Worship can take place anywhere
• Recite the vedas to worshippers
• Food or gift offerings
• Images of a deva brought forth
• Meditation silent reflection and prayer.
• Yoga to help meditate some perform physical and
  mental exercises to focus body and mind.
• Some even make a pilgrimage to a holy site.

10
Social order

• The religion secretly had a way of keeping people
  in line.
• Reincarnation gave the poor hope for a better
  life.
• Those in lower levels were inclined to accept
  their role and hope for a better one next time.
• Divided into 4 social classes called varnas
• Membership in a caste determines what jobs one
  can hold.

11
Buddhism

• Unlike Hinduism, Buddhism can be traced back to a
  single founder Siddhartha Guatama, also called
  the Buddha (enlightened one).
• Most of what we know come from Buddhist
  literature some written centuries after his
  death.
• Born 500s B.C.E. A Hindu prince had a sheltered
  life.
• His life changed when he realized the hardships
  of life and wanted to stop the suffering of
  others.
• To find this new path he gave up all his
  possessions and left his palace.

12
Buddha's New Path

• Sought enlightenment or spiritual understanding.
• Began living in the forest begging for food.
• He studied with teachers called gurus and monks
  but left them because he felt they could not
  teach him how to end suffering.
• He sat under a tree day and night until he
  thought of it himself.
• After many temptation he arose enlightened.
• This spot is now a sacred place where a temple
  has been built.

13
Buddhist beliefsThe Four Noble Truths

1. Suffering is a part of human life. No one can
   escape from suffering while alive.
2. Suffering comes from peoples desires for
   pleasure and material goods.
3. Overcoming these desires during life eventually
   brings suffering to an end.
4. Desires can be overcome by following the
   eightfold path.

14
Buddhist beliefsThe Eightfold Path

1. Right view, or accepting the reality of the Four
   Noble Truths.
2. Right attitude, or striving for moderation in all
   things.
3. Right speech, or avoiding lies, boasts, and
   hurtful words.
4. Right action, or treating others fairly.
5. Right livelihood, or avoiding jobs that could
   bring harm to others.
6. Right effort, or constantly trying to improve
   oneself.
7. Right mindfulness, or remaining aware of the
   world around one.
8. Right concentration, or ignoring temptation and
   discomfort while meditating.

15
Buddhist beliefsThe goal

• Those that followed the Eightfold path could
  attain nirvana a state of perfect peace in which
  the soul would be free from suffering forever.
• If you do not attain nirvana then you will be
  reborn to live again until you do.
• The teachings can be boiled down to or simplified
  to the Middle Way live in moderation and avoid
  extremes.

16
Divisions of Buddhism

• When Buddha dies there were differences in some
  of the teachings. They would split and felt their
  teachings were closer to Buddha.
• Three main traditions
• Theravada Buddha is not a god, oldest tradition,
  sacred writings, best way to achieve nirvana is
  to become a monk.
• Mahayana Believe Buddha is a god, they can help
  each other find enlightenment, texts used are
  after Buddhas life.
• Tibetan similar to the others but have special
  techniques to harness spiritual energy and
  achieve nirvana in a single lifetime.

17
(No Transcript)
18
Buddhism spreads

• Hinduism remained an Indian religion.
• Buddhism continued to spread after Buddhas
  death.
• A later emperor of an Indian Empire named Asoka
  (Ashoka) became a Buddhist and sent missionaries
  to other lands to spread the religion.
• The religion also spread through trade with other
  civilizations.
• It spread throughout Asia, including China (it
  blended many Chinese philosophies), Sri Lanka,
  Japan, and Korea.
• The religion is very diverse with a wide arrange
  of practices.

19
Buddhism spreads
20
Mauryan Empire

• 1st Indian empire started by Chandragupta Mauryan
  
• Many small states conquered by one of the small
  states.
• Alexander the Great influences unification.
• War Elephants!

21
Mauryan cont.

• Strong centralized government.
• Government controlled economy.
• Divided the empire into districts and appointed
  generals to rule
• Capital Pataliputra
• Farmers paid taxes and rent for land, funded the
  government and the army
• Ashoka considered their greatest emperor.

• Conquers most of India.
• Appalled by war in the East and converts to
  Buddhism.
• After his death leads to chaos and the fall of
  the Empire.
• India is split into many small kingdoms and for
  400 years India is divided

22
The Gupta Empire

• 320 A.D. Re-united under Founder Chandra Gupta
• Less centralized government.
• Hinduism spreads.
• Chandra Gupta II considered Golden age.
• Economy and culture at its height.
• Samudra Gupta (son) extended the empire
• Chandra Gupta II ruled from 375-415, extended
  the empire, empire reached its height

23
End of Gupta Rule

• Began to weaken in the late 400s
• White Huns began to invade
• Disrupted trade
• 550 Gupta rule ended and India returned to small
  regional kingdoms

24
Life in Gupta India

• Civilization trade increased and economy
  strengthened, cities prospered and traditions
  developed under Gupta.
• Growth of Trade
• Trade Silk Road and by sea.
• Silk Road a network of routes stretching from
  China 4,000 miles across the heart of Asia to the
  Mediterranean Sea. It linked China, India, Middle
  East, and the Roman Empire.
• Exchanged cashmere, cotton, ivory, and spices for
  Chinese silk and Roman ceramics and more. Also
  spread ideas (ex. religion)

25
Life in Gupta India

• Daily Life
• New class bankers and moneylenders emerged
• Villages self-sufficient, held religious
  festivals
• Social Structure
• Castes grew and developed rules and customs
• Legal codes defined peoples role in Gupta India
• Gender men (more rights, patriarchal) women
  (marry and have children)

26
A Gupta Golden Age

• Cultural and scientific achievements
• Sanskrit Literature
• Writer Kalidasa, poet and playwright
• Art and Architecture
• Artwork religious focus, paintings, statues
• Buildings temples and monuments carved out of
  rock, Ajanta and Ellora (famous ones)
• Science and Technology
• Metallurgy the science of working with metals
• Math symbol for zero, Hindu-Arabic numerals
• Medicine made medicines from plants and animals,
  performed surgery,
• Astronomy identified 7 planets, predict
  eclipses, Aryabhata-Earth rotates on axis and
  revolves around the Sun

27
(No Transcript)