Ancient Civilizationof India

The Indus River, Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro, Aryans, Hinduism, Buddhism,

Castes, the Guptas and More

View of Mohenjo-Daro towards the Great Bath

Street in Mohenjo-Daro with Covered Drain

Lord Rama

Brahma the Creator

The Buddha

Khajuraho

mumbai

Early Civilizations in India – 2 Cities– Harappa y Mohenjo-Daro

• Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro – near the Indus River (currently Pakistan)

• Well organized cities and government

• Agriculture and Commerce/Trade

• Many gods, including sacred animals

• Declined for many reasons, some unknown

Aryans arrive from the North• Aryans, a group of persons united by their

similar languagues, come from southern Russia to the northeast of India; later to the Deccan Plateau

• We know them largely through the Vedas, a collection of religious writings written in Sanskrit

• Changed from a nomadic life to agriculture• Aryans formed a social structure with many

levels, or castes• First worshiped many gods, based on nature

Caste System – Rigid Social Categories

• Your “caste” or “jati” determined both your job/ economic position and your social position

• There are 1000s of castes in India, based on occupation and your family network

• 4 major social classes, called varnas:– Brahmans – in charge of religious ceremonies– Kshatriyas – originally warriors– Vaisyas – commoners; merchants and farmers– Sudras – peasants, manual laborers; most Indians– Below everyone – Untouchables; collect trash/bodies

Hinduism• Developed by Aryans sometime after 1500 B.C.

• Single spiritual force in the world – Brahman

• Believed in reincarnation – soul is reborn in different form after death

• Final goal – union with Brahma

• Karma – force generated by person’s actions

• Dharma – divine law – all must do their duty

• Justified class divisions; could rise above your caste only after death

• Yoga – way to achieve union with God

Brahma the Creator

Buddhism• Began after 550 B.C., in northern India• Founder – Siddhartha Gautama, or Buddha, the

“Enlightened One”• Siddhartha was rich man who became aware of

sorrow, tried to find cure for suffering, true meaning of life

• Must abandon worldly cares to find true meaning; must search for wisdom

• Goal: Achieve Nirvana – end of self & reunion with the Great World Soul

• Would spread from India to China and SE Asia

Four Noble Truths

1. Ordinary life is full of suffering

2. Suffering caused by desire to satisfy ourselves

3. Must end desire for selfish goals; see others as extensions of ourselves

4. Way to end desire is to follow the “Middle Path”

There are 8 steps to the middle path: right view, intention, speech, action, work, effort, mindfulness and concentration

Powerful Empires of India – Mauryan Empire

• In 321 BC, Chandragupta Maurya, started the first Indian empire; lasted from 321 BC to 185 BC

• Capital – Pataliputra – Splendid city• Well-organized bureaucracy; effective but cruel• Grandson Asoka – most successful emperor• Conquered region of Kalinga, but then gave up

violence and converted to Buddhism• Sent missionaries out to spread Buddhism• After Asoka, Mauryan Empire fell apart• 1st empire to unify all of India

Powerful Empires of India –The Guptas

• From 320 AD to 540 AD – Golden Age under the Gupta regime

• Peace and prosperity; decentralized government, elected by artisans and businessmen

• Advances in philosophy, literature, mathematics (arabic numbers, zero), other areas of knowledge