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Classical Indian Civilization
“ The essential self in humans is the same as that in an ant, the same as that in a gnat, the same as that in an elephant…indeed the same as that in the whole universe.” Hindu Quote
Classical Indian Civilization
As in Greece, Rome and China, Indian classicism created lasting thought and belief systems.
Classical Indian Civilization
In the 6th and 5th Centuries BCE, India’s traditions blossomed at the same time as Greek and Chinese traditions.
Classical Indian Civilization
Indian religious thought gave the world three powerful moral and philosophical belief systems Hinduism Jainism and Buddhism.
The Land of India
Indians speak 110 languages with more than 1,000 dialects.
The Land of India
Himalaya, the highest mountains in the world.
The Ganges (GAN•JEEZ) and Indus River valleys developed Indian culture.
The Land of India
Deccan, a plateau that extends from the Ganges Valley to the southern tip of India.
The Land of India
The densely populated eastern and western coasts are lush plains.
The Land of IndiaMonsoon (seasonal
wind) blows warm air from the southwest during the summer.
Then blows cold dry air from the northeast during the winter.
India’s First Civilization
Between 3000 and 1500 BCE, the Indus River supported a flourishing civilization from the Himalayas to the coast of the Arabian Sea.
Harappan or Indus civilization
Two major cities Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro had populations of 35,000 -40,000.
Harappan or Indus civilization
In total, more than 1,052 cities and settlements have been found.
Harappan orIndus civilization
400-600 Indus symbols identified, most linguists consider it a written language, others just symbols.
Harappan or Indus civilization
Both carefully planned cities had public wells and bathrooms with drainage systems.
Harappan orIndus civilization
Perhaps each city had its own ruler.
Harappan orIndus civilization
Others argue that Harappan society had no rulers, and everybody enjoyed equal status.
In sharp contrast to Sumer or Ancient Egypt they did not build large monuments palaces or temples.
Harappan orIndus civilization
Although primarily agricultural, they traded extensively with Mesopotamia and Egypt.
Harappan orIndus civilization
Although primarily agricultural, they traded extensively with Mesopotamia and Egypt.
Harappan or Indus civilization
Some scholars believe that the Harappans worshipped an Earth Mother Goddess.
Harappan or Indus civilization
Others see the beginning of Hinduism in seated figures.
Climate change, floods, and earthquakes weakened Indus civilization.
The Arrival of the Aryans
Around 1500 BCE, the Indo European Aryans conquer Indus Civilization. By 500 BCE, they control most of India.
Aryans
Like other nomadic peoples, the Aryans excelled at war.
Aryans
They made an iron plow that helped clear jungle for farming.
By 1000 BCE, they created Sanskrit.
Aryans
Between 1500 -400 BCE many small Aryan rajas (princes) constantly fought with each other.
Aryans
The Aryan conquests create a set of social and class divisions lasting, with only minor changes, until today.
The Caste System
The caste system is a rigid set of social categories that determines a person’s job, wealth, and position in society. Based in part on skin color.
5 major castes
Brahmins are the priestly class, in charge of religious ceremonies and education.
5 major castes
Kshatriyas (KSHA•tree•uhz), or warriors families. Sometimes people from other castes could move into this caste.
5 major castes
Vaisyas (VYSH•yuhz), or commoners, mostly farm owners and merchants.
5 major castes
Sudras (SOO•druhz) made up the great bulk of the people population. Peasants doing manual labor with few rights.
5 major castes
The Untouchables given menial, degrading jobs like collecting trash and handling dead bodies.
The Untouchables
Not considered humanThey had to tap two sticks together so that
others could hear them coming and avoid them.
The Family in Ancient India
Life in ancient India centered on the family. An extended family with grandparents, parents,
and children living under the same roof the best.
The Family in Ancient India
Children support their parents as they aged.
The Family in Ancient India
In patriarchic families, the oldest male held legal authority over the entire family unit
The Family in Ancient India
Only males could inherit property, receive education (a guru teacher) or be a priest.
The Family in Ancient India
Upper-caste men completed 12 years of study before they married.
The Family in Ancient India
Parents arranged marriages for daughters, thought an economic drain on the family.
The Family in Ancient India
Divorce not allowed. Husbands could take a second wife if the
first was unable to have children.
Suttee
Indians burned the dead on pyres.
Suttee required a wife to throw herself onto her dead husband’s flaming funeral pyre.
Yet, no culture celebrates love for a women more.
Hinduism
The most basic and enduring of the Indian religions, originates in the Aryan traditions or Brahmanism.
Hinduism
It easily incorporates new ideas.
Hinduism
Society is divided into sacred castes, written in the Code of Manu.
Hinduism
All Hindu gods are aspects of Brahma, the supreme indefinable principle of life.
Hinduism
All Hindu gods and goddesses powers are aspects of Adi Para Shakti, the divine feminine creative power.
Hinduism
The goal of all Hindus is to merge with Brahma.
Hinduism
To reach Brahma people must follow a path.1. you must observe dharma the moral duties
of your caste.
Hinduism
2. Your degree of dharma determines your karma (accumulation of good and bad deeds).
3. Those with good karma will be born again into a higher caste, those with bad karma into a lower caste.
Reincarnation: individual soul reborn in a new body after death.
Hinduism
7 heaven (Earth the lowest) and 7 underworld planes.
Hinduism
Eventually, the cycle of reincarnation will end.
Moksha is the release from the wheel of life and unity with Brahma.
Hinduism
Hindus developed the practice of yoga as training for the union with Brahma.
The Hindu Triad
Brahma creates this 100 year cycle
“One day of Brahma” , = 4,320 million earthly years.
the Hindu Triad
Vishnu the protector of life and creation.
the Hindu Triad
Vishnu the protector of life and creation.
the Hindu Triad
Shiva the cosmic dancer who creates and destroys.
Hindu Gods and GoddessAdi Para Shakti is
Great Divine Mother she controls the triade.
Lesser Gods
Indra the King of the Gods, war and thunderstorms.
14 incarnations
Lesser Gods
Ganesha removes or places obstacles in human’s lives.
Lesser Gods
Saraswati is the Goddess of knowledge music art and science.
The Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita is the most famous book.
The Bhagavad Gita
The warrior Arjuna struggles with the problem of battle against his kinsmen.
Bhagavad Gita
Krishna (manifestation of Vishnu) tells him to carry out his duties as a warrior, emphasizing the duty to one’s caste.
Hinduism
Life force of all produced a tradition of nonviolence.
Jainism and Buddhism
Around the 6th Century BCE, two reformers of Hinduism appeared.
Jainism
Mahavira (540-468 BCE) taught that the soul is polluted by karma. To reach Brahma you have to rid yourself of karma.
Jainism
All life is composed of souls so no life should be destroyed, neither plant nor animal.
Jainism
Nonviolence, no material comforts, and vegetarianism.
Non-violence is seen as the most essential religious duty
1a
Buddhism REJECTED THE CASTE SYSTEM – as unfair, unjust!
Buddhism
REJECTED THE CASTE SYSTEM – as unfair, unjust!
“Not by birth does one become an outcast, not by birth does one become a Brahmin. By DEEDS one becomes an outcast, by DEEDS one becomes a Brahmin” – Buddha
Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 BCE) better known as Buddha (Enlightened One).
Buddhism
Born into a ruling family the very handsome Siddhartha was raised in luxury.
Buddhism
In his late 20’s, he gave up his royal clothes, shaved his head, abandoned his family, and set off to find the true meaning of life.
Buddhism
He tried a life of asceticism and fasting but found it led nowhere.
Buddhism
He turned to meditation, which led him to conclude that happiness in this life could be found in changing one’s thoughts and attitudes.
Buddhism
He accepted reincarnation, but rejected the caste system, teaching anyone could reach Nirvana.
Four Noble Truths1. Life is full of suffering.
2. Suffering is caused by desire.
3. One can be released from desire by following the 8 fold path.
4. When desire is gone, Nirvana can be reached releasing one from karma.
Following the Eight Fold Path led to Nirvana
8 fold path
1. Right view need to know the Four NobleTruths.2. Right intention need to decide what wereally want.3. Right speech must speak truth and speak
well of others.4. Right action “Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not
lie. Do not be unchaste. Do not take drugs or drink alcohol.”
Middle or 8 fold path
5. Right livelihood must do work that upliftsour being.6. Right effort 7. Right mindfulness must keep our minds incontrol of our senses: 8. Right concentration must meditate to see theworld in a new way.
Buddhism
Like Christianity, anyone could follow the Eightfold Path and attain enlightenment and Nirvana.
Merchants converted to Buddhism and spread it along the Silk Road.
The Sangha (disciples) systemized it and helped spread it.
Buddhism
Later, Buddhism split into two sects.1. Theravada (lesser vehicle) popular in
South east Asia, strict conservative teaching of Buddha only.
Buddhism
2. Mahayan (larger vehicle) popular in China, Korea, Vietnam.
Many ways to salvation, Buddha had been a Bodhisattva (wise being) in previous lives.
He had declined Nirvana to help others. Many heavenly Buddha like Christian
saints.
Buddha forbade his followers to worship him as a god, but ….
Eventually, Buddha was worshiped as one of the many Hindu gods.
Home work
Pg 79 1-5
The Aryans were a group of Indo-European people that moved from the steppes into what is now India.
Caste System
The upper three classes consisted of Aryan people while the bottom two were the local native Indian people.
“Untouchables”
Some “impure” people lived in a group outside this class system. (ie. They were out-castes.) They were butchers, grave diggers, and trash collectors. Because they did work that was thought unclean, they were called “untouchables”.
1. The Gods
a. Brahman – the Creator
b. Vishnu – the Preserver
c. Shiva – the Destroyer
2. Reincarnation – the soul never dies, it is re-born and goes through many lives until it can unite with Brahma
Basic Hindu Beliefs
Hindu Beliefs continued
3. Karma – a person’s behavior in life determines their caste in the next life
4. Dharma – Your DUTIES in life to family and caste, do your job well!
5. Cremation – Burn body to release soul for next life
6. MOKSHA – ultimate goal - state of perfect understanding of all things, become one with the universe.
Hindu Beliefs continued
• Cows – Hindus refuse to eat beef ,they roam freely
• Ganges River – Holy river believed to wash away evil
• Today 85% of all Indian people are Hindu
Sacred Objects
From Hinduism Comes Buddhism
Around 528 BCE another new religion, Buddhism, arose in India. It was started by Siddhartha Gautama.
The founder, Siddhartha Gautama, has many legends and stories that have surrounded his life. While we can't be certain which of these stories and legends are true, we do know that the basic historical outlines of his life are accurate.
Beginnings of Buddhism He was the chief's son of a tribal group, so he was born a Kshatriya
(Warrior class) around 566 BC.
At the age of 29, he left his family in order to lead a simple life.
A few years later he returned with a number of followers; followers that devoted their lives to "The Middle Way“, a lifestyle that is midway between a completely simple lifestyle and one that is full of materialistic goods.
Siddhartha searched for a way that would allow him to escape the suffering of human life. He spent many years searching for this answer. He was looking for enlightenment, or wisdom.
Finally, he sat down and meditated under a tree. After 49 days, he had his answer. He was now called the Buddha, which means “enlightened one”. The Buddha began to teach others how to attain enlightenment.
Buddhist BeliefsThe Four Noble Truths
Suffering is universal – everyone suffers
Cause of suffering is DESIRE
If you end your desires – suffering will end (necessary to reach NIRVANA- a release from
selfishness and pain.)
Follow the EIGHTFOLD PATH –
How to become enlightenedBuddhists were to follow a plan of behavior called the Eightfold Path — right views, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.
This would lead to nirvana, or a release from selfishness and pain.
Other Buddhist Beliefs1. Believed in KARMA and DHARMA
and REINCARNATION –
2. REJECTED THE CASTE SYSTEM – felt it was not fair, unjust!!
“Not by birth does one become an outcast, not by birth does one become a Brahmin. By DEEDS one becomes an outcast, by DEEDS one becomes a Brahmin” – Buddha
Spread of Buddhism
Buddhism spread from India to China and other parts of the world along the SILK ROAD –
The sharing of religion is an excellent example of cultural diffusion.
India first Empires
Maurya & Gupta
In 321 BCE, the founder and eventual King of the Maurya Empire, Chandragupta Maurya used his army to defeat powerful kings in eastern and northern India.
By 305 BCE, he began to challenge for Alexander the Great’s western territories in India, and by 300 BCE, for the first time, northeastern and northwestern India were joined under the rule of one person.
Chandragupta was a harsh ruler. He charged a heavy tax on farmers — one-half of the crop they grew each year. He used this wealth to build a huge army. He controlled his government by carefully choosing officials and watching them closely
The Maurya Empire
In 269 BCE, Chandragupta’s grandson, Asoka, took the throne. He brought the Mauryan Empire to its greatest height. At first he was a warlike king but then he decided to accept the teachings of the Buddha.
Asoka promised to rule in a fair and just way. He issued laws that urged his subjects to avoid
violence. He urged religious toleration. This is acceptance
of people’s rights to differing religious beliefs. He made great roads so that people could travel
easily. Asoka is also known as “the lawgiver” because he
carved the laws into stone pillars which were placed in the center of towns.
The Maurya Empire
Some of the Pillars of Asoka
Sanskrit Language
The Gupta Empire
Soon after Asoka died, however, his empire collapsed.
Around 320 AD, Chandra Gupta I came to power in the north. He was not related to the first emperor Chandragupta Maurya of the Maurya Empire , but he too took the title of king and began to conquer other areas in the name of the Gupta Empire.
The Gupta Golden Age
Added western coast to empire
religion scienceFlourishing of arts
Medicine Literature
MathematicsAstronomy
Printedmedicinal
guides
1000 diseasesclassified
PlasticSurgery
C-sectionsperforme
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Inoculations
500 healingplants
identified
DecimalSystem
Conceptof Zero
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Kalidasa
SolarCalendar
The earth
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GuptaIndia
Gupta Achievemen
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Gupta Achievemen
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