Classical India

1
CHAPTER 3

• Classical India

2
Why do we know understand more about early
China than we do about early India?

• writing came earlier to Chinese (Shang dynasty)
• Epic Vedic times in India no writing
• Zhou dynasty records (1029-258 BCE)
• Han strong (202BCE 220 CE)
• India not strong culture until Gupta 319 CE
• No ethnic consistency in India

3
Why did the caste system develop how was it
perpetuated? How did it differ from the
organization of Chinese society?

• Aryans invade differentiate from indigenous
• regulated social relationships promote public
  order (government didnt have to)
• could not move between castes
• only way to change through re-incarnation
• loyalty to caste
• China government promote public order
• could move up class wise (education)
• loyalty to father, ancestors, government

4
Compare the political implications of Hinduism
Confucianism. How does each belief system help
explain the political history of its native
society in the classical period?

• Hinduism caste system
• regional landlords
• religion flexible, individual
• no elaborate political system
• Confucianism strong central government
• big on political system
• not really a religion loyalty to government

5
What were the chief differences between Buddhism
the developing Hindu tradition?

• Buddhism attacked caste system
• emphasize rewards of afterlife
• less emphasis on ceremony
• re-birth
• Hinduism allowed to carry out daily life
  duties without worrying about Nirvana as much
• re-incarnation
• Buddhism comes from Hinduism
• Similarities, wheel of life , lotus, meditation,
  yoga, ohm