Ancient India

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Ancient India

• A Brief Background

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(No Transcript)
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Aryans

• 1500 B.C. Came to the Indus Valley
• Aggressive nomads who were wandering warriors and
  herders

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Aryan Ancestors of India
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Similarities of Languages

• Look at the similarities in the word MOTHER among
  Indo-European languages
• Sanskrit matar
• Greek meter
• Latin mater
• Old English modor
• German mutter
• Spanish madre

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AryansVedic Period

• Vedas collections of hymns and other texts that
  formed the basis of Aryan culture
• Believed by many Hindus to be revealed directly
  from the gods

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Sanskrit

• By 600 B.C., Sanskrit had become a frozen
  language
• Sacred language spoken by the gods
• Only appropriate language for noble literary works

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Indian Epics

• Definition of an Epic long narrative poem that
  relates the great deeds of a larger-than-life
  hero who embodies the values of a particular
  culture
• Mahabhaarata
• Ramayana

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HinduismThe Religion of India

• Evolved from Aryan beliefs
• Way of life
• Beliefs
• Rituals
• Gods

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HinduismA Religion Apart

• HINDUISM
• No written docrines
• No set of rules
• No single prophet
• No religious leader

• Christianity
• Bible
• 10 Commandments
• God and Jesus
• Judaism
• Torah
• God
• Islam
• Quran
• Muhammad

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The Trimurtithree prominent gods of Hinduism

• The Three Forms
• Brahma the creator
• Vishnu the protector
• Shiva the destroyer/preserver

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Shakti

• Central deity who is the consort of Shiva
• May take several forms such as Kali, who presides
  over the cycles of creation and destruction

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Unifying Belief of Hinduism

• All the gods, and everything in the universe, are
  aspects of a single essence or immortal spirit

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Dharma

• Dharma requires a person to fulfill the duties of
  his/her station in life no matter how lofty or
  lowly it may be

• to hold
• Includes duty, righteousness, morality, law,
  and order
• Everyone is born with a dharma that unfolds
  throughout life according to choices
• Most of the lessons must be determined by an
  individual on a moment-by-moment basis

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Indian Caste System Social Classes not made
equal

• Four Varnas or castes
• Brahmin scholars, priests, and teachers
• Kshatriyas rulers and warriors
• Vaisyas merchants, farmers, and artisans
• Sudras those who do menial work

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The Untouchables

• Excluded from society altogether
• Only tasks allowed are
• Believed to pollute others by touch or sight

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Karma Reincarnation

• transmigration of souls
• Rebirth of a deceased person in another body
• A persons karma influences his/her rebirth and
  future life
• Better karma better chances of being born into
  a higher caste
• When a soul is sufficiently purified, it is
  united with Brahman, the ultimate spiritual
  reality

• Ones actions

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Karma and Reincarnation
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Buddhism

• Founded by Siddhartha Gautama
• Raised a wealthy, noble prince
• Believed that life is an endless cycle of
  suffering caused by the desire for earthly goods

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Hatha Yoga

• Practiced by Buddhists to help master the desire
  for earthly goods that leads to suffering
• Spiritual practice that combines asceticism, or
  self-denial, with meditation, breathing
  practices, specific postures, and ethical
  non-violent behavior

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Buddhism V. Hinduism

• Buddhism rejects social stratification of Hindu
  caste system
• Hindus practice contemplative
• life preached by Buddha
• Some Hindus practice
• vegetarianism like Buddhists

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1947

• India partitioned into two states because of the
  tensions between Muslims and Hindus
• Pakistan became a Muslim nation
• India became a Hindu nation
• http//www.cnn.com/WORLD/9708/India97/shared/slide
  show/index.html

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Indian Background Quiz Tomorrow

• Know
• All answers from the homework
• Information from the slides
• Format 20 Multiple Choice and Matching