CHAPTER 3 - INDIA

Reading Focus

• How did India’s geography affect the development of civilization there?

• What were the defining features of the Indus Valley Civilization?

• What do we know about life in India’s Vedic period?

Main Idea

Early civilization arose in the Indus River Valley, flourished, and then mysteriously died out. Later India’s Vedic civilization developed a culture based on old and new beliefs.

Early India

India’s Geography

Indus River flows across northwest edge of Indian subcontinent—large landmass, part of a continent

Home of one of ancient world’s great river valley civilizations

Indian subcontinent includes three major geographic zones

Far north: Himalaya, Hindu Kush mountain systems, separating India from rest of Asia

South: Deccan Plateau, high plateau receiving less rain than other parts of subcontinent

Between mountains, plateau are Northern Plains, where society first developed in India

• Summer, monsoon winds from southwest bring warm air, heavy rains from Indian Ocean; most of annual rainfall at this time

• Winter, northeast monsoons blow cool, dry air from Central Asia, drier months

Monsoon Winds• Flood deposits from Indus,

Ganges, Brahmaputra rivers enrich soil of Northern Plains, make it very fertile

• Heavy rains also add to fertility of plains

• Much of rain brought to India by seasonal winds, monsoons

Fertile Region

Floods and Annual Rainfall

The people of India’s first civilizations depended upon the monsoons to bring the water that their crops needed.

• Monsoon rains flooded rivers; rivers deposited fertile silt in which farmers could grow crops

• With abundance of rainfall came threat of devastation

Monsoon Rains• Monsoon rains too heavy—

crops, homes, lives could be lost

• Monsoon rains too late, did not last long enough—people could not grow crops; famine became danger

Devastating Effects

Water Critical Factor

Describe

What problems could monsoons cause for early Indians?

Answer: flooding or drought

People have lived in the northern parts of the Indian subcontinent for thousands of years. At first people lived as hunter-gatherers, but slowly people began to settle down in farming communities.

• Farm communities gave rise to India’s first civilization

• Developed in valley of Indus River

• Began 2500 BC, when people first developed writing system

First Civilization

• 1920s,remains of two large cities first ruins found

– Harappa

– Mohenjo Daro

• Civilization called Harappan

• Other cities, towns since uncovered

Cities, Settlements

• Settlements well planned, carefully laid out

• Streets ran in grid pattern; major avenues twice as wide as minor streets

Indus Society

Indus Valley Civilization

Economy• Economy likely based on agriculture, trade• Most probably farmed, herded livestock• In cities, many specialized in crafts like pottery, metalwork, jewelry• Indus traded goods with people nearby, distant civilizations• Traders from Indus Valley brought goods to locations as distant as Central

Asia, Arabian Peninsula, Mesopotamia

Life in Towns and Cities• Water came from community wells, smaller wells in courtyards of homes• Public drainage systems carried away wastewater• Walled, elevated citadel—fortress—enclosed buildings like granaries,

warehouses• Homes, workshops, shrines built outside citadel• Uniformity suggests central authority in power

Few Details• Archaeologists, historians not able to learn many details about Indus society• Had writing system, but historians not able to read it• Some say Indus civilization single society, rather than collection of city-states

Decline• No one knows what led to decline, or if single cause• Environmental damage suspected; flooding, disappearance of Sarasvati river• Invasion, disease may also have helped end civilization

Similarities• People shared common tool designs, standard set of weights, measures• Suggest single authority in control• Civilization thrived from about 2500 BC to 2000 BC, then began to decline

Society

Analyze

Why do historians know relatively little about Indus society?

Answer: have not deciphered Indus writing

This period in Indian history is often called the Vedic period.

Sometime after 2000 BC, a new people took control of India. Historians often refer to this group as the Aryans, from a Sanskrit word meaning “noble.” Eventually the Aryans ruled over most of India, except for the far south.

• Historians not sure when Aryans arrived, where they came from

• Some assume they moved from area between Caspian, Black seas

• Others argue Aryans developed in northern India, did not move into area

Origin of Aryans

The Vedic Period

• Little archaeological evidence remains to document early Aryan period in India

• Most comes from sacred writings called the Vedas

• Include many details about Aryan history, society

Archaeological Evidence

• According to the Vedas, people settled in villages smaller than cities of Indus Valley

• Later groups of villages banded together under regional leaders known as rajas

• Raja primarily war leader responsible for protecting people; received payments of food, money in return

• According to oldest of the Vedas, the Rigveda, Vedic society divided into four social classes, varnas

• Each played particular role in society

• People of four varnas created from body of single being

Social Structure• Part of body from which each varna

created tied to its duties• Brahmins came from mouth, source

of speech, wisdom; were priests• Kshatriyas: warriors, rulers• Vaisyas: common people, farmers• Sudras: servants

Varnas

Vedic Society

• Social hierarchy developed, some castes had more privileges than others

• Not everyone belonged to a caste

• Untouchables had no protection of caste law, could perform only jobs that other castes did not

Social Hierarchy• Over centuries, four varnas of

Vedic period divided into hundreds of smaller castes

• Membership in caste determined what jobs one could hold, whom one could marry

Castes

Jobs and Privileges

Vedic Religion• Vedas consist mostly of hymns

in praise

• We know much about Vedic religion as result

Fire Sacrifices• People worshipped gods

through fire sacrifices, chanting sacred hymns

• Priests offered food, drink by placing on roaring fire

Prayer• People prayed to many aspects

of single eternal spirit

• One aspect was Indra, who ruled over heaven

Complex• Rituals grew more complex

• Priests said order in universe maintained only through rituals

• Brahmin varna gained more influence in society

Vedic Religion

Summarize

How was Vedic society organized?

Answer: into four social classes called varnas

Three devas- Brahma, Vishnu, Siva -are particularly influential. Some believe in thousands; others worship only one as the true manifestation of Brahman.

One of the world’s oldest religions, Hinduism, is practiced by most people in India today. Hinduism evolved over thousands of years and was influenced by the cultures and traditions of many peoples. However a few fundamental teachings are shared by nearly all Hindus.

• Among most basic tenets of Hinduism, belief in Brahman, eternal being that created, preserves world

• Brahman all-encompassing

• Many believe human mind incapable of understanding

Brahman

Basic Teachings of Hinduism

• Hindus believe each person has atman, soul, aspect of Brahman

• Atman shapes personality, cannot be destroyed, even by death

• Devas, manifestations of Brahman, active in world, helping maintain order in nature

Atman

Pattern of Life• Hindus believe universe, everyone in it, part of continual pattern of birth,

death, and rebirth• After death atman reborn in process called reincarnation, or samsara

Dharma • With moksha, atman leaves world, reunites fully with Brahman• To achieve moksha is to fulfill one’s dharma—spiritual duties, obligations• By fulfilling dharma, one creates good karma, breaks free from rebirth cycle

New Life• Nature of person’s new life shaped by karma—sum effect of deeds, actions• Good karma, reincarnated to better station in life; bad karma, lower station in

life• Ultimate goal of human existence, moksha, escape from cycle of rebirth

Rebirth and Salvation

Define

What is moksha, and how is it central to Hindu teachings?

Answer(s): escape from cycle of rebirth, reunion with Brahman; ultimate goal for Hindus; way to achieve moksha is to fulfill one's dharma

Much of Hinduism’s evolution stemmed from a number of sacred writings produced over centuries.

• Teachings, practices based on many texts, most sorted into one of three categories

– The Vedas

– Later writings inspired by the Vedas

– Sacred epics

• The Vedas, sacred hymns of praise, among earliest sacred texts of Hinduism

Sacred Texts• Name means “knowledge” in

Sanskrit• Hindus consider Vedas to contain

eternal knowledge not written by humans, revealed to them by Brahman

• Parts of Vedas date back more than 3,000 years

• Considered core of Hinduism even today

The Vedas

Sacred Texts and Practices

Ramayana, Mahabharata• Other sacred texts based on themes in the Vedas, but composed by sages,

including two epic poems, Ramayana and Mahabharata• Each tells story, reflects on living according to Vedic teachings• Included in Mahabharata, most sacred of all Hindu texts, the Bhagavad Gita,

addressing many aspects of Hindu belief, philosophy

Upanishads• Sacred texts that built upon the Vedas appeared• Some, such as Upanishads, also believed to have been revealed rather than

written by people• Upanishads philosophical reflections on the Vedas, dealing with nature of

world, meaning of life

• To help meditate, Hindus practice series of integrated physical, mental exercises called yoga

• Yoga teaches people how to focus bodies, minds to aid meditation, help attain moksha

• Hindus also make pilgrimages to Ganges River to purify, remove bad karma

Meditation, Pilgrimages• Hindu beliefs vary widely, religious

practices vary as well; worship can take place anywhere

• At temples, priests might recite, read portions of the Vedas; image of a deva sometimes carried out of temple to people

• At home, food, drink, gifts offered for deva; meditation, silent reflection

Worship

Hindu Religious Practices

Categorize

What types of sacred texts help shape Hindu beliefs?

Answer: Vedas, writings inspired by the Vedas, sacred epics

New Religion• 500 BC, group of Hindus broke away, founded new religion called Jainism

• Led by teacher Mahavira, Jains thought most Hindus put too much emphasis on ritual

Nonviolence • Central to Jain teaching, idea of ahimsa, nonviolence

• Most Hindus also practiced ahimsa, but not to same extent

• Jains carefully avoid harming living creatures, are usually vegetarians

Ritual Unnecessary • Jains thought ritual unnecessary

• People could achieve moksha by giving up worldly things, carefully controlling actions

Jainism

• Jains promise to tell only truth• Avoid stealing• Strive to eliminate greed, anger, prejudice, gossip from lives• These things can prevent person from achieving moksha

• Most devout become monks, nuns, give up possessions

• Live outdoors, seek shelter only during rainy months

• Cover mouths with masks, sweep ground to avoid accidentally killing insects

Lifestyle • Most Jains not monks, nuns

• Pledge to uphold principles of ahimsa, have careers that do not involve harming of animals

• Jainism calls for periodic fasting, especially during festivals, on holy days; limiting worldly possessions

Principles

Other Traits

Find the Main Idea

What are the major principles of Jainism?

Answer: practice nonviolence; tell the truth; do not steal; try to eliminate greed, anger, prejudice, and gossip

Reading Focus

• How did the early life of the Buddha lead to the beginnings of Buddhism?

• What are the major teachings of Buddhism?

• What areas were affected by the spread of Buddhism?

Main Idea

Buddhism, which teaches people that they can escape the suffering of the world through the Buddha’s teachings, developed in India and spread to other parts of Asia and the world.

Buddhism

In addition to Hinduism, another of the world’s major religions developed in ancient India. That religion was Buddhism.

• Much of what is known about life of the Buddha from accounts in Buddhist literature

• Gautama born 500s BC• Prince of small kingdom in what is

now Nepal– Led sheltered life

– Unaware of hardship

– Life changed when learned people got old, sick, died

Early Life• Gautama resolved to find way to

overcome age, sickness, keep people from suffering

• Gave up possessions, left palace• Sought enlightenment, spiritual

understanding for six years• Studied with gurus, monks but

decided they could not teach way to enlightenment

Buddha’s Enlightenment

The Life of the Buddha

The Life of the Buddha

Gautama was determined to find way to end human suffering

Sat under tree, no teachers, no companions, determined not to arise until he found way

Stories say he meditated all night

Resolve tested by violent storms, earthly temptations

At daybreak, had been transformed, found enlightenment, became the Buddha, Enlightened One

Temple built where he meditated, Bodh Gaya, one of Buddhism’s most sacred places

Explain

How did Siddhartha Gautama become the Buddha?

Answer: meditated under a tree, determined not to arise until he found solution to human suffering; was enlightened and transformed

• Suffering part of human life• Suffering from people’s desires for

pleasure, material goods• Overcoming desires during life

eventually brings end to suffering• Desires can be overcome by

following Eightfold Path

Four Noble Truths• After enlightenment achieved,

Buddha meditated at Bodh Gaya seven weeks

• Set out to spread to others what he had learned

• Lessons became basic teachings of Buddhism

• Among ideas learned in meditation, central truths, called Four Noble Truths

Buddhist Beliefs

The Teachings of Buddhism

Series of Steps Leading to Enlightenment, Salvation• Right view, or accepting the reality of the Four Noble Truths• Right attitude, or striving for moderation in all things

Eightfold Path

• Right speech, avoiding lies, boasts, and hurtful words• Right action, or treating others fairly• Right livelihood, avoiding jobs that could bring harm to others

• Right effort, or constantly trying to improve oneself• Right mindfulness, or remaining aware of world around one

• Right concentration, or ignoring temptation and discomfort while meditating

Nirvana

The Buddha taught that those who followed Eightfold Path could attain nirvana

State of perfect peace in which soul freed from suffering forever

Those not attaining nirvana reborn to live through cycle of suffering again

Basic teachings of Eightfold Path, Middle Way—living in moderation, avoiding extremes of comfort, discomfort in search for nirvana

After the Buddha’s death, differing opinions arose concerning the correct teachings and practices of Buddhism. Eventually three main Buddhist traditions formed—Theravada, Mahayana, and Tibetan.

• “Way of the Elders”• Oldest tradition• Best way to attain

nirvana: be monk, nun, meditate

• Find one path to enlightenment; very much an individual religion

Theravada• Teaches people can

help each other find enlightenment

• Not necessary to be monk, nun

• Bodhisattvas, enlightened people not yet passed to nirvana, help others

Mahayana• Shares many

Mahayana teachings• Also believes special

techniques can harness spiritual energy, lead to nirvana in single lifetime

Tibetan

Divisions of Buddhism

Summarize

What are the fundamental teachings of Buddhism?

Answer: suffering comes from selfish desires; overcoming desire ends suffering; follow Eightfold Path to overcome desire

Ashoka also encouraged missionaries to carry the Buddha’s message to lands outside of India.

Unlike Hinduism, which largely remained an Indian religion, Buddhism spread into other parts of the world. Today, more than 350 million people are Buddhists, most of them concentrated in Asia. Relatively few people in India are Buddhists today.

• Buddhist community in India grew throughout Buddha’s life

• Followers spread teachings after Buddha’s death

• Teachings not written down until first century BC; helped preserve, spread teachings throughout India

Buddhism in India

The Spread of Buddhism

• 200s BC, Buddhism reached peak in India during reign of emperor Ashoka

• Ashoka became Buddhist, helped spread Buddhism into all parts of India

Ashoka

Traders• Trade also helped spread Buddhism beyond India• 200s BC, merchants traveling routes from India to Central Asia introduced

Buddhist teachings• Traders from Central, Southeast Asia took Buddhist teachings into China,

slowly spreading, blending with native Chinese philosophies

Buddhism Beyond India• Ashoka sent missionaries to Sri Lanka, large island off India’s southern

coast, and north to lands along Himalayas, east into lands of Southeast Asia• Buddhism took firm hold in kingdoms that eventually became Myanmar,

Thailand, Vietnam, islands of Indonesia

• As Buddhism encountered other religious traditions outside India, it changed, developed

• Blending caused smaller traditions within Theravada, Mahayana

• Zen, branch of Mahayana, emphasized self-discipline, meditation

• Today Buddhism very diverse

Change, Development• From China, Buddhism eventually

diffused into Korea, Japan

• AD 300s, first introduced to Korea

• Korean travelers took religion to Japan 200 years later

• By this time, Buddhism had become leading religion in East, Southeast Asia

Korea and Japan

Leading Asian Religion

Sequence

How did Buddhism spread through Asia?

Answer: through missionary work and trade