CHAPTER3

I. INDIA A. GEOGRAPHY AFFECTS LIFESTYLE AND HISTORY 1. A SUBCONTINENT: GEOGRAPHIC REGION WITH A DISTINCT CULTURE 2. 3 MAIN REGIONS: DECCAN PLATEAU, NORTHERN PLAIN,COASTAL PLAIN 3. MONSOONS AFFECT CLIMATE: dry and wet 4. HIMALAYA MOUNTAINS 5. RIVERS:GANGES, INDUS,BRAHMAPUTRA

II. EARLIEST INDIAN CIVILIZATIONS A. Indus valley: two major cities 1. Harappa 2. Mohenjo-Daro B. Both were well-planned cities, architecture, street plans C. By 1750BC, both had declined. 1. They were conquered by the ARYANS

III. ARYAN CIVILIZATION A. FIRST EUROPEANS TO INVADE INDIA B. DIVIDED PEOPLE INTO “CASTES” 1. BRAHMINS (PRIESTS) 2. KASHATRIYAS (warriors) 3. VAISYAS (commoners) C. BECAME THE BASIS FOR THE CASTE SYSTEM

IV. ARYAN RELIGIOUS BELIEFS A. THE BASIS FOR HINDUISM 1. VEDAS– HINDU HOLY BOOK 2. POLYTHEISTIC 3. BELIEVE IN “BRAHMAN” - a soul force that controls everything.

V. ARYAN/INDIAN LITERATURE: A. THE MAHABHARATA 1. RAMAYAMA- STORY OF RAMA AND SITA

VI. HINDUISM-MAIN BELIEFS A. NO SINGLE FOUNDER 1. A COMBINATION OF SEVERAL TRIBAL RELIGIONS-VERY COMPLEX 2. COMMON BELIEFS a. 3 MAIN GODS: -BRAHMA—THE CREATOR -VISHNU-THE PRESERVER -SHIVA-THE DESTROYER

3. TWO SACRED TEXTS: a. VEDAS b. UPANISHAADS 4. KEY TERMS OF HINDUISM a. -ATMAN: self/soul/brahman b. -MOKSHA: union with brahman (heaven?) c. REINCARNATION: rebirth of the soul into another body. Several lifetimes. The “ladder” to heaven

d. KARMA: how a person lives his life e. DHARMA: the rules one must follow according to their caste (the higher the caste, the more rules) f. AHIMSA: non-violence g. JAINISM: extreme non-violence/branch of Hinduism

VII. BUDDHISM A. FOUNDED BY GUATAMA- 1.-BORN C566bc 2. -WEALTHY AND SHELTERED 3. -DISCOVERED THAT THE WORLD IS FULL OF SUFFERING 4.-SEARCH FOR THE SECRET TO ENDING SUFFERING

B. THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS 1. ALL LIFE IS FULL OF SUFFERING AND PAIN 2. THE CAUSE OF SUFFERING IS GREED 3. THE ONLY CURE FOR SUFFERING IS TO OVERCOME DESIRE 4. TO OVERCOME DESIRE YOU MUST FOLLOW THE EIGHTFOLD PATH- righteffort,mindfulness,views,hopes,speech,con duct,livelihood, contemplation

C. SPREAD OF BUDDHISM 1. BUDDHA DIES 2. WRITINGS IN THE “TRIPITAKA”-THE 3 BASKETS OF WISDOM 3. SPLIT INTO THREE SECTS: a. THERAVADA-follows original teachings b. MAHAYANA-simpler/easier to understand c. ZEN--mystical

VIII. POWERFUL INDIAN EMPIRES 1. MAURYA-321BC a. LED BY GREAT KING:ASOKA b. EXPANDED EMPIRE. 2. GUPTA-200AD a. PEACE AND PROSPERITY b. MODERN SYSTEM OF NUMBERS (ARABIC) c. ARCHTECTURE: the STUPA (dome) **BOTH EMPIRES WERE EVENTUALLY CONQUERED BY OUTSIDERS

IX. THE 3 PILLARS OF INDIAN LIFE A. THE CASTE SYSTEM B. FAMILY LIFE—THE JOINT FAMILY C. VILLAGE LIFE