1. Foreign Language Survey
November 17, 2016

2. Warm up writing- November 17, 2016
In your own words explain what the caste system is and how it operates in India. Is it still in existence today? Do you think that it is a fair system? Why or why not?

3. A musical explanation of the caste system
India is not the only country that has or has had a caste system. Let’s see this video clip that explains the caste system the way it was in other countries and time periods.
Position and Positioning

4. Mohandas “mahatma” gandhi
Read the information about Gandhi with a partner. Write notes about anything that you find interesting. Underline things you feel are important about the life of Gandhi.
Be prepared to answer questions about the life of Gandhi.

5. Another religion in India
Buddhism
Another religion in India

6. Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)
The founder of Buddhism, Gautama was born into a wealthy noble family in Napal, India.

7. Buddhism
He lived his entire life inside his palace until he was 29. He left his palace 4 times in which he saw…
-An old man
-A sick man
-A corpse (dead body)
-A holy man

8. Finally he realized that every living thing experiences pain and only a holy life offers a refuge from suffering.
He left the palace and wandered the Indian forests for 6 years searching for enlightenment.

9. Buddha the enlightened one
Finally he sat under a fig tree and meditated for 49 straight days until he found the cause of suffering in the world. From then on he became known as “The Buddha” or the “enlightened one.”

10. First Noble Truth: Life is filled with suffering and sorrow
4 Noble Truths
Buddha’s first sermon included the 4 main ideas to reach enlightenment.
First Noble Truth: Life is filled with suffering and sorrow

11. Second Noble Truth: The cause of all suffering is people’s selfish desire for temporary pleasures in the world.
The Third Noble Truth: The way to end all suffering is to end all desires.

12. Fourth Noble Truth: The way to overcome such desire and attain enlightenment is to follow the Eightfold Path, which is called the Middle Way between desires and self- denial.

13. Eightfold Path
Was a guide to behavior, like a staircase, you must master one step at a time.
Mastery can take many lifetimes.
By following the Eightfold Path anyone can reach nirvana, the release from selfishness & pain.

14. 3 Jewels of Buddhism
1) “Sangha” which is the Buddhist community (regular people who are Buddhists)
2) Dharma which are Buddhist doctrines, teachings and writings.
3) Buddhist monks and nuns.

15. Spread of Buddhism
For centuries after the Buddha’s death Buddhism spread throughout Asia, however it never truly caught on in India.
Buddhism was spread through missionaries & traders (merchants). Traders would bring not only their products but the message of Buddhism through Central Asian trade routes called the “silk roads.”

16. Hinduism & Buddhism Both believe in reincarnation.
Buddha rejected many gods of Hinduism, privileges of Brahmin priests & the caste system.
The final goals were very similar-moksha for Hindus & nirvana for Buddhists- they are both a state of understanding & a break from the chain of reincarnation.