From the neolithic to the Aryan conquests, Hinduism

1. Classical Indian Civilization
“ The essential self in humans is the same as that in an
ant, the same as that in a gnat, the same as that in an
elephant…indeed the same as that in the whole
universe.” Hindu Quote

2. Classical Indian Civilization
 As in Greece, Rome and China, Indian
classicism created lasting thought and belief
systems.

3. Classical Indian Civilization
 In the 6th and 5th Centuries BCE, India’s
traditions blossomed at the same time as Greek
and Chinese traditions.

4. Classical Indian Civilization
 Indian religious thought gave the world three
powerful moral and philosophical belief
systems Hinduism Jainism and Buddhism.

5. The Land of India
 Indians speak 110 languages with more than
1,000 dialects.

6. The Land of India
 Himalaya, the
highest mountains
in the world.
 The Ganges
(GAN•JEEZ) and
Indus River
valleys
developed
Indian culture.

7. The Land of India
 Deccan, a plateau
that extends from
the Ganges Valley
to the southern tip
of India.

8. The Land of India
 The densely
populated eastern
and western coasts
are lush plains.

9. The Land of India
 Monsoon (seasonal
wind) blows warm
air from the
southwest during
the summer.
 Then blows cold dry
air from the
northeast during the
winter.

10. India’s First Civilization
 Between 3000 and 1500 BCE, the Indus
River supported a flourishing civilization
from the Himalayas to the coast of the
Arabian Sea.

11. Harappan or Indus civilization
 Two major cities Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
had populations of 35,000 -40,000.

12. Harappan or Indus civilization
 In total, more than 1,052 cities and
settlements have been found.

13. Harappan or
Indus civilization
 400-600 Indus symbols identified, most
linguists consider it a written language, others
just symbols.

14. Harappan or Indus civilization
 Both carefully planned cities had public
wells and bathrooms with drainage
systems.

15. Harappan or
Indus civilization
 Perhaps each city had its own ruler.

16. Harappan or
Indus civilization
 Others argue that Harappan society had no
rulers, and everybody enjoyed equal status.

17.  In sharp contrast to Sumer or Ancient
Egypt they did not build large monuments
palaces or temples.

18. Harappan or
Indus civilization
 Although primarily agricultural, they traded
extensively with Mesopotamia and Egypt.

19. Harappan or
Indus civilization
 Although primarily agricultural, they traded
extensively with Mesopotamia and Egypt.

22. Harappan or Indus civilization
 Some scholars believe that the Harappans
worshipped an Earth Mother Goddess.

23. Harappan or Indus civilization
 Others see the beginning of Hinduism in
seated figures.

24.  Climate change, floods, and earthquakes
weakened Indus civilization.

25. The Arrival of the Aryans
 Around 1500 BCE, the Indo European Aryans
conquer Indus Civilization. By 500 BCE, they
control most of India.

26. Aryans
 Like other nomadic peoples, the Aryans excelled
at war.

27. Aryans
They made an iron plow that helped clear
jungle for farming.

28.  By 1000 BCE, they created Sanskrit.

29. Aryans
 Between 1500 -400 BCE many small Aryan
rajas (princes) constantly fought with each
other.

30. Aryans
 The Aryan conquests create a set of social and
class divisions lasting, with only minor changes,
until today.

31. The Caste System
 The caste system is a rigid set of social
categories that determines a person’s job,
wealth, and position in society. Based in part
on skin color.

32. 5 major castes
 Brahmins are the priestly class, in charge
of religious ceremonies and education.

33. 5 major castes
 Kshatriyas (KSHA•tree•uhz), or warriors
families. Sometimes people from other
castes could move into this caste.

34. 5 major castes
 Vaisyas (VYSH•yuhz), or commoners,
mostly farm owners and merchants.

35. 5 major castes
 Sudras (SOO•druhz) made up the great
bulk of the people population. Peasants
doing manual labor with few rights.

36. 5 major castes
 The Untouchables given menial, degrading
jobs like collecting trash and handling dead
bodies.

37. The Untouchables
 Not considered human
 They had to tap two sticks together so that
others could hear them coming and avoid them.

38. The Family in Ancient India
 Life in ancient India centered on the family.
 An extended family with grandparents, parents,
and children living under the same roof the

39. The Family in Ancient India
 Children support their parents as they aged.

40. The Family in Ancient India
 In patriarchic families, the oldest male held
 legal authority over the entire family unit

41. The Family in Ancient India
 Only males could inherit property, receive
education (a guru teacher) or be a priest.

42. The Family in Ancient India
 Upper-caste men completed 12 years of study
before they married.

43. The Family in Ancient India
 Parents arranged marriages for daughters,
thought an economic drain on the family.

44. The Family in Ancient India
 Divorce not allowed.
 Husbands could take a second wife if the
first was unable to have children.

45. Suttee
 Indians burned the dead
on pyres.
 Suttee required a wife to
throw herself onto her
dead husband’s flaming
funeral pyre.

46.  Yet, no culture celebrates love for a
women more.

47. Hinduism
 The most basic and enduring of the Indian
religions, originates in the Aryan traditions or
Brahmanism.

48. Hinduism
 It easily incorporates new ideas.

49. Hinduism
 Society is divided into
sacred castes, written
in the Code of Manu.

50. Hinduism
 All Hindu gods are aspects of Brahma, the
supreme indefinable principle of life.

51. Hinduism
 All Hindu gods and goddesses powers are
aspects of Adi Para Shakti, the divine
feminine creative power.

52. Hinduism
 The goal of all Hindus is to merge with
Brahma.

53. Hinduism
 To reach Brahma people must follow a path.
 1. you must observe dharma the moral duties
of your caste.

54. Hinduism
 2. Your degree of dharma determines your
karma (accumulation of good and bad
deeds).
 3. Those with good karma will be born again
into a higher caste, those with bad karma
into a lower caste.
 Reincarnation: individual soul reborn in a
new body after death.

55. Hinduism
 7 heaven (Earth the lowest) and 7 underworld
planes.

56. Hinduism
 Eventually, the cycle of reincarnation will
end.
 Moksha is the release from the wheel of life
and unity with Brahma.

57. Hinduism
 Hindus developed the practice of yoga as
training for the union with Brahma.

58. The Hindu Triad
 Brahma creates
this 100 year
cycle
 “One day of
Brahma” , = 4,320
million earthly
years.

59. the Hindu Triad
 Vishnu the protector of life
and creation.

60. the Hindu Triad
 Vishnu the protector
of life and creation.

61. the Hindu Triad
 Shiva the cosmic
dancer who creates
and destroys.

62. Hindu Gods and Goddess
 Adi Para Shakti is
Great Divine
Mother she
controls the triade.

63. Lesser Gods
 Indra the King of
the Gods, war and
thunderstorms.
 14 incarnations

64. Lesser Gods
 Varuna is a
god of the sky
and water

65. Lesser Gods
 Ganesha removes or
places obstacles in
human’s lives.

66. Lesser Gods
 Saraswati is
the Goddess
of knowledge
music art and
science.

67. The Bhagavad Gita
 The Bhagavad Gita is the most famous book.

68. The Bhagavad Gita
 The warrior Arjuna struggles with the
problem of battle against his kinsmen.

69. Bhagavad Gita
 Krishna (manifestation of
Vishnu) tells him to carry
out his duties as a
warrior, emphasizing the
duty to one’s caste.

70. Hinduism
 Life force of all produced a tradition
of nonviolence.

71. Jainism and Buddhism
 Around the 6th Century BCE, two reformers
of Hinduism appeared.

72. Jainism
 Mahavira (540-468 BCE) taught that the
soul is polluted by karma. To reach Brahma
you have to rid yourself of karma.

73. Jainism
 All life is composed of
souls so no life should
be destroyed, neither
plant nor animal.

74. Jainism
 Nonviolence, no material
comforts, and vegetarianism.
 Non-violence is seen as the
most essential religious duty

75. 1a

76. Buddhism
REJECTED THE CASTE SYSTEM – as unfair, unjust!

77. Buddhism
REJECTED THE CASTE SYSTEM – as unfair, unjust!
“Not by birth does one become an outcast, not
by birth does one become a Brahmin. By
DEEDS one becomes an outcast, by DEEDS
one becomes a Brahmin” – Buddha

78. Buddhism
 Siddhartha Gautama (563-483
BCE) better known as Buddha
(Enlightened One).

79. Buddhism
 Born into a ruling family the very handsome
Siddhartha was raised in luxury.

80. Buddhism
 In his late 20’s, he gave up his royal clothes,
shaved his head, abandoned his family, and
set off to find the true meaning of life.

81. Buddhism
 He tried a life of asceticism and fasting but
found it led nowhere.

82. Buddhism
 He turned to meditation, which led him to
conclude that happiness in this life could
be found in changing one’s thoughts and
attitudes.

83. Buddhism
 He accepted reincarnation, but rejected
the caste system, teaching anyone could
reach Nirvana.

84. Four Noble Truths
 1. Life is full of suffering.
 2. Suffering is caused by desire.
 3. One can be released from desire by
following the 8 fold path.
 4. When desire is gone, Nirvana can be
reached releasing one from karma.

85. Following the Eight Fold Path led to Nirvana

86. 8 fold path
 1. Right view need to know the Four Noble
 Truths.
 2. Right intention need to decide what we
 really want.
 3. Right speech must speak truth and speak wel
of others.
 4. Right action “Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not
lie. Do not be unchaste. Do not take drugs or
drink alcohol.”

87. Middle or 8 fold path
 5. Right livelihood must do work that uplifts
 our being.
 6. Right effort
 7. Right mindfulness must keep our minds in
 control of our senses:
 8. Right concentration must meditate to see the
 world in a new way.

88. Buddhism
 Like Christianity, anyone could follow the
Eightfold Path and attain enlightenment and
Nirvana.
 Merchants converted to Buddhism and
spread it along the Silk Road.
 The Sangha (disciples) systemized it and
helped spread it.

89. Buddhism
 Later, Buddhism split into two sects.
 1. Theravada (lesser vehicle) popular in
South east Asia, strict conservative
teaching of Buddha only.

90. Buddhism
 2. Mahayan (larger vehicle) popular in
China, Korea, Vietnam.
 Many ways to salvation, Buddha had been
a Bodhisattva (wise being) in previous lives.
 He had declined Nirvana to help others.
 Many heavenly Buddha like Christian
saints.

91.  Buddha forbade his followers to worship him
as a god, but ….

92.  Eventually, Buddha was worshiped as one
of the many Hindu gods.

93. Home work
 Pg 79 1-5

94. The Aryans were a group of Indo-European people
that moved from the steppes into what is now India.

95. Caste System
The upper three
classes
consisted of
Aryan people
while the bottom
two were the
local native
Indian people.

96. “Untouchables”
Some “impure” people lived in a group
outside this class system. (ie. They were
out-castes.) They were butchers, grave
diggers, and trash collectors. Because
they did work that was thought unclean,
they were called “untouchables”.

97. 1. The Gods
a. Brahman – the Creator
b. Vishnu – the Preserver
c. Shiva – the Destroyer
2. Reincarnation – the soul never dies, it is re-
born and goes through many lives until it can
unite with Brahma
Basic Hindu Beliefs

98. Hindu Beliefs continued
3. Karma – a person’s behavior in life
determines their caste in the next life
4. Dharma – Your DUTIES in life to
family and caste, do your job well!

99. 5. Cremation – Burn body to release soul
for next life
6. MOKSHA – ultimate goal - state of
perfect understanding of all things,
become one with the universe.
Hindu Beliefs continued

100. • Cows – Hindus refuse
to eat beef ,they roam
freely
• Ganges River – Holy
river believed to wash
away evil
• Today 85% of all
Indian people are
Hindu
Sacred Objects

101. From Hinduism Comes Buddhism
Around 528 BCE another new religion, Buddhism,
arose in India. It was started by Siddhartha
Gautama.
The founder, Siddhartha Gautama, has many
legends and stories that have surrounded his life.
While we can't be certain which of these stories and
legends are true, we do know that the basic
historical outlines of his life are accurate.

102. Beginnings of Buddhism
 He was the chief's son of a tribal group, so he was born a Kshatriya
(Warrior class) around 566 BC.
 At the age of 29, he left his family in order to lead a simple life.
 A few years later he returned with a number of followers; followers that
devoted their lives to "The Middle Way“, a lifestyle that is midway
between a completely simple lifestyle and one that is full of materialistic
goods.
 Siddhartha searched for a way that would allow him to escape the
suffering of human life. He spent many years searching for this answer.
He was looking for enlightenment, or wisdom.
 Finally, he sat down and meditated under a tree. After 49 days, he had his
answer. He was now called the Buddha, which means “enlightened one”.
The Buddha began to teach others how to attain enlightenment.

103. Buddhist Beliefs
The Four Noble Truths
 Suffering is universal – everyone suffers
 Cause of suffering is DESIRE
 If you end your desires – suffering will end
(necessary to reach NIRVANA- a release from
selfishness and pain.)
 Follow the EIGHTFOLD PATH –

104. How to become enlightened
Buddhists were to follow a plan of behavior
called the Eightfold Path —
right views,
right resolve,
right speech,
right conduct,
right livelihood,
right effort,
right mindfulness, and
right concentration.
This would lead to nirvana, or a release from
selfishness and pain.

105. Other Buddhist Beliefs
1. Believed in KARMA and DHARMA
and REINCARNATION –
2. REJECTED THE CASTE SYSTEM
– felt it was not fair, unjust!!
“Not by birth does one become
an outcast, not by birth does
one become a Brahmin. By
DEEDS one becomes an
outcast, by DEEDS one
becomes a Brahmin” – Buddha

106. Spread of Buddhism
 Buddhism spread from
India to China and other
parts of the world along
the SILK ROAD –
 The sharing of religion is
an excellent example of
cultural diffusion.

107. India first Empires
Maurya & Gupta

108. In 321 BCE, the founder and eventual King of the Maurya
Empire, Chandragupta Maurya used his army to defeat
powerful kings in eastern and northern India.
By 305 BCE, he began to challenge for Alexander the Great’s
western territories in India, and by 300 BCE, for the first time,
northeastern and northwestern India were joined under the
rule of one person.
Chandragupta was a harsh ruler. He charged a heavy tax on
farmers — one-half of the crop they grew each year. He used
this wealth to build a huge army. He controlled his
government by carefully choosing officials and watching them
closely
The Maurya Empire

109. In 269 BCE, Chandragupta’s grandson, Asoka, took
the throne. He brought the Mauryan Empire to its
greatest height. At first he was a warlike king but
then he decided to accept the teachings of the
Buddha.
 Asoka promised to rule in a fair and just way.
 He issued laws that urged his subjects to avoid
violence.
 He urged religious toleration. This is acceptance
of people’s rights to differing religious beliefs.
 He made great roads so that people could travel
easily.
 Asoka is also known as “the lawgiver” because he
carved the laws into stone pillars which were placed
in the center of towns.
The Maurya Empire

110. Some of the Pillars of Asoka
Sanskrit
Language

111. The Gupta Empire
Soon after Asoka died, however, his empire
collapsed.
Around 320 AD, Chandra Gupta I came to
power in the north. He was not related to
the first emperor Chandragupta Maurya of
the Maurya Empire , but he too took the title
of king and began to conquer other areas in
the name of the Gupta Empire.

112. The Gupta Golden Age
 Added western coast
to empire
 religion
 science
Flourishing of arts

113. Medicine Literature
Mathematics
Astronomy
Printed
medicinal guides
1000 diseases
classified
Plastic
Surgery
C-sections
performed
Inoculations
500 healing
plants identified
Decimal
System
Concept
of Zero
PI = 3.1416
Kalidasa
Solar
Calendar
The earth
is round
Gupta
India
Gupta
Achievements