the foundation of indian society
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foundation of indian societyTRANSCRIPT
The Foundation of Indian Society to 300 CE
HI 101 Origins of CivilizationFall 2014
What does archaeology tell us about the
Harrapan Civilization in India? What kind of society and culture did the
Aryans create? What ideas and practices were by the
founders of Hinduism and Buddhism?
Study Questions
India
Indus River = primary river where civilization
began in India (see map, next slide) Established agricultural settlements around
7000 BCE that became large urban cities Harrapan Civilization—very sophisticated
Bronze Age, urban Culture Began ca. 2500 BCE & disappeared around 1700
BCE Discovered by Archeologists in 1921 CE/AD Contained over 300 different cities Language mostly undeciphered (not readable)
Indus River Civilizations
Harrapan Cities
Uniform architecture Common religious practices Centers for crafts and trades surrounded by
farmland Earliest manufacturers of cotton cloth Extensive trade networks with Mesopotamia
transferred goods & ideas Mysteriously declined ca. 1700 BCE & India
had no large cities or written language for next 1000 years
Harrapan Cities with 35,000-40,000 people Highly complex sewer & drainage systems—
evidence of organized government and sophisticated engineering skills
Large pools for ritual bathing
Mohenjo-daro
Mohenjo-Daro
Harrapan Artifacts
Aryans—became dominant in north India, ca.
1000 BCE (See map on next slide) From Iran and South Central Asia Spoke form of Sanskrit Rural (not urban) culture Flourished during the Vedic Age (1500-500
BCE) Vedas: large group of sacred texts, written in
Sanskrit from oral traditions—tells the story of the Aryan people
Aryan-Vedic Civilization, ca. 1500-
500
Rigveda: most important Veda, collection of
1,028 hymns telling Aryan history. Describe political & military structure of Aryan
society Raja—chief of each tribe Priests—a class of priests called Brahman or
Brahmins Warrior Nobility Common tribespeople—agricultural laborers
Vedas
Overtime the 4 social classes (last slide) evolved
into a Caste System with different strata (layers) called Varna—each Varna was hereditary Brahman (priests) Kshatirya (warriors & officials) Viaishya (merchants, artisans, landowners) Shudra (peasant, laborer) Untouchables (slaves and outcasts) Castes were not allowed to mix or intermarry in
any way!!!
Caste System
Vedic Aryan Religion (Brahmanism)
Polytheistic Gods were connected to nature Centered on ritual animal sacrifices made to the
gods—these were performed only by the Brahman (making them very powerful in society)
Indian Religion
Order of the Universe (Cosmology)
Organized in endlessly repeating cycles (rather than around a creator/god)
Samasara: wheel of reincarnation of souls by a continuous process of rebirth
Karma: lifelong accounting of good and bad deeds which determine the status of a person’s next life
Each person responsible for his or her own fate/destiny—only escape was to reach moksha—the ultimate reality
Indian Religion
Blending of Indus Valley beliefs and Vedic Religion
Evolved over time into a devotional religion in which individuals have access to thousands of gods.
The most common religion in India today Central Beliefs:
Brahman = fundamental divine spirit permeates all things
Main Goal = to return to Brahman and be reintegrated into the world spirit Through a long process of purification through
reincarnations (samsaras) using good Karma to reassure higher births.
Indian Religion--Hinduism
Religious texts =
Vedas Upanishads = commentaries on the Vedas
written down in the 7th & 8th centuries BCE Bhagvad Gita = central text of Hinduism with
advaice on how to be released from the wheel of samasara by honoring the moral law or dharma
Hinduism (cont.)
Hindu Gods
Brahma creator
Hindu Gods
Shiva Cosmic dancer who
creates and destroys
Hindu Gods
Vishnu Preserver &
sustainer of creation
Founded by Siddhartha Gautama (ca. 500
BCE), the Buddha Northern Indian aristocrat from warrior caste
who was troubled by the meaning of life and suffering in the world
Left his family and life of luxury to seek answers through self-denial and meditation
Had a moment of illumination—he finally understood human suffering and how to overcome it!
Buddhism
“the enlightened one” Traveled and preached to lower castes,
rejected the Brahmins and the Vedas Attracted many followers
Buddha’s Message: The Four Noble Truths Eightfold Path The Sutras
Buddha
Pain & Suffering, frustration & anxiety are
inescapable parts of human life Suffering & anxiety are caused by human
desires & attachments People can understand these weaknesses and
overcome them Follow the Eightfold Path to overcome them
Four Noble Truths
Recognize that all people suffer Decide to free oneself from suffering Exercise “right conduct” Right speech Right livelihood Right endeavor Right awareness Right contemplation
This will lead you to Nirvana—blissful freedom from reincarnation
Eightfold Path
The Buddha’s teachings
Orally transmitted, written down by his followers in 2nd or 3rd century BCE
Sutras