Foundations of Indian Civilization

1500 BCE-300 CE

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Indian Topography

•Peninsular India and the Ganges Valley = Peninsular India and the Ganges Valley = subtropical climate and plentiful rainfallsubtropical climate and plentiful rainfall

•Staple crop: riceStaple crop: rice

•The Indus Valley = dryThe Indus Valley = dry•Agriculture there relies on irrigationAgriculture there relies on irrigation•Staple crops are wheat, millet, and barleyStaple crops are wheat, millet, and barley

• Therefore,Therefore, the geographical diversity has made it the geographical diversity has made it very difficult for any political power to unify all of very difficult for any political power to unify all of India for any great length of timeIndia for any great length of time

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Ancient India

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Ancient India

After the demise of the Indus Valley civilization, Indo-European warriors migrated into India. They were organized in patriarchal families and kinship groups, and at first they herded cattle in the northwest. After 1000 b.c.e., some of them began to push into the Ganges Valley, using new iron tools to fell trees and cultivate the land. The oral tradition of these light-skinned Arya tribes tells of a violent struggle between themselves and the darker-skinned Dravidian-speaking Dasas, whom they evidently pushed into southern India.

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VARNA (Jati or Caste)

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VEDIC RELIGION

•Reincarnation (reborn in another body)

•Karma– one’s station in life depends on one’s actions in this and the previous life (can be re-born into better ‘station’

•Justification of ‘jati’ or classes or ‘castes’

•Emphasized worship of male deities through sacrifice

•Brahmin were priests who memorized rituals, prayers, etc.

•Not much known about women during this period

•Better off than women of later Indian (Gupta era)

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CHALLENGE TO VEDIC: JAINISM

Founded by Mahavira (540–468 b.c.e.)

Practiced nonviolence; went to extremes in attempts not to kill any living thing-Most extreme: naked and self-starvation (to point of

death)-Less extreme: devotion to commerce and banking:

• occupations that, unlike agriculture, does not involve killing

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Challenge toVedic #2: BuddhismFasting Buddha

The original form of Buddhism centered on the individual’s The original form of Buddhism centered on the individual’s attempts to gain enlightenment through moderate living, self-attempts to gain enlightenment through moderate living, self-discipline, and meditation. Their goal was to achieve nirvanadiscipline, and meditation. Their goal was to achieve nirvana—release from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. —release from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. According to Buddhist teaching, all things are composite, According to Buddhist teaching, all things are composite, including the individual. This stands in contrast to the Vedic including the individual. This stands in contrast to the Vedic belief in the existence of an eternal soul (atman).belief in the existence of an eternal soul (atman).

Siddhartha Gautama = Buddha Siddhartha Gautama = Buddha = “Enlightened One”= “Enlightened One”

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The Spread of Buddhism

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-Spread throughout India in Ashoka'sAshoka's time and beyond

-Different forms of Buddhism found in Asia today

-The Mahayana Buddhism of Japan came via Central Asia, China and Korea, with a secondary later route through Tibet

-New beliefs after Buddha’s death

-The Theravada Buddhism of Southeast Asia came directly from India and indirectly through Sri Lanka

-Original teachings

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Spread of Buddhism

-Spread throughout India in Ashoka'sAshoka's time and beyond

-Different forms of Buddhism found in Asia today

-The Mahayana Buddhism of Japan came via Central Asia, China and Korea, with a secondary later route through Tibet

-New beliefs after Buddha’s death

-The Theravada Buddhism of Southeast Asia came directly from India and indirectly through Sri Lanka

-Original teachings

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RISE OF HINDUISM

1. Influence of Jainism and Buddhism led to a reform of the old Vedic religion. Hinduism was a result:• Intense personal religious devotion, fertility rituals,

symbolism of the southern Dravidian cultures, and elements of Buddhism

• Sacrifice became less important, personal devotion to the gods increased

2. Two new major Hindu deities: • Vishnu, the preserver,• Shiva, the destroyer. • Also prominent in the new religious tradition was the

goddess Devi3. Worship centered on temples and shrines

• puja (service to a deity) and pilgrimage• The Ganges River = pilgrimage site

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Mauryan Empire

-Core of the Mauryan Empire was the kingdom of Magadha = strategic location and plentiful agricultural and iron resource

-Founded by Chandragupta, who expanded it along with his successors Bindusara and Ashoka until it included almost the entire subcontinent

-The Mauryan government made its capital at the walled and moated city of Pataliputra. \

-large army - 25 percent tax on the agricultural products of the empire- state monopolies on mines, shipbuilding, and armaments

-The most famous Mauryan emperor is Ashoka (r. 273–232 b.c.e.). Ashoka, shaken by the carnage in a brutal war of expansion in the south, converted to Buddhism. His Buddhist policies of government are preserved in edicts that were inscribed on rocks and pillars at various points throughout his empire

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Mauryan Empire

-Core of the Mauryan Empire was the kingdom of Magadha = strategic location and plentiful agricultural and iron resource

-Founded by Chandragupta, who expanded it along with his successors Bindusara and Ashoka until it included almost the entire subcontinent

-The Mauryan government made its capital at the walled and moated city of Pataliputra.

- large army - 25 percent tax on the agricultural products of the empire- State monopolies on mines, shipbuilding, and armaments

-Famous Mauryan emperor is Ashoka (r. 273–232 b.c.e.). Ashoka, shaken by the carnage in a brutal war of expansion in the south, converted to Buddhism

-Buddhist policies of government are preserved in edicts that were inscribed on rocks and pillars at various points throughout his empire

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Ashoka's Column

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Commerce and Culture

Mauryan empire collapse – 184 bce but trade throughout the region continued:

-Guilds of artisans and merchants played a dominant role

-Time of political fragmentation in northern Indian after collapse of Mauryan empire

•Satavahana dynasty in the north

•Religious authority and urbanization in center

•Tamil Kingdoms in the south (Tamil known for artistic achievements)

-Culture: Epic of Mahabharata : Includes the famous Bhagavad-Gita, which addresses the contradiction between duty to society and duty to one’s own soul

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GUPTA EMPIRE•Gupta Empire began with the kingdom of MagadhaGupta Empire began with the kingdom of Magadha

•Rulers of the Gupta Empire brought northern and Rulers of the Gupta Empire brought northern and central India under controlcentral India under control

•Like the Mauryan rulers, the Guptas controlled iron Like the Mauryan rulers, the Guptas controlled iron deposits, established state monopolies, and collected a deposits, established state monopolies, and collected a 25 percent agricultural tax. 25 percent agricultural tax.

•Lack of strong military force Lack of strong military force

•Meant there was a Meant there was a theater-state,theater-state, redistributing profits redistributing profits and luxury goods from trade and dazzling its and luxury goods from trade and dazzling its dependents with elaborate ceremonies in return for gifts dependents with elaborate ceremonies in return for gifts and other favorand other favor

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ARABIC? NUMERALS

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GUPTA AND HINDUISM

•Gupta period: women lost right to own property; Gupta period: women lost right to own property; status significantly down-gradedstatus significantly down-graded

•Even treated like Shudra Even treated like Shudra

•Married very, very youngMarried very, very young

•Sati Sati

•Hinduism was prominent in the Gupta period Hinduism was prominent in the Gupta period

•Built classic form of Hindu templesBuilt classic form of Hindu temples

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Asian Trade and Communication Routes

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SOUTHEAST ASIA

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SRIVIJAYAN KINGDOM