South Asia

Satellite View of South Asia

TheSize ofSouthAsia

Countries

India

Pakistan

Bangladesh

Nepal Bhutan

Sri Lanka

Afghanistan

China

Myanmar

Iran

SouthAsia:

PhysicalMap

The Ganges River System

1,560 miles long

“Mata Ganga” (Mother Ganges)

The Brahmaputra River System

1,800 miles long

Floods on the Brahmaputra: 2003

Flooding on the Brahmaputra

The Indus River System

1,975 miles long

Elevation Levels

Mountains & Peaks

Himalayas

Mt. Everest▲

Karakoran Mts.

Hindu Kush

Vindhya Hills

East

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The Himalayas

“him” [snow]

“aalaya” [home]

Mt. Everest is 29,035 feet. It is the highest mt. peak in the world.

The Himalayas

The Deccan Plateau

31,800 square miles in size.

Elevation range: 2,000 – 8,000 feet high.

From the Sanskrit word, “dakshina” [“the south”].

The tibetan Plateau

The “Roof of the World.”

average elevation is 16,400 feet.

Climate Regions of South Asia

Winter Monsoons: Nov.-April

Summer Monsoons: May-Oct.

Major Farming Systems

of South Asia

Economic Activities& Resources

Population Density

Population Density

Eastern PhilosophiesEastern Philosophies

Hinduism and BuddhismHinduism and Buddhism

Eastern Religious PhilosophiesEastern Religious PhilosophiesHinduism and BuddhismHinduism and Buddhism

• HinduismHinduism

• Old Indian religionOld Indian religion

• Both polytheistic and Both polytheistic and monotheisticmonotheistic

• All powerful world soul or All powerful world soul or force in all of usforce in all of us

• Based on reincarnation and the Based on reincarnation and the caste systemcaste system

• All of us are trying to rejoin the All of us are trying to rejoin the world’s soulworld’s soul

• BuddhismBuddhism

• Siddartha Gautama – first Siddartha Gautama – first Buddha or “enlightened one”Buddha or “enlightened one”

• Based on understanding Based on understanding relationship between desire and relationship between desire and painpain

• Eliminate desire to eliminate Eliminate desire to eliminate sufferingsuffering

• Eliminate desire = achieve Eliminate desire = achieve Nirvana and break cycle of Nirvana and break cycle of reincarnationreincarnation

Hinduism in DetailHinduism in Detail

• Oldest surviving major world religionOldest surviving major world religion

• Polytheistic and monotheistic at the same timePolytheistic and monotheistic at the same time

• Brahman – the world’s soul (monotheistic)Brahman – the world’s soul (monotheistic)

• Different Hindu gods -- really just manifestations of BrahmanDifferent Hindu gods -- really just manifestations of Brahman

• Creation – Brahman shattered – each of us has a piece of Brahman – Creation – Brahman shattered – each of us has a piece of Brahman – it’s the “life force” in all living thingsit’s the “life force” in all living things

• Reincarnation – cycle of rebirth based on Karma (the way you live Reincarnation – cycle of rebirth based on Karma (the way you live your life)– we’re all eventually trying to rejoin Brahman – only your life)– we’re all eventually trying to rejoin Brahman – only members of the priest class with good Karma will be able to rejoin members of the priest class with good Karma will be able to rejoin BrahmanBrahman

• Caste system: 14 levels of humans from Brahmin (priest class) to Caste system: 14 levels of humans from Brahmin (priest class) to Untouchables (lowest humans)Untouchables (lowest humans)

What do Hindus believe?What do Hindus believe?

• One impersonal Ultimate Reality – One impersonal Ultimate Reality – BrahmanBrahman

• Manifest as many personal deitiesManifest as many personal deities• True essence of life – the soul is Brahman True essence of life – the soul is Brahman

trapped in mattertrapped in matter• Reincarnation – Brahman is continually Reincarnation – Brahman is continually

born into this world lifetime after lifetime born into this world lifetime after lifetime • KarmaKarma – spiritual impurity due to actions – spiritual impurity due to actions

keeps us bound to this world (good and keeps us bound to this world (good and bad)bad)

• Ultimate goal of life – to reunite with the Ultimate goal of life – to reunite with the divine, becoming as one with Brahman divine, becoming as one with Brahman

Who do Hindus worship? Who do Hindus worship? – –

the major gods of the Hindu the major gods of the Hindu PantheonPantheonBrahma, the creator god

All deities are but forms (attributes and functions) of the impersonal Brahman

All deities are but forms (attributes and functions) of the impersonal Brahman

Buddhism in DetailBuddhism in Detail• Siddhartha Gautama – Hindu prince who had a crisis of faith and Siddhartha Gautama – Hindu prince who had a crisis of faith and

walked among the people and observed the worldwalked among the people and observed the world

• Four Noble TruthsFour Noble Truths

– Everyone suffersEveryone suffers

– Suffering is caused by desireSuffering is caused by desire

– To eliminate suffering – eliminate desireTo eliminate suffering – eliminate desire

– To eliminate desire – follow the Eight fold path to righteousness To eliminate desire – follow the Eight fold path to righteousness

• Eliminating desire would thus allow a person to become Eliminating desire would thus allow a person to become “enlightened” or a Buddha. This was called achieving a state called “enlightened” or a Buddha. This was called achieving a state called NirvanaNirvana

• Achieve Nirvana and break the cycle of reincarnation and join the Achieve Nirvana and break the cycle of reincarnation and join the world’s soulworld’s soul

• Anyone not achieving Nirvana would ensure their good Karma and Anyone not achieving Nirvana would ensure their good Karma and would go up on the ladder of reincarnationwould go up on the ladder of reincarnation

Religions of South Asia

Religions of South Asia

Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 BCE)

Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 BCE) Born in NE India Born in NE India

(Nepal).(Nepal). Raised in great luxuryRaised in great luxury

to be a king.to be a king. At 29 he rejectedAt 29 he rejected

his luxurious life tohis luxurious life toseek enlightenmentseek enlightenmentand the source ofand the source ofsuffering.suffering.

Lived a strict,Lived a strict,ascetic life for 6 yrs.ascetic life for 6 yrs.

Rejecting this extreme, sat in Rejecting this extreme, sat in meditation, and found meditation, and found nirvananirvana..

Became Became “The Enlightened One,”“The Enlightened One,” at 35.at 35.

What is the fundamental cause

of all suffering?

What is the fundamental cause

of all suffering?

Desire!Desire! Therefore, extinguish the Therefore, extinguish the

self, don’t obsess about self, don’t obsess about oneself.oneself.

Four Noble Truths

Four Noble Truths1.1. There is suffering in There is suffering in

the world. To live is to the world. To live is to suffer.suffer. ( (DukkhaDukkha) ) The Buddha found The Buddha found

this out when he was this out when he was young and young and experienced experienced suffering and death suffering and death in others.in others.

Four Noble Truths

Four Noble Truths

2.2. The cause of The cause of suffering is self-suffering is self-centered desire centered desire and attachments.and attachments. ((TanhaTanha))

Four Noble Truths

Four Noble Truths

3.3. The solution is to The solution is to eliminate desire eliminate desire and attachments. and attachments. ((Nirvana = Nirvana = “extinction”“extinction”))

Four Noble Truths

Four Noble Truths4.4. To reach To reach nirvananirvana, one , one

must follow the must follow the Eightfold Path. Eightfold Path.

Eightfold PathEightfold Path

NirvanaNirvana The union with the The union with the ultimate ultimate spiritual reality. spiritual reality.

Escape from the cycle of Escape from the cycle of

rebirth. rebirth.