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