History Flashcards (Ancient India)
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35 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Aryans | People who migrated from Russian Steppes to Northern India |
| Invaders in India | Aryans |
| Hinduism | A religion native to India, featuring belief in many gods and reincarnation |
| Hindu Kush | A mountain range along the northern border of India which extend west of the Himalayas |
| Caste System | System predominant in India and Hinduism. Buddhism rejected it. |
| Brahma | the Creator |
| Vishnu | the Preserver |
| Shiva | the Destroyer |
| Vedas | Ancient Sanskrit writings that are the earliest sacred texts of Hinduism. |
| Upanishads | A group of writings sacred in Hinduism concerning the relations of humans, God, and the universe. |
| Reincarnation | The Hindu or Buddhist doctrine that person may be reborn successively into one of five classes of living beings (god or human or animal or hungry ghost or denizen of hell) depending on the person's own actions |
| Samsara | (Hinduism and Buddhism) the endless cycle of birth and suffering and death and rebirth |
| Atman | One's soul |
| Ahimsa | Practice of non-violence |
| Moksha | The Hindu concept of the spirit's 'liberation' from the endless cycle of rebirths. |
| Karma | (Hinduism and Buddhism) the effects of a person's actions that determine his destiny in his next incarnation |
| Dharma | In Hinduism, the duties and obligations of each caste |
| Sanskrit | (Hinduism) an ancient language of India (the language of the Vedas and of Hinduism) |
| Untouchable | Belongs to lowest social and ritual class in India |
| Buddhism | the teaching of Buddha that life is permeated with suffering caused by desire, that suffering ceases when desire ceases, and that enlightenment obtained through right conduct and wisdom and meditation releases one from desire and suffering and rebirth |
| Siddhartha Gautama | Founder of Buddhism |
| Four Noble Truths | 1) All life is full of suffering, pain, and sorrow. 2) The cause of suffering is nonvirtue, or negative deeds and mindsets such as hated and desire. 3) The only cure for suffering is to overcome nonvirture. 4) The way to overcome nonvirtue is to follow the Eightfold Path |
| Enlightenment | (Hinduism and Buddhism) the beatitude that transcends the cycle of reincarnation |
| Missionaries | Asoka sent Buddhist missionaries to other parts of Asia |
| Nirvana | (Buddhism) the beatitude that transcends the cycle of reincarnation |
| 8-Fold Path | Right Views, Thought, Speech, Action, Livelihood, Effort, Mindfulness, Concentration |
| Middle Way | In Buddhism, a way of life, neither too strict nor too easy, that results from following the Eightfold Path |
| Mauryan Empire | The first state to unify most of the Indian subcontinent. It was founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 324 B.C.E. and survived until 184 B.C.E. From its capital at Pataliputra in the Ganges Valley it grew wealthy from taxes. (184) |
| Chadragupta Maurya | founder of the Mauryan empire; conquered all of northern India by utilizing a strong army of elephants |
| Asoka | grandson of Chandragupta; most honored emperor for his commitment to spreading peace and prosperity to all; was buddhist but accepted other religions; decline came after his death |
| Rock Edicts | laws carved on rocks and tall stone pillars created by Asoka |
| Gupta Empire | Golden Age of India; ruled through central government but allowed village power; restored Hinduism |
| Chandra Gupta | the ruler of the Gupta Empire |
| Medicine in Gupta Empire | Medicine was advanced in Gupta Empire |
| Astronomy in Gupta Empire | Astronomy was advanced in Gupta Empire |
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