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Period 2: Chapter 9 Vocabulary

Terms in this set (38)

Ahimsa
a Jainist principle that stresses nonviolence to any living thing with a soul- went to extremes with protecting living things
Artha
one of the Hinduist main principal beliefs that stresses the pursuit of economic well-being and honest prosperity
Arthashastra
this is an ancient Indian political handbook; it is a manual on the uses of power and the principles of government. It includes some of Kautalya's advice.
Ashoka
(268-232 BCE) Chandragupta Maurya's grandson who was the ruler of the high point of the Maurya Dynasty. He was better known as a conquerer than a governor
Bhagavad Gita
made between (300 BCE- 300 CE) and is a short poetic about the expectations of individuals of Hinduism and the promises of salvation; it includes dialogue from Arjun, a warrior, and Krishna, a human incarnation of the god Vishnu
Bodh Gaya
southwest of Pataliputra; here, Siddhartha Gautama sat under a large bo tree for forty-nine days, and during those days he suffered though demons, but he prevailed and reached enlightenment
Bodhisattva
meaning "the enlightened one," these people have reached spiritual perfection and rewarded nirvana but have delayed it to help people who are struggling with it
Brahmins
one of the main Varnas that is the highest of them, that includes all of the priests
Chandragupta Maurya
in the late 320s BCE, this conquerer laid the foundations for the Maurya empire by seizing Magadha and bringing northern India, including Punjab under his control
Charvaka
a sect that believed that gods were figments of the imagination and turned to intense spirituality instead of following the Brahmins cults
Deer Park of Sarnath
near city of Bananas; where the Buddha first vocalized his doctrine in 528 BCE. Buddhists believe this sermon to be "Turning of the Wheel of the Law" because it represents the beginning of his quest to make known the Law of Righteousness
Dharma
it includes the teachings of the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path and combines them to create a basic doctrine shared by all of the Buddhist sects
Four Noble Truths
the core of the Buddhist's doctrine that states that all life has suffering and that the cause of suffering is desire so to eliminate desire is to eliminate suffering
Gandhara
in 520 BCE, Darius founded this kingdom in modern Pakistan and southern Afghanistan which was an established Achaemenid province
Gupta Dynasty
(320-550 CE) founded by Chandra Gupta and like the Maurya's based their state in Magadha. They received influence from the Maurya empire but differed in government style
Hinayana Buddhism
meaning "the lesser vehicle" was also a term for the earlier and stricter doctrine called Theravada Buddhism
Jainism
very influential salvation religion that appeared in the 7th century BCE; Mahavira is their founder who traveled 12 years to reach enlightenment whom they refer to as Jina, "the conquerer"
Jati
these are social distinctions that organize people into people of the same occupation; the new salvation religions were liked because they did not have these social distinctions, everyone was equal
Kama
Hindu concept of the enjoyment of physical and sexual pleasure
Kautalya
an advisor of Chandragupta's realm; some of his advice lives on in the Arthashastra
Krishna
one of the incarnations of the Hindu god Vishnu, who appears in the Bhagavadgita as the teacher of the warrior Arjun
Kshatriyas
Hindu caste of warriors and aristocrats
Kushan Empire
Nubian African kingdom that conquered and controlled Egypt from 750-664 BCE
Mahabharata
massive ancient Indian epic that developed orally for centuries; it tells of an epic civil war between two family branches
Mahayana Buddhism
meaning "the greater vehicle" that was a more metaphysical (less strict) form of --------
Mauryan Dynasty
Indian dynasty (321-185 BCE) founded by Chandragupta Maurya and reaching its peak under Ashoka
moksha
Hindu concept of the salvation of the soul
nivana
Buddhist concept of a state of spiritual perfection and enlightenment in which distracting passions are eliminated
Noble Eightfold Path
Final truth of the Buddhist Four Noble Truths that called for leading a life of balance and constant contemplation
Pataliputra
Ashoka's capital of the Maurya empire that was a thriving commercial center for his reign (in northeastern India)
Ramayana
Ancient Indian master piece about the hero Rama that symbolized the victory of dharma (order) over chaos
Shudras
Hindu caster for landless peasants or serfs
Siddhartha Guatama
Indian kshatriya who achieves enlightenment and became known as the Buddha, the founder of Buddhism
stupas
buddhist shrines
Vaishyas
Hindu caste of cultivators, artisans, and merchants
Vardhamana Mahavira
the great teacher of Jainism that went on a quest for 12 years to reach enlightenment by leading an ascetic lifestyle
Vishnu
Hindu god, preserver of the world, who was often incarnated as Krishna
White Huns
a nomadic people from Central Asia who occupied Bactria (modern Afghanistan) in the 4th century CE and eventually crossed the Hindu Kush mountains into India
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