Questions and Answers
What was the purpose of the Vedas?
hymns and ritual sacrifices for tribal Aryan religious ceremonies.
What were the two major cities of the Harappan civilization?
Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa
What was the third-ranked caste usually viewed as the merchant caste?
vaisya
Who was the founder of Buddhism?
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Which belief stated that the status of an individual's soul was the result of actions the soul committed in a previous existence?
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From which region of the world do most scholars believe the Aryans migrated to ancient India?
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What set of commentaries on the Vedas emphasized spiritual meditation?
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How many social classes existed in India?
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Who are the main trio of the polytheistic gods in India?
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According to the Arthashastra, what must the king choose when practical politics conflicts with sacred law?
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What did Gautama say was the way to avoid suffering?
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What is the southern area of the Indian subcontinent called?
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Who drove Alexander the Great's Greek administrators from India?
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On a practical level, what function did the notion of reincarnation serve?
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What were the members of the caste known as the untouchables, or pariahs, typically given as jobs?
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What was the Indian warrior caste known as?
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Where was the numerical system we know as 'Arabic numerals' devised?
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What was the Indian priestly caste known as?
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What is the term for the kinship group that people in India belonged to?
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Which statement correctly describes Harappan civilization?
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Study Notes
Vedas and Early Religion
- Vedas served as hymns and guided ritual sacrifices for Aryan tribal religious practices.
Harappan Civilization
- Major cities included Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, integral to the civilization's urban development.
Caste System
- The third caste, called vaisya, was primarily associated with merchants.
- India had five social classes, forming the basis of the caste system.
- Kshatriya designated the Indian warrior caste, responsible for protection and governance.
- The brahmin represented the priestly caste, tasked with religious ceremonies.
- Untouchables, or pariahs, were marginalized individuals assigned tasks like handling dead bodies and collecting trash.
- Members identified with a kinship group called jati rather than as individuals.
Philosophical Contributions
- Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, who taught that desire leads to suffering.
- The "Middle Path" offers a way to end desire and therefore suffering.
- Karma described the belief that one’s soul status reflects actions from previous existences.
- Upanishads provided spiritual mediation commentary on the Vedas.
Historical Context and Migration
- Aryans likely migrated from the steppes located north and east of the Black and Caspian Seas.
- Chandragupta Maurya expelled Alexander the Great's Greek administrators from India.
Indian Geography and Culture
- The Deccan Plateau characterizes the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, known for its hilly terrain and upland plateau.
- Harappan civilization consisted of over fifteen hundred towns and cities governed by landlords and affluent merchants.
Political Insights
- According to Arthasastra, practical politics must take precedence over sacred laws in cases of conflict.
Innovations
- The numerical system known as Arabic numerals was originally devised in ancient India.
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Description
Explore the foundational aspects of Vedic texts, the Harappan civilization's structure, and the complexities of the caste system in early Indian society. Understand the philosophical contributions of Buddhism and their significance in addressing suffering and desire.
