- 1500 BCE = 200 years after collapse of Indus valley civilization.
- 5 major categories: first 4 are connected, last point has many subpoints, mainly Reponses to first 4.
- 1) India is a flexible term -> territory that has many subcontinents, like Paskistan. Boundaries are very fluid.
- Primarily talking about Northern India.
- 2) Local and indigenous language and culture was mixed with outside influence.
- Aryan migration (translation: noble = Aryan). People who moved to N. India.
- Much of early culture was influenced from outside coz language of Sanskrit.
- Outsiders came from Europe or central Asia.
- Sacred language written more than spoken.
- 3) Evidence is that Aryan migrated but did NOT militarily invade them.
- They did make social structure that stratified and separated ppl.
- Social structure is imbedded in the Vedas (sacred texts).
- Nature of deities is similar to Greek deities.
- Primary religion -> Vedas = knowledge of rituals and chants. Extensively passed down by word NOT written down n scroll.
- Humans sustain and create the power of deities through sacrifices.
- Deities are necessary for continued existence of the world.
- World needs maintenance and recreation from deities.
- Knowledge is very important and only the Brahmins can do it and pass it down.
- Possible that the separation of Brahmins and non-brahmins -> separation of Aryans and locals and struggles for power.
- Class structure develops into a very complex one.
- Foundation of modern day class structure.
- Untouchables are OUTSIDE the class system.
- Considered the best social structure but reality is messier.
- Not based on wealth and had many complications.
- British standardized this system via record keeping.
- 4) We shape and change religious beliefs just as much as beliefs change and shape us.
- Ppl need to practiced and agreed to follow religious beliefs.
- Purusa = cosmic supernatural beings.
- Text: 4 social classes are named, embedded in the creation of the universe.
- Also, major deities are created at the start.
- Social structure is considered as great and important as the gods created and as the sun and moon.
- Atman = soul, the essential/ eternal self. Carries characteristics. Is what is reborn repletely to another body after death.
- Karma = Not immediate. Idea that the Atman does both bad and good deeds over life times, if there is lack of balance, Atman is trapped into cycle of rebirth. Having more good = move up social lvl, bad = move down social lvl.
- Emphasis of cause and effect, consequences are felt in the next life.
- Through Dharma = duty to society, defined by the social class you are in.
- Social mandate n how to behave and what task you should take up, regardless of individual talent.
- More virtuous to do what you can in your social class than to follow your heart and talent.
- It is restricting but comforting in the great amount of certainty and works to allow for society to have things done, always.
- Varna influenced by Karma.
- Reward for living well: ultimately the goal is to be released from the cycle forever.
- Removes uncertainty of status next time.
- Like Daoism they believe we have been divided from the oneness of all things so we should try to go back.
- But hard coz can take 100s of life times to achieve this.
- 5) Responses: changes to the tradition or parallel traditions.
- Change 1: Forest dwellers (900 yr period), rise of religious reforms.
- Key reform, to improve the balance, your remove yourself from society = make better decisions.
- Can choose to live alone for a while or a lifetime.
- But attracts many students. Students records their teaching -> forms a new sacred text: Upanishads.
- Effort to impart wisdom.
- Emphasis on body and mind (quiet it).
- Discipline of body and mind = yoga.
- Yoga sometimes replaces Karmic balance through bypassing.
- Addition: reject society and discipline yr body and mind.
- Both a reform and a parallel to it.
- Is around the time of Socrates.
- Scarce info about his life -> many times, disciples are more interested in the values and teachings than the personal life.
- Birth place is contested.
- Father shield him from all misery, when he escaped, he encountered suffering for the first time, also met forest dwellers.
- The middle way: 2 ways you should not live.
- Chasing after the desire of the moment -> no lasting impact on the soul. Hedonistic.
- Also, should not have no desires/ minimum desires all the time. Astatic.
- Believed: All life is suffering, suffering is created from desire, suffering and desire can be overcome via 8 fold path.
- About intentional and thoughtful living, and acting rightly in the world.
- Not as extreme a discipline as Astaticism.
- Shared effort towards relief -> enlightenment (in state of mind).
- Dhamma means teaching NOT duty here.
- Buddhist belief: no self that is permanent or stable.
- Instead we are made of 5 aggregates.
- What does Karma attach itself to if there is no soul?
- Politics: Mauryan empire -> rare but that is when the whole of India was unified.
- Alexander conquest and left weak soldiers behind so the empire gained control as no ruler was elected by Alexander.
- Ashoka conquered Kalinga and regretted it, converted to Buddhism (probably due to his teachers being Buddhist).
- Gave Buddhist missionaries a lot of money vs Hinduism where ppl come as they will.
- Did away animal sacrifice and that did not come back.
- He never returned and somewhat divorced his wife. The child (may) have converted but the wife never did.
- Created golden age of India.
- Had kings, coins, many temples. Also responsible for cave paintings, universities, new things in maths like trigonometry by inventing zeros.
- Start by renewing status and prestige of Brahmin class.
- Went from local to empire wide worship of gods.
- Try to establish greater structure.
- Codification of and return to varna system.
- Very conservative text -> reinforces values of virginity, child bearers, etc.
- Mahabharata = longest sacred text.
- Problem of how to live well and their solutions.
- Bhagavad Gita -> about a warrior and his decision to go to war or not.
- Due to there being no idea of one nation, there was multiple views so there was contradiction btw Gupta and Karma Sutra in general.