Week 5

What was the Kushan Empire?

The successor to the Greco-Bactrian kingdom on the Indian subcontinent

Sutras

The written teachings of Buddha

What is now accepted as the cause of the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization?

Climate change shifted the monsoons and the cities dissolved as people followed the rain eastward

What are the phases of the Indus Valley Civilization?

Early Harappan Phase, Mature Harappan Phase, and Late Harappan Phase

How did the caste system most likely originate?

From the social stratification of the gods as told in the Rig-Veda

Who set Lanka on fire?

Hanuman

What happens to King Dasaratha within the week of Rama's exile?

He dies

How does Rama react when he is told he must go into exile?

He is calm, expressing concern only for his mother and father

The Ramayana is an important text in which major religion?

Hinduism

Indo-Aryan Migration Theory

Idea that foreigners from the north are believed to have migrated to India and settled in the Indus Valley and Gages Plain from 1800-1500 BCE

Who was the ruler of Lanka?

Ravana

Moksha

Release from the wheel of life

Buddhism

Religion & philosophy that developed from the teachings of the Buddha

Which roles were performed by the Brahmin caste?

Priest and scholars

What led to the decline of the Mauyra Empire?

Weak kings followed the rule of Ashoka the Great, leading to a military coup

Harappan Civilization

Well known for their impressive, organized and regular layout. Over one hundred other towns and villages also existed in this region. Its people were literate and used the Dravidian language

Around whose life is 'The Ramayana' centered?

Rama

Who did the King originally want to choose to replace him as ruler?

Rama

For How many years was Rama sent into exile?

14

What are the Upanishads?

A collection of religious texts that describe ultimate reality and human salvation

Which best describes the place into which Rama goes during his exile?

A dark and desolate forest

Jatis

A group of clans, tribes, communities and sub-communities, and religions in India

Kushans

A people that ruled over most of the norther Indian subcontinent, Afghanistan, and parts of Central Asia during the first three centuries of the Common Era

What is the Rig Veda?

A sacred Hindu text with mythological and poetical accounts of the origin of the world

Ascenticism

A severe deprivation for ethical, religious, or intellectual ends

Nirvana

A state of blissful nothingness & freedom from reincarnation

What led to the expansion of the Maurya Empire?

Bindusara and his son Ashoka conquered the entire Indian subcontinent

4 Noble Truths

Buddha's message that pain & suffering are inescapable parts of life & that suffering is caused by human desires

Bodhisattvas

Buddhas-to-be who stayed in the world after enlightenment to help others on the path to salvation

Ashoka

Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who ruled from 268-232 BCE and promoted the spread of Buddhism

Jainism

Indian religion that emphasizes complete non-violence & asceticism

Why was this period of time called the Golden Age of India?

It was marked by discoveries in science, technology, literature, mathematics, and philosophy.

What is the name of Rama's brother who goes with him into exile?

Lakshmana

Chandragupta Maurya

Lived from 340-298 BCE and was the first ruler of the Mauryan Empire

What kind of animal army assists Rama?

Monkey army

How is Kaikeyi able to convince King Dasaratha to exile Rama and put Bharata on the throne?

She asks for the two favors he promised her long ago.

How does Sita effectively argue that she should accompany Rama into exile?

She says that a wife's place is with her husband

When does the rakshasi Surpanakha do when she first meets Rama?

She tries to seduce him

Hinduism

Short hand term for the vast multiplicity of religious practices derived from the Vedic, Brahmanic, & Upanishadic traditions

Why did crime and internal conflicts reduce dramatically in the Maurya Empire?

The rulers promoted the ahimsa philosophy and improved law enforcement

The uniformity of Harappan artifacts suggested that:

The cities had a form of central authority and government

Eightfold Path

The code of conduct; set forth by Buddha in his first sermon, which began with "right conduct" & eventually reached "right contemplation"

Who founded the Maurya Empire?

The king Chandragupta Maurya

What led to the decline of the Gupta Empire?

The relentless invasion of the Huns (Huna) from the northwest

How did Rama and his army reach Lanka?

They built a land bridge

How did the regional culture change after the Indo-Aryan migration c. 1700 BCE?

They developed agriculture and used cattle as currency for economic exchanges

Why did the people of the Indus Civilization need accurate weights and measurements?

They needed to measure goods as part of their maritime trade network

What does Sita to do upon being reunited with Rama?

Threw herself in a fire

What was probably the most important part of the Indus Valley Civilization's economy?

Trade

Rama is the avatar of what Hindu God?

Vishnu

Who took Rama and Lakshmana on a quest at the beginning of 'The Ramayana'?

Viswamithra

King Janaka will allow Sita to marry the man who is able to do what?

lift the bow of Shiva

Mahayana

the "great vehicle" a tradition of Buddhism that aspires to be more inclusive

Dharma

the moral law that Hindus observe in their quest for brahman

What is the Indus Script?

An ancient language that remains undiciphered

Mohenjo-daro

Archaeological site in the province of Singh, Pakistan. Built around 2500 BCE, it was one of the largest settlements of the ancient Indus Valley civilizations, and one of the world's earliest major cities.

Of all the religious concepts below, which one played the most important role?

Dharma

The discovery of the ancient sites of Harrapan and Mohenjo-daro was important because the sites:

Revealed a third, urbanized Bronze Age civilization (besides Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt)

Which of the following provided evidence for urban planning in the Harappan cities?

Sanitation systems like wells and drains, Commercial buildings like dockyards, granaries, and warehouses, Distinct neighborhoods of artisans and merchants

Karma

The tally of good & bad deeds that determines the status of an individual's next life

Samsara

The transmigration of souls by a continual process of rebirth

Brahman

The unchanging, ultimate reality, according to the Upanishads