HINDUISM & CASTE
This is the term for the belief that a person's thoughts and actions carry consequences that affect their next life.
What is karma?
This is the name given to Siddhartha Gautama after he found enlightenment while meditating under a sacred tree.
What is Buddha? (Also: The Enlightened One)
During this empire's "Golden Age" beginning in 320 CE, scholars discovered the concept of zero, developed the decimal system, and made advances in astronomy including a theory of gravity.
What is the Gupta Empire?
This ocean network was the world's most important trade network until after 1500, relying on seasonal winds to make sea commerce possible.
What is the Indian Ocean trade network?
This Chinese philosopher and founder of Confucianism lived from 551–478 BCE.
Who is Confucius?
This rigid Hindu class structure determined a person's role in society from birth, and could only be changed through reincarnation.
What is the caste system?
Unlike Hinduism, Buddhism rejects the Caste System and does not believe these beings are responsible for the cycle of reincarnation.
What are deities/gods?
This empire, founded in 322 BCE, unified much of India through a large bureaucracy and army, and reached its height under the ruler Ashoka.
What is the Mauryan Empire?
This massive Cambodian temple complex, begun around 1116 CE under King Suryavarman II, took over 30 years, required roughly 300,000 workers, and was built to prove the king's connection to the gods.
What is Angkor Wat?
This Confucian value refers to respecting and obeying one's parents and bringing honor to the family name.
What is filial piety?
This five-day "Festival of Lights" celebrates the victory of good over evil and is the most popular Hindu holiday.
What is Diwali?
According to the Four Noble Truths, this human quality is identified as the root cause of all suffering.
What is desire?
This ancient language, used by the Aryan civilization, is considered the oldest written language and the basis for many other South Asian languages.
What is Sanskrit?
These seasonal winds allowed sailors to travel reliably across the Indian Ocean at certain times of year.
What are monsoons?
This strict philosophy, favored during the Qin and early Han periods, emphasized obedience to government and law, enforced by military force.
What is Legalism?
In 2023, this U.S. city became the first in the nation to specifically ban caste discrimination in its anti-discrimination laws, an ordinance proposed by council member Kshama Sawant.
What is Seattle?
This 8-step guide for ending desire and suffering includes practices like meditating, being selfless, and avoiding lies.
What is The Eightfold Path?
This mountain range helped protect early Indian civilizations from outside invaders.
What are the Himalayas? (Also: Hindu Kush Mountains)
This empire controlled modern-day Indonesia and Malaysia from the 7th to 12th centuries and incorporated Buddhist and Chinese political practices through extensive trade.
What is the Srivijaya Empire?
This belief held that a supernatural force could grant or withdraw a ruling family's right to govern based on whether the dynasty was prospering or declining — explaining why dynasties rose and fell.
What is the Mandate of Heaven?
This all-powerful cosmic force is believed to be the source of all matter and is manifested in everything, according to Hindu belief.
What is Brahman?
This important symbol of Buddhism represents the endless cycle of reincarnation, with its eight spokes representing the teachings of the Eightfold Path.
What is the Wheel of Life?
This mountain pass allowed groups to safely migrate into the Indus Valley.
What is the Khyber Pass?
This strait, controlled by Malay sailors who taxed any ship passing through, connected India and China by an all-sea route.
What is the Strait of Malacca?
This philosophy, founded by Laozi, emphasizes balance and harmony between humans and nature, symbolized by Yin and Yang.
What is Daoism/Taoism?