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Online Textbook for History 1111

Lesson 5 India

 

Online Readings

“ Dismemberment: The Primeval Man Is Sacrificed” by Wendy Doniger O'Flaherty, Girardian Lectionary

"Karma" (Hinduism), from The Pluralism Project

“Dharma and Other Terms in Hinduism” by Gavin Flood, BBC

“Reincarnation: Its meaning and consequences” by Ernest Valea, ComparativeReligion.com

“The Story of Arjuna and His Charioteer” from Nithyananda Times

Original source replaced by "Arjuna's Ego and It's Disintegration" from The Lonely Philosopher
Crash Course Video 
Lecture: Narrated PowerPoint
  

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Learning Objectives

(Included in PowerPoint)

Upon successful completion of this lesson, students should be able to:

  • Discuss the Vedic writings of early Indian civilization:
    • The Upanishads
    • The Bhagavad Gita
    • The Rig Veda
    • The Mahābhārata
  • Describe the creation story of Purusha.
  • Know the tenets of and key terms from Hinduism, including:
    • Ahimsa
    • Karma
    • Dharma
    • Moksha
  • Compare and contrast Hinduism with other spiritual beliefs from Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China (Buddhism in particular).
  • Analyze the teachings found in the Rock Pillars of Ashoka and the moral dilemma of Arjuna.
  • Explain the development of the caste system in India.
  • Note the key characteristics of the Mauryan Empire. 

First, review the lesson objectives. Then, be sure you have a good understanding of the following terms and can use them in context on the midterm exam.

Terms to Know

  • Ahimsa
  • Arjuna
  • Ātman
  • Bhagavad Gita
  • Brahman
  • Brahmins
  • Caste system in India
  • Dharma
  • Indo-European languages
  • Karma
  • Kshatriyas
  • Mahabharata
  • Mauryan Empire
  • moksha
  • Rig Veda
  • Rock Pillars of King Ashoka
  • Sanskrit
  • Sudras
  • Untouchables
  • Upanishads
  • Vaisyas

Thought Questions

1. Describe the creation story of Purusha from the Rig Veda. Be explicit about how his body became different parts of the world and comment on the concept of duality or multiplicity in this story.

2. Compare and contrast Hinduism with other spiritual beliefs from Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China (Buddhism in particular). What are some common elements among these belief systems? What are some key differences? 

Discussion Questions

1. Read a translated portion of the Rig Veda writings from the link in the syllabus. In the Rig Veda, what happens when Purusha is sacrificed? Give specifics on his “parts.” How is this sacrifice significant in the overall meaning of the story? What does this sacrifice create?

2. How does Hinduism view the following concepts: Karma, Dharma, and Reincarnation. Use the links in the syllabus to help you understand the meanings of these words in the Hindu context. 

3. Why is Arjuna so upset about going into battle in the Bhagavad Gita? (Why is he complaining?) How does his charioteer answer him, and what is the charioteer's real identity? Refer to the link in the syllabus.

Further Explorations

NOTE: From time to time, these web pages may "disappear." Please send an email to library@ega.edu if you find broken links, so they may be replaced.