South Asia includes India Bangladesh Nepal Pakistan The Vedic Age 1500 500 BCE Before Vedic times before 1500 BCE Urban civilizations in Northern South Asia o Indus Valley civilizations Harrappa Mohenjo Daro etc o Indoor plumbing and sanitation highly o Main river dried out ware gone civilizations o We know little about these civilizations just that they developed stratified disappeared traded o Tribal people who traveled to Europe and Asia o Overrun existing civilizations o Mobile and militaristic o Move into NW India but spread out around Ganges River Used chariots for movement and fighting system over time Move all over N India by end of Vedic Age New Age Aryan Invasions 1500 1200 BCE Scale of classes with little mobility between groups Today s caste system priests rulers warriors merchants workers untouchables Originally only 2 groups o Brahmins priests o Kshatriya warriors and rulers o Vaisya peasants and traders Classes originated at birth Original 3 groups were twice born second birth is a Developed over time to include Shudra religious awakening Society Caste System o Aryan and non Aryan mix o Intermediate o No second birth o Lower group seen differently o Servants laborers artisans Lowest class Untouchables Dalit o Jobs that have to do with dead animals or people dirty jobs unpure jobs o Contaminated o non untouchable can become contaminated if they o treated very differently class discrimination o most were non Aryans who lives in India before come into contact Caste can be identified by clothing mannerisms skin color Not originally as rigid as it is now some people could move Caste determined who you marry jobs sub castes existed and most importantly names among the classes based on occupations what you eat etc Vedic Religion Vedas means knowledge Rig Veda written text 600 BCE had been passed down before being written hymns to gods prayers one of many written texts o Aryans vs Dasas indigenous people Aryans considered o Indra warrior god o Brahmins kept knowledge of Rig Veda and passed it down generations them slaves Sacrificed rice balls pinda Can t marry someone offering rice balls to same ancestors Sacrifice at home or in public o At home husband and wife could perform sacrifice by o In public performed by Brahmins burning fruit Sacrifice to gods and ancestors fathers o Fire agni purifying substance Used in many sacrifices and at weddings Sacrifice as blessing o Long life wealth sons Sons are important for labor religion carrying on family name daughters often left families while sons stayed o Life after death in a world of fathers Evolution after death another life Rebirth samsara and re death Moral causation deeds in previous life karma Dharma to live life according to the rules of your caste Permanent release Moksha Achieve a perfect life so rebirth ends and you can achieve Salvation permanent release Political context of late Vedic period 7th 5th century BCE From tribes to kings city states and empires Armies develop within cities Taxes bureaucracy develop to pay for military Sedentary agriculture develops instead of nomadic Craft and trade develops o Refined products specializations created in businesses o Differentiation in wealth as a results How does all of this influence religion Religions of Renunciation Jainism 6th century BCE spreads all over India Jain monks o Wears all white o Barefoot to show humility Teacher Mahavira the great hero son etc o Renounce everything after fulfilling his role as father o Only eats what he is given o Wears masks to avoid breathing in animals bugs o Sweeps ground to avoid stepping on bugs o Non violent o One long line of teachers he is the 24th o Taught ahimsa non injury and vegetarianism o Living souls weighed down by matter perpetuated o Idea is to stop acting completely many even starve o Salvation self sacrifice to cease acting through deeds karma themselves to death Why is Jainism attractive to people To speed up the process of rebirth Unsatisfied with caste system Non violence response to violence Any class or even women could fully participate