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INDIA VOCAB
vocabalay
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Hinduism | one of the oldest religions in the world, beginning with the Aryans; thousands of gods and goddesses |
| caste system | established social groups that people are born into and cannot change |
| Sanskrit | the language of India, developed by the Aryans |
| Brahman | the universal spirit |
| Brahmin | caste of Hindu priests |
| Reincarnation | the idea of passing through many lives to achieve Brahman |
| Dharma | the Divine Law |
| Karma | the consequences of how a person lives |
| Hindi | invented the concept of zero ‘0’ |
| Asoka | history’s 1st great Buddhist king |
| Buddhism | religion founded by Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha (“enlightened one”) by his followers |
| Theocracy | when a religious leader is head of the government |
| Aryans | a group of people from central Asia who raised and herded animals—also great warriors—who migrated into India and brought with them SANSKRIT and the VEDAS |
| Indus River | water flows down from the Himalayan Mountains and when controlled can be used for farming; the area around the river is called the Indus River Valley |
| Mauryan Empire | India’s 1st empire |
| Gupta Empire | empire known for increased trade, India’s “golden age” of art and learning |
| Vedas | ancient hymns and prayers for religious ceremonies |
| Four Noble Truths | foundation of Buddhist teachings: 1. suffering, 2. the cause of suffering, 3. the end of suffering, and 4. the path that leads to the end of suffering. |
| Eightfold path | according to the Buddha, the eight steps to eliminate suffering They are: · To know the truth |
| culture | the beliefs, customs, and arts of a particular society |
| politics | actions and ideas that influence government |