Question

religions of india (find this info on google classroom. we took fill-in-the-blank notes the day before the snow)| | hinduism | buddhism | jainism | sikhism || ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- || holy book/s | | | | || goal of life | | | | || list core beliefs | | | | || gods? (no gods; many gods, 1 god?) | | | | |1. in what ways did buddhism challenge or differ from hindu traditions?a.indian empires1. what are two things ashoka was known for during his rule?a.b.2. who founded/started the following empires?a. mauryan empire:b. gupta empire:c. mughal empire:3. what is emperor aurangzeb known for doing?a.4. list 3 scientific advancements and know what they meana.b.c.british colonization and independence1. explain how britain established control over india and when india became a british colony.a.2. describe mohandas gandhis role in indias independence movement, including his strategies and ultimate fate.

Explanation:

Religions of India Table

1. Holy Books:

• Hinduism: Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita
• Buddhism: Tripitaka, Sutras
• Jainism: Agamas
• Sikhism: Guru Granth Sahib

1. Goal of Life:

• Hinduism: Moksha (liberation from samsara)
• Buddhism: Nirvana (end of suffering and rebirth)
• Jainism: Moksha (liberation from karmic cycle)
• Sikhism: Union with Waheguru (God)

1. Core Beliefs:

• Hinduism: Brahman, reincarnation, dharma, karma
• Buddhism: Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, reincarnation
• Jainism: Ahimsa, anekantavada, karma, reincarnation
• Sikhism: One God, equality, service to others, reincarnation

1. Gods:

• Hinduism: Many gods (polytheistic, with Brahman as ultimate)
• Buddhism: No gods (non-theistic, focuses on self-liberation)
• Jainism: No supreme creator god (non-theistic)
• Sikhism: 1 god (monotheistic, Waheguru)

Buddhism vs Hinduism

Buddhism rejected Hinduism's caste system, did not require adherence to the Vedas, and offered a path to liberation accessible to all, not just Brahmin priests.

Indian Empires

1. Ashoka:

a. Embracing Buddhism after the Kalinga War
b. Promoting non-violence (ahimsa) and building stone edicts across his empire

1. Empire Founders:

a. Mauryan Empire: Chandragupta Maurya
b. Gupta Empire: Sri Gupta
c. Mughal Empire: Babur

1. Aurangzeb: Expanding the Mughal Empire to its largest size, and enforcing strict Islamic law, which led to religious tensions.
2. Scientific Advancements:

a. Decimal system (Gupta Empire): Created the base-10 number system, including the concept of zero, enabling advanced mathematics.
b. Ayurveda (ancient India): A holistic system of medicine focused on balancing the body, mind, and spirit.
c. Astronomy (Gupta Empire): Calculated the length of a solar year with high accuracy and identified planets in our solar system.

British Colonization and Independence

1. Britain established control through the British East India Company, using military force and divide-and-rule tactics to take over regional kingdoms. India became a formal British colony in 1858, after the Sepoy Mutiny, when the British Crown took direct control from the East India Company.
2. Gandhi was the leader of India's non-violent independence movement. He used strategies like civil disobedience (e.g., Salt March), non-cooperation with British authorities, and peaceful protests to unite Indians across religious and class lines. His ultimate fate was assassination in 1948 by a Hindu nationalist opposed to his efforts to reconcile Hindus and Muslims after India's partition.

Answer:

Religions of India Table

Category	Hinduism	Buddhism	Jainism	Sikhism
Goal of Life	Moksha	Nirvana	Moksha	Union with Waheguru
Core Beliefs	Brahman, reincarnation, dharma, karma	Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, reincarnation	Ahimsa, anekantavada, karma, reincarnation	One God, equality, service, reincarnation
Gods?	Many gods	No gods	No supreme god	1 god

Buddhism vs Hinduism

Buddhism rejected the caste system and Vedic authority, offering liberation to all.

Indian Empires

1. a. Embracing Buddhism post-Kalinga War

b. Building edicts promoting non-violence

1. a. Chandragupta Maurya

b. Sri Gupta
c. Babur

1. a. Expanding the Mughal Empire and enforcing strict Islamic law
2. a. Decimal system: Base-10 counting with zero

b. Ayurveda: Holistic ancient Indian medicine
c. Gupta astronomy: Accurate solar year calculations

British Colonization and Independence

1. a. Britain used the East India Company's military and divide-and-rule tactics to seize control; India became a British colony in 1858.
2. a. Gandhi led non-violent civil disobedience (e.g., Salt March) to unite Indians for independence; he was assassinated in 1948.