7-2

7-2 Notes Abby Regan WHCP

Mahayana: The group of Buddhists who believed in the new teachings. Theravanda: The group of Buddhists who believe in the old teachings of the Buddha. Stupas: Mounded stone structures built over holy rilies. Brahma: The Creator of the world. Vishnu: The protector Shiva: The destroyer. Kalidasa: One of India's greatest writers. Silk Roads: Roads that caravans traveled on to bring silk to other parts of Asia.
 * Key Words:**

//Kalidasa:// A famous Indian writer. __//**Summary:**//__
 * Key People:**


 * Buddhism and Hinduism Change**
 * By 250 BC, Buddhism and Hinduism had become the two main religions in India, and while Hinduism was dominated by priests, Buddhism's idea of self-denial was difficult to follow.


 * A More Popular Form of Buddhism**
 * The Buddha had taught that anyone could reach nirvana through denying of desires and becoming spiritually disciplined, but people interpreted his teachings in many ways.
 * People worshiped Buddha, even though forbidden to, and believed that some people could become Buddhas by giving up nirvana and working to save the world through good deeds and sacrificing.
 * In the first century AD, there were two groups of Buddhists: One that believed in the new teachings of Buddhism, called Mahayana, and the other that stuck to the stricter teachings of the orginial Buddha, called Theravanda.
 * The new teachings of Buddhism inspired Indian art, with huge carved statues of Buddha to stupas.


 * A Hindu Rebirth**
 * Hinduism changed as well, because there were complex sacrfices that could only be performed by the priest, and the people that weren't priests became less and less connected to the religion.
 * Through exposure to other cultures, Hinduism slowly evolved into a more monothestic religion, with Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva being the main gods and people devoted themselves to them. Since Hinduism had become more personal, it appealed to the people more.


 * Achievements of Indian Culture**
 * The Indian culture underwent changes, as well as the way they learned, and it kept changing until 500 AD.


 * Literature and The Performing Arts**
 * Kalidasa, a famous writer, wrote a play about a king and a queen who were separated, and a terrible curse kept them from recognizing each other.
 * In the second century AD, the city of Madurai became a site of writing, and many of the Tamil poems are still around today.
 * Drama was popular, and both women and men participated. They combined drama with dancing. These techniques are still used today in Indian drama.


 * Astronomy, Mathematics, and Medicine**
 * Because the sailors used the stars to guide them, knowledge of astronomy increased, and because of greek invaders, a westerm system of tracking time was developed based on the sun rather than the moon.
 * During the Gupta empire, (AD 320-500), Indian astronomers proved that the earth was round by observing a lunar eclipse. The earth's shadow across the moon was curved, so the earth must be round.
 * The Indians invented modern numerals, zero, and the decimal system.
 * In terms of medicine, they made two important guides, which listed over 1000 diseases and 500 medical plants. Indian doctors performed surgery and gave injections.


 * The Spread of Indian Trade**
 * India had many valuable items of exchange, including precious gemstones, gold, and beautiful woods, which they traded even with far away regions such as Africa and Sumeria.


 * Overland Trade East and West**
 * Invaders helped improve trade. For example, Asian nomads told the Indians about a "vast network of caravan routes" called Silk Roads.
 * The Indians made a great deal of money by acting as middlemen and setting up stations along oases.


 * Sea Trade East and West**
 * Traders used coastal routes along the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf to transport goods from India to Rome, and sailed the seas along southeast Asia to trade for spices and sell them to Rome.
 * India also traded cotton with Africa in exchange for ivory and gold, and traded wheat to the Arabian region for dates and horses. Trade with China also increased after the third century AD.


 * Effects of Indian Trade**
 * Trading in India led to more banking, and bankers were willing to loan money to mechants and charge them interest.
 * Many of the merchants went to live abroad and brought Indian culture with them. This is why so many of the countries in Asia have many things in common with Indian culture.
 * Traders also brought their religions with them, and Hinduism spread to Nepal and Sri Lanka, and Buddhism spread to China.