Chapter 2 On line Study Guide
Chapter Outline
Background to the Emergence of Civilization in India
Harappan Civilization: A Fascinating Enigma
Political and Social Structures
Harappan Culture
A Lost Civilization?
Arrival of the Aryans
Early Aryans
Mauryan Empire
Caste and Class: Social Structures in Ancient India
Caste System
Daily Life in Ancient India
Economy
Escaping the Wheel of Life: The Religious World of Ancient India
Hinduism
Reincarnation
Buddhism: The Middle Path
Asoka, Buddhist Monarch
Rule of the Fishes: India after the Mauryas
Exuberant World of Indian Culture
Literature
Architecture and Sculpture
Science
Conclusion
Chapter Review/Summary
Around 3000 B.C.E. a civilization arose along the banks of the Indus River in the Indian subcontinent; this civilization, the Harappan, rivaled those of Egypt and the Middle East. Because scholars are unable to decipher Harappan pictographs, this great culture is not well understood. The Harappan civilization ended abruptly around 1500 B.C.E., possibly because of the invasion of the Aryans from the north. The mixture of Aryan and Dravidian cultures combined to form the basis of modern Indian civilization. The subcontinent is also the birthplace to two great religions – Hinduism and Buddhism, and other faiths including Sikhism and Islam flourish here. India is greatly diverse in language, religion, culture, and geography, thus making it difficult to achieve unity under a single political leadership. Only the Mauryan dynasty succeeded in uniting this great civilization in its early history before it too collapsed under the pressure of internal divisions. A distinct, diverse Indian culture remained, however.
Terms and Persons to Know
Ganges River
Indus River valley
Dravidians
Aryans
Harappan civilization
Mohenjo-Daro
clay seals
Aryans
Rigveda
raja
kshatriya
maharaja
dharma
Alexander the Great
Mauryan Empire
Chandragupta Maurya
Arthasastra
varna
castes
brahmin
vaisyas
sudras
jati
importance of family
importance of males
guru
females
sati
monsoon
trade
Hinduism
Aryan gods
sacrifice
asceticism
yoga
Upanishads
Brahman
reincarnation
karma
Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama
nirvana
Atman
bodhi
Middle Path
Jainism
Asoka
Kushan Kingdom
Vedas
Sanskrit
Mahabharata
Ramayana
pillar
stupa
rock chamber
sciences
Glossary
Arthasastra
Caste system
Polytheistic/polytheism
Sati
Syncretism
Mapwork
Map 2.1. Ancient Harappan Civilization
How was the geographical site of Harappan civilization similar to that of Sumer?
Locate the following features on the map: Indus river, Ganges river, Himalayan mountains.
Look to the east: how far away were the cultures of Mesopotamia
Map The Citadel at Mohenjo Daro
What features indicate how the assembly hall, granary, college, and bath were to be defended?
Why would the community's granary be located within the citadel? Why near the stair?
What are the unmarked, small, connected chambers on this plan?
Map Alexander the Great’s Travels in Asia
What kept Alexander from traveling farther into the Indian subcontinent?
Map 2.2. The Empire of Asoka
What was the purpose of Asoka's pillar and rock edicts? What pattern do you discern in their placement?
What happened to the Mauryan empire after Asoka's death?
Datework
Chronology: Ancient India
Do the Aryans bring an end to Harappan civilization?
For how long is the Mauryan dynasty an important centralizing force in India? How does the collapse of the Mauryan dynasty lead to the rise of the Kushan Kingdom?
What effect does Gautama Buddha have on Hinduism, the religious legacy of the Aryans?
Chapter Timeline: First Indian agricultural settlements to the Reign of Asoka
Was Harappan civilization contemporaneous with Sumerian civilization?
When do the Aryans arrive? From where?
How long ago had Gautama Buddha lived when Asoka began to spread Buddhism?
Primary Sources
Hindu primary sources:
The Duties of a King: The Arthasastra
At whose court did Kautilya apparently live?
What similarities do you perceive between this passage and the excerpt from the Bhagavadgita that introduced this chapter? How did these two literary works differ in purpose?
Social Classes in Ancient India: The Law of Manu
How many castes are described in this treatise? What are their respective functions?
What was the original Indian word for class (or caste)? What was its original meaning?
Who is "the Self-Existent One"?
What evidence does this document provide for the Hindu concern with sacrifice? With reincarnation?
What defines a "twice-born person" (mentioned in the final paragraph)?
In the Beginning: The Upanishads
What were the first things created?
How does water flow from fire?
How does this view of the beginnings differ from others that you know?
Jain Primary Source:
The Henpecked Monk: The Sutrakrtanga
Why might Jainism have failed to become as popular in India as Hinduism or Buddhism?
What similarity do you see between this passage, the earlier excerpt from the Law of Manu, and certain statements about women attributed to the Buddha?
Buddhist Primary Sources:
How to Achieve Englightenment: The Sermon at Benares
Summarize the four noble truths in your own words.
Why is Buddha sometimes referred to as a reformer of Hinduism? What principles did he accept from the earlier religion? Is karma important here?
According to this document, had Gautama himself reached Nirvana at the time he delivered this sermon?
Sources on the Lives of Women: Voices of Silence
What characteristics of ancient Indian society and family make writings by women scarce?
Of these three female points of view, which do you think expresses the greatest happiness? Why?
Why are the last two writings anonymous?
Is the writer of the third passage endorsing or rebelling against the woman's actions she describes?
Hindu Primary Sources:
Draupadi’s Humiliation: The Mahabharata
How was the woman to be humiliated?
Why might women be separated from men during their menstrual cycle?
The Monkey-King in Sri Lanka: The Ramayana
Why was the Ramayana so popular with Indian audiences? What distinguishes this epic from the contemporaneous Mahabharata?
What evidence does this document provide for attentiveness to female sexuality in Indian art and literature?
Artwork
Harappan Art:
Mohenjo-Daro photograph
In what respects was Mohenjo-Daro comparable to a modern city?
How did Mohenjo-Daro get its (modern) name?
Harappan Seals
Why would domestic animals have figured prominently on Harappan seals?
Does the Harappan script appear to be pictographic?
What might the decipherment of this script contribute to our understanding of Harappan culture?
Harappan Bust
How might the Harappan come to use the trefoil design?
What could this bust tell about the Harappan civilization?
Hindu Art:
Triple-Headed Siva
How does this sculpture reveal the influence of Buddhism upon Hinduism?
How can one deity represent three different things? Is this idea of three-in-one reminiscent of anything in Christianity?
Dancing Siva
Why was Siva originally known as "the Destroyer"? What aspects later accrued to this deity?
Is Siva male or female? Why might the artist have created a sculpture that leaves such categorization ambiguous?
Who are the other primary gods of Hinduism, and what do they represent?
Buddhist Art:
Asoka's Pillar
How might the Buddha have responded to such a monument commemorating his life?
What purpose, other than a religious one, did such monuments serve?
Compare this pillar to the Stele of Hammurabi from Chapter One. Is Asoka making any indirect statement about himself with such a monument?
The Birth of Buddha
How does this artwork reveal outside influences?
In what ways does this relief show the development of Buddhism and its view of its founder Buddha?
Compare this sculpture of human figures to those of ancient Egypt. How are they similar/different?
Sanchi Gate and Stupa
How was the arc of heaven, represented in the curved shape of this stupa, also represented in the Buddhist prayer hall above?
How do the elaborately carved four gates recall the Lions of Sarnath above?
This monument was designed with a circular path surrounding the stupa; believers walked this in silent meditation. Why is this appropriate activity in the presence of one of his relics?
A Buddhist Prayer Hall
What elements of the Indian tradition of asceticism do you see expressed in this chamber?
How do the changes in this prayer hall over time parallel the changes in Buddhism from the time immediately after Gautama's death to its ascendancy in India under Asoka?
The Ideal Buddhist Couple
Identify the features of this sculptural pair that link them to both Buddhism and Hinduism.
What aspects of Indian wisdom literature find visual expression here?
Quiz
Multiple Choice:
1.The region of hills and upland plateaus extending from the Ganges River to the tip of the Indian subcontinent is called the
*a.Deccan.
b.Indus.
c.Harappan.
d.Mohenjo-Daro.
Ans.a.correct, p. 37
b.incorrect, p. 37.
c.incorrect, p. 38.
d.incorrect, p. 38.
2.The Dravidians
a.were descended from the hill peoples of ancient India.
*b.were descended from the Indus River culture of ancient India.
c.were descended from the peoples of Central Asia who invaded India in ancient times.
d.none of the above.
Ans.a.incorrect, p. 38.
b.correct, p. 38.
c.incorrect, p. 38.
d.incorrect, p. 38.
3.All of the following statements about the city of Harappa are true, EXCEPT
a.it was surrounded by a wall 40 feet thick.
b.it had streets up to 30 feet wide.
*c.it had 30,000 inhabitants at its height.
d.it had bathrooms with drains carrying wastewater outside of the city.
Ans.a.incorrect, p. 38.
b.incorrect, p. 38.
c.correct, p. 38.
d.incorrect, p. 39.
4.From where did the Aryans migrate?
a.Europe
b.Mesopotamia
*c.Central Asia
d.China
Ans.a.incorrect, p. 40.
b.incorrect, p. 40.
c.correct, p. 40.
d.incorrect, p. 40.
5.A raja
*a.was an Aryan tribal chieftain.
b.was a the name for the Indian warrior class.
c.was an Indian god.
d.was a collection of sacred instructions and rituals.
Ans.a.correct, p. 41.
b.incorrect, p. 41.
c.incorrect, p. 41.
d.incorrect, p. 41.
6.Chandragupta Maurya ruled
a.a highly centralized empire.
b.a loosely federated kingdom.
c.with a large army and secret police force.
*d.both a and c.
Ans.a.correct, but so is d, p. 42.
b.incorrect, p. 42.
c.correct, but so is d, p. 42.
d.correct, p. 42.
7.Varna, the Indian word for castes, means
a.income.
*b.color.
c.wealth.
d.self.
Ans.a.incorrect, p. 42.
b.correct, p. 42.
c.incorrect, p. 42.
d.incorrect, p. 42.
8.The Indian priestly caste was the
*a.brahmins.
b.kshatriyas.
c.sudras.
d.vaisyas.
Ans.a. correct, p. 43.
b.incorrect, p. 43.
c.incorrect, p. 43.
d.incorrect, p. 43.
9.The vaisya were
a.the priestly caste.
b.the warrior caste.
c.the lowest caste.
*d.the merchant caste.
Ans.a. incorrect, p. 43.
b.incorrect, p. 43.
c.incorrect, p. 43.
d.correct, p. 43.
10.A guru is
a.a female ritual.
b.the untouchable caste.
*c.a teacher.
d.a textbook on sexual practices.
Ans.a.incorrect, p. 44.
b.incorrect, p. 44.
c.correct, p. 44.
d.incorrect, p. 45.
11.Most Indian farmers
a.were sharecroppers.
b.wrangled with unpredictable weather.
c.often paid very high rents.
*d.all of the above.
Ans.a.correct, but so are b and c, p. 45.
b.correct, but so are a and c, p. 45.
c.correct, but so are a and b, p. 45.
d.correct, p. 45.
12.Who was the original Aryan parent god?
a.Vishnu
b.Indra
*cDyaus
d.Buddha
Ans.a.incorrect, p. 47.
b.incorrect, p. 47.
c.correct, p. 47.
d.incorrect, p. 49.
13.The Upanishads were
a.the Hindu priestly class.
b.the sacred texts of the Aryans.
c.followers of strict Hindu asceticism.
*d.a set of commentaries on the Vedas.
Ans.a.incorrect, p. 48.
b.incorrect, p. 47.
c.incorrect, p. 47-48.
d.correct, p. 47.
14.The ultimate goal of reincarnation in Hinduism is
a.to obtain good karma.
b.to become a brahmin.
*c.to have one’s soul reach a union with the Great World Soul, Brahman.
d.to find one’s dharma.
Ans.a. incorrect, p. 48.
b.incorrect, p. 48.
c.correct, p. 48.
d.incorrect, p. 48.
15.Who founded Buddhism?
a.Chandragupta Maurya
*b.Siddhartha Gautama
c.Asoka
d.Mahavira
Ans.a.incorrect, p. 41.
b.correct, p. 49.
c.incorrect, p. 51.
d.incorrect, p. 51.
16.According to Buddhism, pain and sorrow were caused by
*a.human attachment to worldly things.
b.human desires to attain Nirvana.
c.extreme asceticism.
d.the desires of the soul.
Ans.a.correct, p. 50.
b.incorrect, p. 50.
c.incorrect, p. 49.
d.incorrect, p. 49.
17.Who is considered the greatest ruler in the history of India?
a.Siddharthat Gautama
b.Chandragupta Maurya
*c.Asoka
d.Mahavira
Ans.a.incorrect, p. 48.
b.incorrect, p. 41.
c.correct, p. 51.
d.incorrect, p. 51.
18.The Vedas were written in
*a.Sanskrit.
b.Aryan.
c.Dravidian.
d.Hindu.
Ans.a.correct, p. 53.
b.incorrect, p. 53.
c.incorrect, p. 53.
d.incorrect, p. 53.
19.______wrote a set of four thousand grammatical rules for spoken and written Sanskrit.
a.Mahavira
b.Gautama
c.Asoka
*d.Panini
Ans.a.incorrect, p. 51.
b.incorrect, p. 48.
c.incorrect, p. 51.
d.correct, p. 53.
20.Which of the following is a main religious type structure in ancient India?
a.stupa
b.rock chamber
c.pillar
*d.all of the above
Ans.a.correct, but so are b and c, p. 55.
b.correct, but so are a and c, p. 55.
c.correct, but so are a and b, p. 55.
d.correct, p. 55.
True/False
1.The east and west coasts of the Deccan are traditionally the most populated in India.
a.true*
b.false
a.correct, p. 37.
b.incorrect, the coasts of the Deccan are the most populous, p. 37.
2.Harappan writing has been deciphered.
a.true
b.false*
a.incorrect, Harappan has not been deciphered to this day, p. 39.
b.correct, p. 39.
3.Aryans spoke a Semitic language.
a.true
b.false*
a.incorrect, Aryans spoke an Indo-European language, p. 40.
b.correct, p. 40.
4.Maharajas were required to follow the dharma.
a.true*
b.false
a.correct, p. 41.
b.incorrect, they were required to follow the dharma, p. 41.
5.Women’s positions were better in Buddhist Indian society than elsewhere in India.
a.true*
b.false
a.correct, p. 51.
b.incorrect, while not great Buddhist women did fare better than other Indian women, p. 51.
Short Answer/Essay
1.What is the difference between a raja and a maharaja?
Ans. p. 41
- A raja was the chieftain of an Aryan tribe
- Raja meant “prince”
- Raja power was from his ability to protect his tribe from rival groups
- Rajas were not gods
- As Aryan society became more complex chiefs were transformed into kings
- Maharaja meant” great princes”
- Maharajas, like rajas, did not have absolute authority
- Maharajas are required to follow the dharma
2.Describe the Indian castes.
Ans. pp. 42-44
- Color was original basis of caste system
- Set of rigid social classifications that determined occupation, status and salvation
- Brahmins – top of scale, late a religious role
- Kshatriya – warriors probably descended from Aryan ruling warrior class, originally just fighters but then businessmen
- Vaisya – commoner, merchant class, was considered “twice-born”
- Sudras – most Indians, not considered fully Aryan, most peasants or artisans, limited rights,
- Untouchables – pariahs, originally slaves, degrading tasks, demeaning, live in segregated ghettos and avoided
3.Explain the life of Indian women.
Ans. pp. 44-45
- Male was head of family
- Women couldn’t inherit property
- Always considered a minor
- Wife only could seek divorce if deserted by husband
- Producing children of great importance
- Child marriage for girls common
- Ritual of sati where woman threw herself on husband’s funeral pyre
- Women subordinated to father, husbands and sons
- Females viewed as having little utility outside of home and had to have dowry to marry
- Hindu code ordered respect for women
- Sexuality held to be important and powerful
4.What were key elements of Aryan religious beliefs that were incorporated into Hinduism?
Ans. pp. 47-48
- Sacred texts or Vedas
- Pantheon of gods and goddesses
- Concept of sacrifice
- Ideal of asceticism
- Reincarnation
5.What is Jainism?
Ans. p. 51
- Founded by Mahavira, a contemporary of Buddha
- Rejected reality of material world
- More extreme
- Preached extreme simplicity
- Followers often begged for food and went naked
- Didn’t attract a large number of followers
- Chandragupta Maurya was a follower
Internet Exploration
To better understand Asoka, visit
To gain further knowledge of the principles of Buddhism, visit
To learn about Tibetan Buddhism, visit
To learn more about Harappan civilization, visit