Mohenjo-Daro
Indus Valley capital city laid out in a grid pattern. Had a complex irrigation and sewer system.
Aryan
Linguistic group rather than an ethnic culture. Slowly shut down the Harappan civilization and took over by overpopulating and fighting.
Sanskrit
(Hinduism) an ancient language of India (the language of the Vedas and of Hinduism)
Indo-Europeans
A group of nomadic peoples who may have come from the steppes
Vedas
Ancient Sanskrit writings that are the earliest sacred texts of Hinduism.
Dasas
The Aryan's name for indigenous peoples.
Miscegenation
Sexual relations and procreation
Varnas
The social divisions of the Aryan Society that included from top to bottom: 1)priests (Brahmins), 2) rulers or warriors; 3) farmers, craftspeople, traders; 4) workers and servants (Sudras)
Patrilineal
Through the male line
Indra
chief god of the Rig-Veda of war and thunder
Trimurti
the triad of divinities of later Hinduism
Vishnu
the Sustainer. God of creation and light. Cults devoted to it
Shiva
God of destruction. Cults devoted to it.
Brahma
The ultimate god. Everyone's goal should be to eventually join Brahma after a few cycles of life. No cults devoted to it due to its holiness.
Avatar
the manifestation of a Hindu deity (especially Vishnu) in human or superhuman or animal form
Upanishads
A group of writings sacred in Hinduism concerning the relations of humans, God, and the universe.
Brahman
the highest of the four varnas: the priestly or sacerdotal category
Dharma
in Hinduism, the duties and obligations of each caste; self
Varnas
social classes
Brahmins
priests
Kshatryias
Warriors
Vaishyas
peasants & traders in Hindu society; 3rd level of caste system
Shudras
laborers, craftworkers and servants in the Indian caste system
Ascetic
someone that practices self denial as spiritual discipline
Twice-born
introduction to Hinduism, lower castes are not allowed
Anicca
impermanence
Buddha-dharma
The teachings/way of the Buddha
Nirvana
utter peace
Gotama Siddhartha
(563-483) "Buddha", son of a Hindu prince in Northern India
Jatakas
birth stories of the Buddha. The most well-known is the one about a prince who takes a vow to give everything to the poor and he gives clothes, jewels, and everything to the brahmins. He becomes king, shows Buddha's self-discipline
Buddha
founder of Buddhism, among the first to attain Nirvana, Siddhartha Gotama
Gurus
Originally referred to as Brahmans who served as teachers for the princes of the imperial court of the Guptas
Ascetic
Someone who has isolated themselves from civilization and material possessions, who has devoted their life to punishing their body for the sake of spirituality or in this case, to attain Nirvana
Four Sights
the sights that Siddartha saw when he went out of the palace-death,sickness,old age, and a monk
Buddhacarita
Ashvagosha's sacred biography of Buddha, covers his entire life and many legends about him
Queen Maya
Siddhartha's mother. The night of conception she drempt of a white elephant and gave birth in a garden standing and singing.
King Suddhodhana
Father of Siddhartha; attempted to shelter him from the pains of life by giving him sensual pleasures and luxuries.
Bodhi tree
The tree under which Sidartha Gautama achieved enlightenment.
Tathagata
He who has come or gone." Buddha calling himself this term (name) after Awakening.
Dukkha
suffering
Dhammapada
a collection of short sayings attributed to buddha
Parable of Mustard Seeds
Story told by Buddha. Mother has infant son who dies. She is devastated,and meets the Buddha. He tells her to collect mustard seeds from every family who has never experienced sorrow, suffering, loss. She comes back with no seeds, because everybody knows
Four Noble Truths
1) All life is full of suffering, pain, and sorrow. 2) The cause of suffering is nonvirtue, or negative deeds and mindsets such as hated and desire. 3) The only cure for suffering is to overcome nonvirture. 4) The way to overcome nonvirtue is to follow th
Eightfold Path
In Buddhism, the basic rules of behavior and belief leading to an end of suffering
Sukha
Happiness; ease
Samma
(buddhism) the adjective put in front all parts of eightfold path "right
Five Skandas
Body, Thoughts, Feelings, Sensations, Consciousness; five things that constitute the human body
Anatta
One of the Three Marks of Existence; the Buddhist doctrine denying a permanent self.
Ananda
the most famous of the Buddha's disciples; literally, bliss
Dharma
The duty an individual owes to their respective caste.
Reincarnation
the Hindu or Buddhist doctrine that person may be reborn successively into one of five classes of living beings (god or human or animal or hungry ghost or denizen of hell) depending on the person's own actions
Atman
The eternal self, which the Upanishads identify with Brahman; often lowercase: the eternal Self or soul on an individual that is reincarnated from one body to the next and is ultimately identified with Atman.
Samsara
(Hinduism and Buddhism) the endless cycle of birth and suffering and death and rebirth
Karma
(Hinduism and Buddhism) the effects of a person's actions that determine his destiny in his next incarnation
Moksha
The Hindu concept of the spirit's 'liberation' from the endless cycle of rebirths. Union with Brahman.
Brahman
The senior god of the divine trimurti in Hinduism. Considered so holy that there are no cults devoted to it. Every Hindu's goal is to have their soul be united with Brahma after several cycles of reincarnation.
Kama
pursuit of material gain.
Yoga
a system of exercises practiced as part of the Hindu discipline to promote control of the body and mind