Ancient India Buddhism

Buddha and Ashoka - India

Instructions for today's task

You will be watching the following Crash Course video in parts. After each part you will be asked to answer a few questions based on what you just watched. Then you will go along to the next clip until you have completed it.

While watching this video you will learn about:

• Why Indian history is so complicated

• Basic Hindu beliefs

• Caste System

• Buddha and Buddhist ideas

• Ashoka

Multiple Select

Why is it so hard to cover Indian history in 10 minutes? Check all that apply.

• Limited time.

• Indian history is very complex

• We tend to study unified groups that can mask differences.

• Much of what we know comes from British historians so are tinged with historical bias.

Multiple Choice

How do we know about the early Aryans?

• They left behind written religious texts called the Vedas.

• Oral histories passed down through time

• Archeology and guesswork

• Records carved on temple walls

Multiple Choice

The caste system that divided Indians into rigid categories with Brahmins at the top and the sudras at the bottom was based in what text?

• Arjuna

• Maharbarta

• Bhagavad Gita

• Vedas

Multiple Choice

The idea that your role in society, or duty, is determined by birth and caste is called

• Karma

• Gita

• Dharma

• Arjuna

Next John will teach us the some basic Hindu beliefs.

Multiple Choice

__________________ is the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

• Karma

• Samsara

• Dharma

• Upanishad

Multiple Choice

Why would someone be driven to fulfill their dharma, or duty, even if it involved pretty terrible jobs?

• The promise of rebirth into a better life.

• Fear of punishment

• They don't know any other way.

• To make their family happy.

Multiple Choice

The ultimate goal is _______________________ or release from the cycle of rebirth and karma.

• Dharma

• Moksha

• Samsara

• Gita

Multiple Choice

The idea that doing good things and good will come back to you or the reverse, that bad things will happen to bad people is __________.

• Karma

• Dharma

• Moksha

• Samsara

Great! Now let's learn about Buddha

Multiple Choice

Why was the prince Siddhartha Gautama kept locked inside the palace?

• He had been kidnapped by an evil queen

• A prophecy foretold he would lose his kingdom if he ever left.

• It was forbidden for princes to travel.

• He was a sick man and could not travel.

Multiple Choice

Siddhartha sneaks out to experience life outside the castle. From these visits he learns about the universality of suffering. Which one of these is NOT something he encountered on his trips.

• A sick man

• An old man

• A baby

• A dead man

Multiple Choice

Which of these is not one of the 4 noble truths?

• Life is suffering

• The root of suffering is desire or wanting.

• You must rid yourself of suffering to stop disire

• The way to stop desire is to follow the 8 Fold Path.

• The way to overcome suffering is to renounce all possessions.

Multiple Choice

Why were the Buddha's teachings attractive to low caste Hindus?

• The Buddha taught that everyone could reach Nirvana by following his teachings.

• He promised a better life

• The Buddha offered rewards if they followed him.

Ok, so what about Ashoka?

Multiple Choice

Why did Ashoka convert to Buddhism?

• He felt a divine calling.

• He met Buddha and decided to follow him.

• He watched his armies destroy Kalinga.

• It was his grandfathers wish.

Multiple Choice

What are stupas?

• monuments to Ashoka

• monuments to Buddha

• pillars proclaiming Ashoka's kindness as a ruler

Multiple Select

What about Hinduism made it so easy to absorb the Buddha and his teachings into it? (Check all that apply)

• It already had the concept that gods can take many forms.

• Buddhism was already built on ideas familiar to Hindus

• Hinduism is polytheistic (believed in many gods)