Topic 1 started with the value of studying the humanities in order to understand ourselves and another culture. We then talked about South Asia, specifically India and its geography before then discussing the basic tenants of hinduism.

In unit 2, we talked about the origin of South Asian cultures with a major focus on the legacy of the Aryan invasion and the subsequent cultural syncretism that occurred between the Aryans and the native Dravidians.

In Unit 3 we discussed oral tradition and its importance in South Asia, especially in conveying the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Vedas, and the Upshanids. We learned that although we often see oral tradition as error prone and weak, it has a unique and important way of conveying history and culture in an enduring way.

In unit 4 we learned about the origins of Buddhism and its basic tenants, as well as the art and architecture that resulted from it that would influence the following Hindu dynasties in India. We learned about the Maurya and Kushan Buddhist dynasties as well as the changes in Buddhism that occurred as it spread throughout Asia.

In topic 5, we discussed the Guptas, the most advanced world civilization in their day. Located in North India, this civilization achieved great peace, material prosperity, and technological, scientific, and artistic innovations.

In unit 6 we learned about the Hindu temple and the way it is a microcosm of the world and universe, as well as the ornate ways they are decorated with sculpture and fractal art. We also learned about the beliefs surrounding Hindu temple worship.

We see the moral of staying within your own caste, a very deep set Indian/Hindu cultural thing, taught here

The mouse gets transformed into a human girl. When it's time for her to get married, she doesn't want the sun, or cloud, or wind, or mountain, but the mouse is said to be mightier than the mountain. She chooses to marry the mouse and get transformed back into what she was originally

A collection of Hindu fables from this period of history

This term means "Buddha to be". Many believe that only 1 Buddha at a time can be on Earth to teach the way to enlightenment, so these buddhas to be are sought out when that buddha dies. They live on the edge between existence and non existence and are the ideal to seek but they never take the final step to nirvana because of compassion for others they want to help escape the cycle too. Pretty much people who live at the edge of Nirvana for the comfort and salvation of the world They are savior beings that help others achieve Nirvana

1. Esteemed enlightenment more than riches and comfort It took him hard work and meditation (like eating 1 grain of rice per day). He had to first lose everything to gain that knowledge. His mom had a dream before he was born where a white elephant offered the queen a lotus flower and entered the side of her body. Sages said the queen would have a son who would be either a great ruler or a holy man, either conquering the world or becoming an enlightened being (the Buddha). He learned that serenity can be found despite pain and suffering in the world We need to figure out how to make our suffering be "all right" "life is blissful, joy is everywhere, we are just closed off to it" he taught. We just need to open ourselves to the joy that is already here. "You are your own master, Buddha just shows you the path". Any ordinary person can find what he found. Each tradition, culture, and time period has its own stories of the Buddha For the first centuries, Buddhist tradition was oral 4 encounters shaped him: an old man (you don't always stay young and perfect 2: A sick man, learning that happens to everybody 3: A corpse. Recognizes impermanence, suffering, death as parts of the normal world He wanted to know how to navigate those inevitabilities 4: Sees a spiritual seeker, living life to escape impermanence, suffering, death.