Ancient India

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Ancient India

Ancient India has several interesting facts and history within it. In ancient times, Indians practiced Hinduism and Buddhism. Both religions hold great importance. Along with Religion, Indians followed the Caste System. This is the system of social stratification that separated communities in ancient time and still exist in modern.

The Caste system is a big part of India’s traditions. In ancient times this system separated thousands of communities into groups called Jatis. The Caste System is followed only by the Hindu religion in India. There are four classes such as; Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. When the system was created it was meant for the people to climb higher in the economy. This goal was unable …show more content…

The Brahmana’s are known as the priest and teachers. This is the highest level there is in The Caste System and is highly honored. Some jobs done by the priest include; marriage rituals, births, deaths and other special occasions. The Brahmana’s jobs are not the same as Kshatriya, even though they share an alliance. Kshatriya means “ rule or authority” and focuses on the military aspects of their communities Unlike the Brahmanas, the Kshatriyas can drink alcohol and eat non-beef meat. They are lower of the levels, but most descend from the royal families. The Vaishyas include; moneylenders, traders and farmers. This is the third level in the Caste System and are known as the common people or middle class. “ The Vaishyas are credited in history with favouring the rise of the reformist religious beliefs of Buddhism and Jainism” (“Vaisyas” para. 2). The lowest class in the Caste System is the Shura class. In this …show more content…

A man named Siddhartha Gautama created this religion to achieve total enlightenment. Buddhism continued with some of the Hindu's beliefs such as; karma and reincarnation. One major aspect that Buddhism did not believe in, was the Caste system. The Buddha believed that everyone could reach enlightenment, not just the higher classes. Although Buddhism originated in ancient India, many other countries follow this religion. Buddhism is the fourth most practiced religion in the world. A famous Buddha quote says “Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity”(Gautama). His way of life was all about peace within yourself. In conclusion, ancient India has contributed greatly to history. Many Beliefs originated in India such as; Hinduism and Buddhism. Billions of people all around the world follow these religions along with the Caste system. Although the Caste System has changed over time, the concept still

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