| A | B |
|---|
| subcontinent | large landmass that is smaller than a continent |
| monsoons | seasonal wind patterns that cause wet and dry seasons |
| Sanskrit | the most important language of ancient India |
| caste system | dividing of Indian society into groups based on a person's birth, wealth, or occupation |
| Hinduism | the largest religion in India today |
| reincarnation | the process of rebirth |
| karma | the effect that good or bad actions have on a person's soul |
| Jainism | based on the teachings of a man named Mahavira. Has four basic principles: injure no life; tell the truth; do not steal; and own no property |
| Sikhism | blended ideas from Hinduism with Islam and other religions. The ultimate goal is to be reunited with God after death through spiritual enlightenment...this may take several lifetimes |
| nonviolence | the avoidance of violent actions |
| fasting | going without food |
| meditation | focusing of the mind on spiritual ideas |
| the Buddha | the "Enlightened One" |
| Buddhism | a religion based on the teaching of the Buddha |
| nirvana | the state of perfect peace |
| Four Noble Truths | suffering and unhappiness are part of human life; suffering comes from our own desires for material goods; people overcome desires and reach nirvana; people can overcome ignorance and desire by following an eightfold path |
| Eightfold Path | right thought, right intent, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration |
| missionaries | people who work to spread their religious beliefs |
| Condragupta Maurya | seized control of northern India and formed the Mauryan Empire which lasted 150 years |
| Asoka | strongest of Mauryan Emperors extrending Mauryan rule |
| Contra Gupta II | ruled in 375; India reached its high point during his time |
| metallurgy | the science of working with metals |
| alloys | mixtures of two or more metals |
| Hindu-Arabic numerals | the numbers we use today |
| inoculation | the injecting of a person with a small dose of a virus to help him/her build up defenses to a disease |
| astronomy | the study of the stars and the planets |
