Unit 1: Topic 3 - State Building in SOUTH Asia & SOUTHEAST Asia

Unit 1: Topic 3 - State Building in SOUTH ASIA & SOUTHEAST Asia

• Belief systems: Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam

• Hinduism

  • Polytheistic (many gods)

  • goal of believer is to reunite soul to all pervasive world soul - Brahman - reincarnation

  • provided unified culture in India - Caste System (can only move up caste through reincarnation)

  • Changes:

    • Bhakti Movement - encouragement to worship one Hindu god

      • rejected hierarchy

      • encouraged spiritual experiences

• Buddhism

  • founded in India

  • similarities to Hinduism

    • reincarnation

    • being one w/ universe

  • differences

    • Buddhism - equality for all, universal religion (more likely to spread)

    • Hinduism - caste system, ethnic religion

• Islam

  • Delhi Sultanate - Muslims in charge in India —> religion of the elite

    • Islam remained a minority in Hindu dominate India

  • Changes:

    • Sufism - mystical, spiritual experience-based version of Islam

• Vijayanagara Empire

  • rival Hindu empire against Delhi Sultanate made by Hindu emissaries that “converted” to Islam

• Majapahit Empire (sea-based - power from the sea)

  • Hindu kingdom w/ Buddhist influence

  • tributary system

• Khmer Empire (land-based) - spread of Hinduism

  • Angkor Wat - Hindu temple

  • later converted to Buddhism by kepted Hindu elements in temple —> syncretism

- Impact: Hinduism was generally a ethnic religion of India but it spread to Khmer Empire. Islamic influence struggles to spread as it is faced with push back. Buddhism is also from India but it is more universal so it spread more.