Ch 6 India Vocabulary
Vocabulary Term
Definition
subcontinent
a large landmass that is smaller
than a continent
monsoon
seasonal wind, especially in the
Indian Ocean and southern Asia
language family
a group of similar languages
raja
an Indian prince
Sanskirt
the first written language of
India
Sentence
(Underline the Vocab Word)
Drawing
Vedas
ancient sacred writings of India
caste
an Indian social class whose
members are restricted in the
jobs they may take and in their
association with members of
other castes
a teacher
guru
Hinduism
a major religion that developed
in ancient India
Brahman
the universal spirit worshipped
by Hindus
reincarnation
rebirth of the soul
karma
a force that decides the form
that people will be reborn into
in their next lives
dharma
a person’s personal duty, based
on the individuals place in
society
Buddhism
a religion founded in ancient
India by the religious teacher
Buddha
meditate
to focus one’s thoughts to gain
a higher level of spiritual
awareness
nirvana
a state of perfect happiness and
peace
Jainism
a religion of ancient India that
does not believe in a supreme
being. It emphasizes
nonviolence and respect for all
living things.
a Buddhist shrine, usually domeshaped
stupa
pilgrim
a person who travels to holy
sites
Bhagavad Gita
a section of the Indian epic the
Mahabharata