Overview
This lecture covers the development of states and cultural practices in South and Southeast Asia, focusing on religion, social structure, and major empires from ca. 1200–1450.
State Building in South Asia (India)
- Muslim Delhi Sultanate ruled northern India but had little success converting the population to Islam.
- Two former Muslim brothers founded the Hindu Vijayanagara Empire in southern India in 1336.
- Hindu kingdoms remained dominant in Indian culture and politics.
Hinduism: Beliefs and Social Structure
- Hinduism teaches the cycle of samsara (rebirth), with the atman (soul) seeking moksha (liberation) to unite with Brahman (universal spirit).
- Karma, or the sum of one’s actions, determines progress toward moksha.
- The Bhakti Movement in the 12th century emphasized personal devotion to a chosen god and emotional worship.
- The caste system rigidly structured society into hierarchical groups, with social mobility only possible through karma and reincarnation.
Cultural Exchange and Achievements
- Indian intellectual advances in astronomy and mathematics influenced the Islamic world.
- Arabs translated Indian works on algebra and geometry and spread them across their territories.
Southeast Asia: Trade and Empires
- Southeast Asia includes modern Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam.
- Hinduism and Buddhism spread here mainly via merchants and trade.
- The Majapahit Kingdom (founded 1293, Java) was a sea-based Buddhist power controlling maritime trade.
- The Khmer Empire (802–1431) was a prosperous land-based state using complex irrigation and drainage systems, initially Hindu but later Buddhist.
- Islam spread to the region through trade, establishing a minority presence among the dominant Hindu and Buddhist populations.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Samsara — cycle of life, death, and rebirth in Hindu belief.
- Atman — the individual soul or divine essence within each person in Hinduism.
- Moksha — liberation from samsara and unity with Brahman.
- Brahman — the ultimate, unchanging spiritual reality in Hinduism.
- Karma — the sum of a person’s actions determining their fate in future rebirths.
- Bhakti Movement — Hindu devotional movement focusing on personal devotion to a deity.
- Caste System — hierarchical social structure in Hindu society.
- Delhi Sultanate — Muslim-ruled state in northern India.
- Vijayanagara Empire — major Hindu kingdom in southern India.
- Majapahit Kingdom — powerful sea-based Buddhist kingdom in Java.
- Khmer Empire — prosperous land-based empire in Southeast Asia.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review major South and Southeast Asian empires and their religious influences.
- Study key terms and their definitions for upcoming assessments.