Table of Contents
This is the beginning
According to Encyclopedia Britannica
Talk
Origins of something
Current Proof
Coded-Particles
The concept that firearms can be used as a means of protection or deterrence.
Angri Gods
In conclusion
Introduction
Beginning statement: This paper will discuss the importance of introducing an introduction.
Is your food really the best thing you can eat? What is it that gives people certain tendencies? Is spirit and matter one or two? These seemingly incompatible questions are linked by the subject at hand: the Hindu caste systems. The concern for ritual purity is the common thread that unites all caste systems.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica: The caste system is a dominant feature of social organization over thousands of years. A caste, usually referred to as jati (“birth”) is a strict-regulated social group in which one is born. In general, people are expected to marry someone who is part of the same jati. “India”: The thousands of jatis in India are divided into four large groups called varnas. This is loosely translated to mean color. Depending on the perspective, it could be referring to skin color and/or attributes of character. Kelly Ross, a non Hindu college philosophy teacher, thinks these sound suspiciously similar to skin colours. Indeed, India is expected to have higher caste people with lighter skin. According to a Hindu website, this is not about skin color. It refers to the fact colors are associated to different personalities (The Caste Systems). For example, warriors being called red indicates their passionate nature.
Each varna serves a specific function that is beneficial to the society. The priests Brahmins are the highest in the social hierarchy. Kshatriyas, who were originally peasants but became merchants later, follows closely. Sudras, who are the serfs, is at the bottom. The varna where a jati is placed depends partly on the level of its “purity.” This is determined by how much contact it has had with a variety “pollutants” like blood, menstrual cycle, saliva, dung and leather. To protect the “purity” of particular jati’s relative “purity”, there are restrictions between castes.
This paper describes how the caste system may have evolved over time. It then briefly discusses three theories of anthropology which attempt to explain this ideology. Each theory focuses on ritual purity. This paper will provide the information in a simplified format to fellow classmates.
DicussionOriginsHinduism and the Hindu caste system emerged from a blending of the culture of the Aryans and the native people already living in northern India. The Aryans are nomadic pastoralists who were organized into tribes. They arrived in northwestern India at the beginning of the second millennium BC. (Wasson 209). Before they invaded India, Aryan tribes were split into two social classes: commoners and nobility. These are similar to ancient Greek patricians. The chief was an enlisted leader. A general and a priest aided him, who were the precursors of the current priesthood, known as the Brahmins. Since then, both the spiritual and worldly powers have been in different hands: the priest has spiritual power, while the king holds worldly power.
Dumont 72. This was a significant development. The priest’s ritual power was more important than that of the king. He was expected to depend on the priest. The Brahmins reached the top of society, likely because they claimed superior purity. Bougle quotes Abbe dubois, a French missionary, and writes that the Brahmins are most concerned with maintaining an outward purity. . The Brahmins’ predominance is due to their distinguished caste (58).
The oldest religious explanation for the division between the four varnas in society can be found within the Rig Veda’s 10th circle (circle), one of the most important and holy Hindu scriptures. This passage speaks of the creation of the universe in the form of Purusa’s sacrifice, which became the Brahmin. His arms were transformed into the
Warrior, his legs the People, and his feet the Servants. . . (Fieser & Powers 8, 8). The Brahmins are the keepers and guardians of the holy law and word. Kshatriya means warriors. Vaishya means tradesman. Sudras is a servant. They came from lower parts of the cosmic body, the feet.
These four classes may have existed in an ancient Aryan society, north India. The Aryans made up the majority of the higher varnas. However, the conquered and darker-skinned members of the lowest varna were most likely Aryans (Basham, 137).
But the original castes of the varnas are not what we see today. Evidence shows that people were able to change their varnas. Also, inter-marriage between individuals with different varnas was permissible (Basham, 146).
The rigidity of caste systems was created later, possibly because of acceptance of religious ideas like karma (reincarnation) and other similar beliefs. These concepts weren’t Aryan ideas. In fact, it is possible that these were indigenous tribes contributions to Hinduism. Reincarnation is a belief that one can be reborn as a caste according to one’s character from a previous life. An Untouchable reincarnation would mean that one was more sinful than a Brahmin reincarnation.
A Brahmana cannot be obtained by anyone belonging any of these orders. You can travel through many orders and have multiple births before you become a Brahmana. A person born to unclean spirits cannot attain the Brahmana status. (Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva, XXVIII)
The caste system was also a time when concerns about purity developed. The Laws of Manu are a holy Hindu manual that contains rules of conduct for individuals. They were written in the third-century AD. They address the impurity of outcasts and also menstruation and death (Dumont 53). Fa-hsien was a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim who visited India during Candra Gupta’s reign (374-415 AD). This refers to pollution from being near an Untouchable or Outcast. (Basham 66). The high taxes they were subject to in the early days made leather workers unpopular.
Modern EvidenceA well known modern study about the formation and maintenance of castes involved Jan Breman’s 1960s supervision of two villages in India. This study focused primarily on the integration in Hinduism of tribal people. Tribal peoples, poor Indians living in remote areas of India, were not integrated in the past to Aryan society and Hinduism. Breman observed them as they worked as agricultural workers during Breman’s period. Breman quotes J.A. Baines suggested that land servitude was created by the Brahmins’ migration to new areas, previously occupied tribally. The Brahmins’ religion forbids them from touching plows so the tribes became their farmers servants (39). The tribes performed other tasks than those required by Untouchables. They were able to do it because there was no pollution complex associated with Hinduism. Their Hindu village settlements make them Untouchables, but they are still treated the same as other Hindus (Breman256).
This study shows that castes are likely to have evolved from immigrants, tribe groups or groups with newly developed crafts becoming part of one social system. The caste system and Hinduism spread from northern India to southern India, eventually absorbing and defeating rival religions like Jainism and Buddhism (Sastri 28). The Indian tribes that were originally Hinduized gradually. The Aryans integrated those tribes closest to their new towns first. Those farther away were then integrated later (Steins Step 185 and 206). Each was then placed in a local hierarchy. To settle in an agricultural village, a group would have to pay the price of integration into a hierarchy. Dumont stated that the hierarchical structure requires that a group acknowledges its differences. When this happens, it becomes the basis for integration into society. You will not be allowed to eat beef if it is considered untouchable.
Inden and McCKim Marriott attempt to explain how Hindus understand the caste system. This is in an effort not to influence native understandings with Western or academic theories. Their ethnosociology, or caste system, is what they refer to. They also include the Hindu pollution concept (which other anthropologists call it), but they give it a different interpretation. It asks the following questions: What actually defiles water when it comes from an Untouchable?
Their findings show that Hindus are more monocentric than Westerners who view the duality of spirit and body. Hindus believe that each person inherits a coded substance (Marriott 110). Matter has morality embedded in it. Each person has a code that governs their behavior. The code is embedded into the body of the person and influences their varna (jati), gender, personality and personality. In this world, code and substance are not separate entities, as most South Asians think (Marriott 110).
Inden (Marriott 114) and Inden (Inden) explain the varna–dharma of one another by referring above to the sacrificial supraman Purusha. He is a Code Man. (Marriott 114), and each varna gets its specific code from an individual part of Code Man. Jati-dharma (the duty to ones jati), is encoded in one’s bodily substance. This explains why women cannot do it. . . Participate as a sacrifice to the gods. (Mayer)
This theory explains why Hindus believe people can transmit pollution between them. Everybody is composed of tiny particles which can be separated, loosened and then combined with other types (Marriott or Inden 233).
This theory of inherited codesd substances can cause pollution to transfer from a person who is polluted to someone who is clean. These substances (in hair, saliva, or sweat) can be mixed with food, water, or other items in inter-personal transactions. This was so extreme that even the sighting of certain untouchable groups was considered polluting.
This is how one can give off coded particle and gain coded particle from others. The best way to acquire the appropriate or better coded particles is from gods or higher-caste people. Right eating, right marriage and other right actions can lead to better particles (Marriott & Inden, 233). This idea is illustrated in the Mahabharata, a famous Hindu epic. It states that once Brahmana has been achieved, it should be maintained by taking care to avoid any contact with people of inferior order. . . (Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva, CXLIII).
The Gun TheoryMarvin drew on Indens coded substance concept from Marriott and created a similar theory for West Bengali Hindus. Davis first heard about the folk theory from interviews with Bengali Hindus. The theory was also derived from Hindu holy scriptures such as the Bhagavadgita or Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana or Purusukta. It is probable that these works will also be used in other areas of India as they are well-known.
Purusa the male cultural principle of universe was first emanated from the gods of creation. The natural principle of nature in which soft, energy-rich, but unstructured and undifferentiated, matter is prakriti. . All creation is dependent on the continual union and reunion between purusa, prakriti and time. The resulting mixtures of the three modes of primordial matter are the products and components of all other modes. (Davis 8)
It is easy to see the parallels between Marriott and Indens coded substance.
The union of prakriti, purusa, and rajogun creates three main materials: sattvagun (white substance), rajogun (white substance), and tamogun. Sattvagun is a white substance that generates goodness. It inspires all noble virtues. Rajogun, a red substance, can cause egoism. Tamogun, which is black, causes stupidity, laziness and fear (Davis 9,
Gun theory gives us a unique way to understand purity and impurity. Sattvagun could be considered with the former and Tamogun with the latter. Rajogun functions as a material mode which activates the two other guns (Davis 9).
This philosophy holds that Brahma, the creator is at top. The gods are next, followed by animals, plants, demons, humans and objects at bottom. (Davis 10-). The three guns in Brahma are balanced and present. The dominant gun in the lives of all other beings is the one that has the most guns. The gods are mostly sattvagun. Human beings mix of guns depends on their varnas. According to the Bhagavadgita,
Brahmins work differently, as they are in harmony to their birth nature. Brahmins work is peace, self-harmony (austerity), purity. . . [The works] of a Kshatriya include inner fire, heroic mind. . . Courage in battle . . Trade, agriculture, and rearing cattle are all examples of the works that a vaishya does. . The Sudra’s work is to serve. (qtd. Ross
The gun theory is similar to the coded substance theory. It states that both people and jatis are not able to fix their coded-substances. They should attempt to improve or maintain the coded-substance by marrying: Jati purity is intimately linked to women’s purity. For daughters to marry down, it jeopardizes all ranks of the jati (Wong).
This theory also explains the practice of endogamy. You can find out more about it in the Bengali Hindus theory on conception. Food is transformed into digested food. This then changes into blood. Then flesh becomes fat. Marrow changes into semen. When a baby is born, the semen from the man and the uterine sperm of the woman unite. Inden and Marriott both explain that the inborn qualities of later genera come from the syntax through which they were born first, using the syntagms to consistency, and then second, using the syntagms to homogeneity (234)
This theory provides insight into Hindu beliefs regarding food and eating. One sattvagun includes cold foods like milk, clarified Butter, most fruits, and vegetables. Hot foods such as meat, eggs and onion make up one rajogun. Tamogun is made of stale or spoiled food (Davis 20,). Brahmins should eat vegetarians while Untouchables and Sudras can eat any food. Foods, therefore, can have the power to change and affect the person who consumes them. (Marriott und Inden 233). This is why Wong’s prohibition of eating from lower-ranking, but less pure, castes is one of most important restrictions.
Angry GodsEdward Harpers suggests that Hindu rituals are primarily about offering offerings to gods in order for them to protect us from natural disasters. The gods won’t be happy if anyone makes an offering to them ritually. Brahmin priests act as intermediaries between the general society, the gods and each other. Therefore, it is important that everyone communicates with the gods in a satisfactory manner. The ritual purity of a Havik [Brahmin] is important because this state is intrinsically beneficial, and not for enjoyment (Harper 174)
This idea comes back to an ancient Aryan, preHinduism idea Rita (order), where it was believed that priests’ sacrifices were essential parts of nature. If these offerings weren’t made or were made incorrectly, nature might go awry and rain wouldn’t fall, epidemics might reign, etc. (Basham 241). The threat or punishment from the supernatural only reinforces notions of ritual purity (Harper 185)
All living things are considered to be pure according to Hindu belief. These living beings include gods, deities, devates, and deities. Devates have the power to help or hurt man, depending on whether they are kept sacred or polluted. They are honored when they are offered offerings by ritually pure people. If defiled, however, they will cause injury to the offender’s cattle and family members. Devarus are more pure than the devates, so they need to be protected against any impurities. Partly, this is done by creating an enclosure around them in which they are forbidden from being able to enter lower castes.
Physical and spiritual correlates are involved in elevating and purifying the soul. Even for the most pure of souls, impure matter can pollute or defile the pure. For these individuals, cleansing is required in physical as well spiritual form. Therefore, pure individuals should avoid contact with impure matter. . . . (Wong)
Mantras are believed to hold the key to controlling evil spirits. However, mantras only work if they are contained in a pure field. A powerful devate. . . If you are trying to harm a Brahmin by using protective mantras, it is possible for him to be in madi [ritual purity]. . . (Harper 191). The temples are also viewed as pure fields that can only be entered by Brahmins if they are in a ritually clean state (Harper 188), which is why the Brahmins have stubbornly refused to allow Untouchables in their temples.
The purity of the Brahmins is paramount. Therefore, lower castes are responsible for plowing the fields, giving animal sacrifices to deities that require blood, cleaning the roads and disposing of dead Brahmins cattle. People who dealt with body excretions, animal skins, or corpses were considered to be dangerous and unclean. These services are vital to maintaining the town’s functionality, but each performer brings with them some degree of impurity. Brahmins wouldn’t be able perform these acts and keep enough ritual purity for them to be able worship the gods. This would lead to disaster. The lower castes are responsible for the impurity flowing to them, which causes an inexorable and permanent chasm of unclean and clean castes.
Higher states of purity are therefore dependent upon the division of labor between castes. These castes are then arranged in a hierarchy of purity. Michael Moffat, an anthropologist, says that caste is fundamentally holistic. Caste is defined by the social whole.
Ritual purity doesn’t come naturally. It takes a lot of effort. To be ritually pure enough for a Brahmin, he must have the support of other castes. Harper explains that specialization in one occupation is necessary for the purity of other castes so they can purify themselves to purify Gods (196)
It is not easy to understand how the caste system evolved, but it likely originated in India when the Aryans invaded the northwest. They brought their religion which declared in the Rig Veda that society is divinely divided into 4 parts. As the Aryans moved to the south, the native tribes began to be incorporated. This helped to break down the barriers between different castes. It was focused on purity and impurity. These concerns included food and death as well as the body. The belief that morality and matter are the same, which means that physical matter can make one a better or worse person, was a key factor in this belief. Each person was born with their own unique body, with its own morality. One could improve or decrease this by contacting pure or impure material.
Because people were, as everything else, not only physical but also spiritual, clean spirits avoided unclean things so their spirit could acquire morality and be reborn in a new life. Special priests were required to perform sacrifices and pray for the gods. This organized society so that the priests were protected at all costs to the rest of society.
Even with the few descriptons provided in this paper, it is evident that the caste system can be complex. The philosophy underneath is much deeper than appears. The labyrinthine of ideas is not the place to be lost.
It is not the metaphysical ideas contained in the great religious works of a nation that matter, but the ideas from the people’s homes that are part of their social reality. (Cunningham & Menon 10).
