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Caste is a covenant-level concept in Vedic culture ontologically. It is mentioned in the Rg Veda, and in particular, in one of the most import parts of the Rg V
by uptownfunk 4y ago
Caste is a covenant-level concept in Vedic culture ontologically. It is mentioned in the Rg Veda, and in particular, in one of the most import parts of the Rg Veda (The Purusha Suktam ), and so the notion of dissolving caste is heretical.
brā̠hma̠ṇō̎-'sya̠ mukha̍māsīt । bā̠hū rā̍ja̠nya̍ḥ kṛ̠taḥ ।
ū̠rū tada̍sya̠ yadvaiśya̍ḥ । pa̠dbhyāgṃ śū̠drō a̍jāyataḥ ॥
There it is - right there.
Of course, no where in the text is it mentioned that you should be violent to those of other castes. In fact it all points to the following - that we all come from the same universal truth, but that people are of different talents, and this variety of talents is what helps society function.
The problem is when our egos get in the way.
vidya-vinaya-sampanne
brahmane gavi hastini
suni caiva sva-pake ca
panditah sama-darsinah
The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and an outcaste.
So when we can learn to put our egos aside for a moment, and remember that we are all part of humanity, then we can learn to coexist and thrive.
Unfortunately, caste has just become another crutch that the advantaged use to take advantage of the disadvantaged, just like skin color (white skinned people vs. black skinned people) or race (gentiles vs. jews).
It is a tale as old as time.
- Avicebron 4y agoI don't know enough about vedic culture to comment on that in particular. But I will say from what I know of American history, a lot of people who genuinely believed they were doing right by society with the phrase "different people have different talents and that is what helps society function" has led down some very dark paths here.
- uptownfunk 4y agoWell on its own that phrase alone shouldn't lead to the dark paths, but what I think you're getting at is that the dark paths come from when someone (the 'advantaged') start dictating what those talents are and aren't (especially to the 'disadvantaged')..
- Avicebron 4y agoYes, I suppose that's closer to where I was going, and I saw that you did address that, I guess I would extend that in saying I'm not sure that pre-imposing advantage and disadvantage to either groups is completely necessary. What I would say is that an overwhelming ideology of where one group "belongs" in the society relative to another can become a self-fulfilling prophecy over time, even if those groups weren't always inherently uneven (it helps if they are obviously). There were plenty in the south that believed that slavery and racial inequality was for "societal good" and that society wouldn't function if this wasn't maintained.
- MontagFTB 4y agoI’m not sure different people having different talents is the problem. Rather, isn’t it that the caste system predetermines your standing by birth, and not by your capabilities? Compound onto that inequality and injustice, and it’s not hard to see how such a system can be abused.
- someguydave 4y agowhat are you talking about?
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]