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So correct me if I am wrong but my understanding is that islamophobia in the Indian subcontinent is a continuation of discrimination against the lower castes, a

by mcny 3y ago

So correct me if I am wrong but my understanding is that islamophobia in the Indian subcontinent is a continuation of discrimination against the lower castes, as a lot of Muslims there are lower caste people who converted over, right? > Most of India's 140 million Muslims are descended from local converts. Many of them converted to Islam to escape Hindu upper-caste oppression. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-36220329 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-36220329 The idea of a Hindu supremacist movement feels incredibly idiotic. Like even if you hate Islam, you must acknowledge that the reason these people are Muslim is they saw no other way to escape oppression under Hinduism.

witchesindublin 3y ago
The caste system is also present in Islam and Christianity ethnoreligious communities, but absent from the Buddhist communities. De facto casteism is worse in Pakistan than in much of India (especially South India where most techies come from). Though they may have converted for that reason, the Islamic community has its own caste system, and only in the Buddhist community and large tracts of Indian Hindus is the caste system non-evident or only slightly evident (e.g. Sri Lanka).
webmobdev 3y ago
Yes. Historians believe that Buddhism was the first major schism in Hindu philosophy. (Buddhism subscribes to a different karmic philosophy than Hinduism, and as such totally eschews the Hindu caste system). When Buddhism flourished in India, most of the lower caste Hindus converted to Buddhistm because it allowed them social mobility that was previously prohibited to them. Many entered into trades and professions that were earlier barred to them because of the rigidity of the Hindu caste system. Once the Hindu kings regained dominance, Buddhism started to decline in India due to lack of political patronage and persecution. Castiesm again became pervasive in India. This lead to many Buddhists converting voluntarily to Islam because Islam, like Buddhism, strongly prescribes equality irrespective of the ethnicity or previous of the convert. This allowed the former "untouchables" to retain their social mobility. This is why India, where Buddhism once flourished and was a source from where it spread to the world, has so little followers now.
- kaycey2022 3y ago
  Schism as in the central seer/papal authorities of Hinduism disapproved of the new religion? /s

by mcny 3y ago

witchesindublin 3y ago

The caste system is also present in Islam and Christianity ethnoreligious communities, but absent from the Buddhist communities. De facto casteism is worse in Pakistan than in much of India (especially South India where most techies come from). Though they may have converted for that reason, the Islamic community has its own caste system, and only in the Buddhist community and large tracts of Indian Hindus is the caste system non-evident or only slightly evident (e.g. Sri Lanka).

webmobdev 3y ago

Yes. Historians believe that Buddhism was the first major schism in Hindu philosophy. (Buddhism subscribes to a different karmic philosophy than Hinduism, and as such totally eschews the Hindu caste system). When Buddhism flourished in India, most of the lower caste Hindus converted to Buddhistm because it allowed them social mobility that was previously prohibited to them. Many entered into trades and professions that were earlier barred to them because of the rigidity of the Hindu caste system. Once the Hindu kings regained dominance, Buddhism started to decline in India due to lack of political patronage and persecution. Castiesm again became pervasive in India. This lead to many Buddhists converting voluntarily to Islam because Islam, like Buddhism, strongly prescribes equality irrespective of the ethnicity or previous of the convert. This allowed the former "untouchables" to retain their social mobility. This is why India, where Buddhism once flourished and was a source from where it spread to the world, has so little followers now.

kaycey2022 3y ago
Schism as in the central seer/papal authorities of Hinduism disapproved of the new religion? /s