Can someone please explain the cast system? Where does it stem from, surely the fact that different regions have different casts makes things confusing?
For those in ‘lower’ casts, when they are re-incarnated can they come back as a human in a different cast?
Can you only marry within your own cast?
Do all hindus stick firmly to the ‘rules’ surrounding the cast system?
Re: Hinduism-The Cast System
I've been wondering about this stuff as well..
I think nowadays tho a lot of the UK Hindus are more open-minded about marrying a person from a different caste, the younger ones anyway..
Re: Hinduism-The Cast System
It’s just an old social system gone wrong. From whatever I have read it wasnt supposed to be as offending, discriminatory and retarded as it became. There have been several movements in the last 100 years to make things better for the lower castes. The government has very high (almost unreasonable high.. upto 40% sometimes) quotas for the traditionally “lower castes” for colleges, universities, govt jobs etc.
Most from the new generation do not care about castes but unfortunately there are still many educated middle to upper class Indians who would be hesitant to have their kids married into certain castes. They don’t think about it in most other matters but for marriage they do. A lot of my cousins and friends have married into other castes but my circle of Indians I know is not very representative of all of general India.
Overall it’s retarded and just another ill effect of religion, intended or not.
Re: Hinduism-The Cast System
The caste system started thousands of years ago, with certain people learning to study(Brahmins), others learning to fight & join the army (Khusatri's), and other to be the traders, and lastly to clean up and do the worst jobs. Each caste, passed it's skills to the next generation - and soon the first 3 caste systems became financially stronger than the lowest cast.
Brahmins were also considered wise in religion, and were teachers - they rose very high in everyone's esteem.
In the fuedal system - it suited the rulers. with Independence, democracy, equal rights, education, things are very slowly changing. The urban younger generation are more open to question these, as ills of society.
However, it will take decades for the Indian Nation to rise above these petty considerations.
Re: Hinduism-The Cast System
The Cast system is the most racist system on the face of the earth
Re: Hinduism-The Cast System
^Yes it is and present almost every society / religion in one or other form. Although Islamic teachings never allowed discrimination based on nationality / cast but then we have issues like Syed / Non-Syed, Arab / Non-Arab.
Re: Hinduism-The Cast System
BAsic principal of caste system was "Division of labor". just like in an ant hive different types of ants are assigned different jobs and they keep on doing the same job all their lives. cast system started out like that.
but it got misused and during British era it took its ugliest form.
At present cast discrimination is a criminal offense in India and there are special courts and police stations who address this issue. As a upliftment of low caste people govt has various reservation in jobs schemes.
Caste system exists only in small villages now a days.
but frankly whole world, every country, every religion has caste system to some level, in india it just has a name.
also in hinduism all the humans are made equal and so is every life form. big or small doesnt matter. killing a fly is as big as a sin as killing an elephant. so reincarnation doesnt follow the caste system which is a man made system as per belief.
Re: Hinduism-The Cast System
^Yes it is and present almost every society / religion in one or other form. Although Islamic teachings never allowed discrimination based on nationality / cast but then we have issues like Syed / Non-Syed, Arab / Non-Arab.
Arab / non-Arab has nothing to do with religion, there are muslim, christian and jew arabs and non-arabs. Hindu Caste is by DNA.
Re: Hinduism-The Cast System
thanks for the answers people, i dont one anyone here to ruin my thread with racist remarks about their opinion of the caste system please, I just want to gain some facts for my own knowledge and understanding.
Everyone here seems to be saying that it doesnt stand as much anymore, and that its more historical rather than religious?
My friends here in the UK, they seem to into the caste system i.e. Brahmins only marry Brahmins etc. Would you say they arent a true representation of the hindu population as whole?
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Arab / non-Arab has nothing to do with religion, there are muslim, christian and jew arabs and non-arabs. Hindu Caste is by DNA.
You obviously know nothing about the hindu caste system to make this claim. As someone has said above - the caste system was man-made as a result of division of labor. It's something we are absolutely not proud of, but it will take some years to eradicate completely.
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You obviously know nothing about the hindu caste system to make this claim. As someone has said above - the caste system was man-made as a result of division of labor. It's something we are absolutely not proud of, but it will take some years to eradicate completely.
mo doesnt know anything about himself too. so as per his claim caste system is in his DNA as well. after all changing religion doesnt change your DNA
Re: Hinduism-The Cast System
thanks for the answers people, i dont one anyone here to ruin my thread with racist remarks about their opinion of the caste system please, I just want to gain some facts for my own knowledge and understanding.
Everyone here seems to be saying that it doesnt stand as much anymore, and that its more historical rather than religious?
My friends here in the UK, they seem to into the caste system i.e. Brahmins only marry Brahmins etc. Would you say they arent a true representation of the hindu population as whole?
Caste system is very much alive in a certain way. While govt can only ban the discrimination based on caste system it cannnot make people chose their own caste in the case of marriges.
think about it this way, muslims marry within muslims, jews marry within jews and so on. that mostly happens but in certain places like big cities where people doesnt pay much attention on religions anyone marries anyone.
same is the case in caste system. usually people in big cities dont care but in small cities it is a big deal.
caste system is alive mostly in the case of marriages in modern era, other things like untouchability and social out casting of lower caste is almost vanished even from remote villages.
PS. Actually brahmins care about castes most as they were the guardians of the system. if you ask any patels, shahs, bens, singhs etc they would less worry about castes than brahmins.
Re: Hinduism-The Cast System
Can someone please explain the cast system?
True name of HIndu Religion is Dharma that means the righteous path. According to Dharmic Scriptures (Hindu Scriptures) a fully functional society needs 4 Equal Varnas or pillars.
A person can be a part of the any Varna/pillar based on his/her Karma or work not birth.
Shudra Varna: People who are a part of the society that work as employees a form a part of this Varna.
Brahmin Varna: Their job is to spend their time in education and research and religious work. They have to educate society free of cost, as they spend most of their time in non physical labor work they are recommended not to eat meat. In turn the society takes care of them by providing food etc. They teach society free of cost and society takes care of their needs.
Vaishya Varna: These people are business owners or enterpreneurs of the society. They create wealth and employ people.
Kashtriya Varna: Armed forces that protect any society. They can eat meat as they indulge in physical work.
Vedic society was based on your Work and Karma not your birth. A Shudra's child can be a Brahmin, if he chooses the work and study religion and educating people.
This is not a vertical or hierarchical division of society but a horizontal division of society based on your work.
Today All successful societies have these 4 strong pillars.
For Example American society: HAs strong
Look at todays failed societies Lets say Somalia or Afganistan.
1. No Education system.
2. No Business people.
4. Too many people are in army/militias
Re: Hinduism-The Cast System
Arab / non-Arab has nothing to do with religion, there are muslim, christian and jew arabs and non-arabs. Hindu Caste is by DNA.
Caste is an english word. Its not a hindu word. English have currupted the meaning of the "Varna" system to caste system. Caste system is a vertical/pyramid system not a equal/horizontal system. Whereas "Varna system" is based on your karma and is not a pyramid.
As far as true Pyramid/Caste system is concerned, it exists in every modern society be it Muslim, Chirstian or Jewish society.
For example in Pakistan/UK you guys have a pyramid/caste system:
Lower class
Lower Middle Class
Middle Class
Upper Middle Class
Upper class.
When a Pakistani Muslim or a Chritian says he/she is from a Middle class background. He a referring to his place in the pyramid where he belongs to.
And BTW mo293 being a Muslim, which class/caste do you belong to: Middle class/Upper class/Upper mIddle class/Lower class???
Re: Hinduism-The Cast System
Caste is an english word. Its not a hindu word. English have currupted the meaning of the "Varna" system to caste system. Caste system is a vertical/pyramid system not a equal/horizontal system. Whereas "Varna system" is based on your karma and is not a pyramid.
As far as true Pyramid/Caste system is concerned, it exists in every modern society be it Muslim, Chirstian or Jewish society. For example in Pakistan/UK you guys have a pyramid/caste system:
Lower class Lower Middle Class Middle Class Upper Middle Class Upper class.
When a Pakistani Muslim or a Chritian says he/she is from a Middle class background. He a referring to his place in the pyramid where he belongs to.
And BTW mo293 being a Muslim, which class/caste do you belong to: Middle class/Upper class/Upper mIddle class/Lower class???
you are twisting words and comparing apples with oranges, In modern world when you refer to class you are refring to "non religious" entities. e.g rich, poor, drs. engineers etc... Only in Hinduism you are a low, high, middle caste by birth. There is no such thing in any other religion.
As of my caste/class I am a martian we do not have class/caste in martian orbit :)
Re: Hinduism-The Cast System
Hinduism does not deem any caste as "low". The varnas were established in the ancient Vedic society to take care of all the essential aspects of society, no function was above any other. See yamahaguy's post above.
The connotations of high-caste and low-caste were attached to these varnas by people over the years, not by the Hindu religion itself.
Re: Hinduism-The Cast System
Hinduism does not deem any caste as "low". The varnas were established in the ancient Vedic society to take care of all the essential aspects of society, no function was above any other. See yamahaguy's post above.
The connotations of high-caste and low-caste were attached to these varnas by people over the years, not by the Hindu religion itself.
Could you cut the chase and get to the point please...
Is caste by birth or not?
Re: Hinduism-The Cast System
Could you cut the chase and get to the point please...
Is caste by birth or not?
From wikipedia: In the Bhagavad-Gita 4:13, the Lord Krishna pointedly declares that not by birth/hereditary reasons, but that the class of an individual is based on each person's inherent nature and capability in doing work.
Re: Hinduism-The Cast System
From wikipedia: In the Bhagavad-Gita 4:13, the Lord Krishna pointedly declares that not by birth/hereditary reasons, but that the class of an individual is based on each person's inherent nature and capability in doing work.
ignore mo. he suffers from inferiority complex because he cannot convert his DNA.
Re: Hinduism-The Cast System
From wikipedia: In the Bhagavad-Gita 4:13, the Lord Krishna pointedly declares that not by birth/hereditary reasons, but that the class of an individual is based on each person's inherent nature and capability in doing work.
But 100s of millions of Dalits cannot convert and become Brahmin do they, how very strange.... Ambedkar has lot to say on the subject too... May be you should read his books.
PS: For kaka there is lot of burnol as usual.. LAMO