The Essence of Hinduism

[Xan]

Thanks, storymaker, for the accurate history of castes in India, and for the clear metaphor for Brahman and all.


Xan

hello there :),

storymaker, (or others too), can you explain me why there is cast system ? where it takes source ?
Is it the same like in Europe some centuries ago, where there were Nobles, Aristocrats, workers... ?
But the difference is in the european cast system, there is no link between cast and religion, whereas in Hinduism, there is.
Another question, you said in Hinduism there is the cast system, and not in the Gita... but I thought Gita is a sort of branch of Hinduism ... ?

advance thanks for your answer

bye bye

Originally Posted by mistogan

hello there :),

storymaker, (or others too), can you explain me why there is cast system ? where it takes source ?
Is it the same like in Europe some centuries ago, where there were Nobles, Aristocrats, workers... ?
But the difference is in the european cast system, there is no link between cast and religion, whereas in Hinduism, there is.
Another question, you said in Hinduism there is the cast system, and not in the Gita... but I thought Gita is a sort of branch of Hinduism ... ?

advance thanks for your answer

bye bye

What? The Gita is based on the caste system. I think Buddha and Jesus both disdained the caste system. I am with them on this one. In the Gita, the author(s) continually tell Arjuna that he is of the warrior caste and has to comply with what he is told to do. The Gita is to me a horrid teaching.

The caste system goes all the way back to the Rig Veda, the earliest Hindu written scripture. Mohandas Gandhi said that if you just read one piece of Hindu literature, it should be the Bhagavad Gita, so one may assume that Gandhi was not troubled by the caste system. There would seem to be some fairness in it. If you lead a bad life as a Brahmin, you will likely be an Untouchable in your next one.

On the whole though, I agree with Siddhartha Gautama's view of the caste system. We are all equal in the eyes of Brahman.

Originally Posted by seekerscientist

The caste system goes all the way back to the Rig Veda, the earliest Hindu written scripture. Mohandas Gandhi said that if you just read one piece of Hindu literature, it should be the Bhagavad Gita, so one may assume that Gandhi was not troubled by the caste system. There would seem to be some fairness in it. If you lead a bad life as a Brahmin, you will likely be an Untouchable in your next one.

On the whole though, I agree with Siddhartha Gautama's view of the caste system. We are all equal in the eyes of Brahman.

If as you say we are all equal in the eyes of Brahman, which I also believe, then to me this implies we are innately free and unbound by the caste system. Isn't this what freedom seekers search for?

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by seekerscientist

The essence of Hinduism can be stated quite suscinctly: Atman is Brahman and Brahman is All.

From my observation and brief studies of Hinduism, i would add that regardless of if this is what they believe, behind it is a deep culture that we can only make believe that we understand.
My point is that IMO you have to be a part of that culture to understand the essence of Hinduism.
Would you agree?

James

That may be, but the brahmin friends that I have agree with my essence summary. They tell me that the Hindu cultural aspects that have developed over the past 5000 years tend to get in the way of the essence, rather than crystallizing it.

[BlueSky]

Hi seekerscientist,
By 'Brahmin friends' do you mean people who were raised in India?

james

My point is in a spiritual view, the cast system is completely useless. There is God and there is living things, as you said guys, everybody is equal to the supreme Deva.

I also heard that a the beginning, the cast system wasn't as strict as now: a kshatriya could become a vaishya and a vaishya could become a brahmin : only studies mattered at this time, not family background or whatever. Then the head of the system consolidated their position with a stricter system, and by bounding casts.

what would you say ?

The roots of Hinduism are from Brahmnism, Hinduism actually formed after it incorporated things from Buddhism, which means it is a heterodox religion, not an original orthodox one. Further more Brahmnism started off as an upright religion but than later was corrupted, they first worshiped genuine Divine Beings, but as that religion digressed the things they began to worship were messy looking chaotic figures resembling beasts and demons.

It was only after Brahmnism reached this crooked state that it absorbed and incorporated things from Buddhism to form Hinduism. With that said I respect anyone of all faiths, but I don't really see any spiritual value from the Hindu faith. There are multiple so-called "Gods" within the Hindu faith and many of them look like twisted and deformed creatures, with a very hideous appearance which I could never see myself worshipping let alone calling a "God". However if one can attain inner-peace from it than I guess thats all that really matters.