The Caste System

• Brahmins (priests)• Kshatriyas (warriors)• Vaishyas (traders and farmers)• Shudras (servants)

Note: untouchables were created out of darkness when Brahman created the universe

The Varnas

(four social classes)

Modern India and Caste

A. Politics and Legality– Constitution forbids practicing discrimination based upon caste – Quota Systems – more developed/modern areas; college

entrance, jobs, ect.

B. Social Characteristics– More flexible in larger urban areas– Developing India Caste unable to contain the

socioeconomic changes

C. Dalits– 160 million untouchables, 15% of population– Gandhi called untouchables Harijans Children of God– Untouchables called themselves Dalits Oppressed

Caught in Caste: Marketplace Radio Segment

• http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2006/01/03/caught_in_caste/

How and why was the reporter forced into observing the caste system against her

will?

Religion   Population   Percent  

All religions 1,028,610,328 100.00%

Hindus 827,578,868 80.456%

Muslims 138,188,240 13.434%

Christians 24,080,016 2.341%

Sikhs 19,215,730 1.868%

Buddhists 16,947,992 1.504%

Jains 4,225,053 0.41%

INDIA

Aryans In South Asia

• Aryans invaded in 1500 BCE and brought the Vedas

• Vedas – 4 texts- “eternal truth”

- the earliest texts in Hinduism

This famous cover of the National Geographic magazine of June 1985 shows a female Afghan refugee fleeing the then Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan. The picture is valuable as it vividly demonstrates the left over genetic imprint of the Aryans who founded Afghanistan nearly 4000 years ago. The girl's eyes are green, her hair light brown and her features almost indistinguishable from modern White Europeans. This then represents the last remaining traces of the Aryans in Afghanistan.

Sacred Writings• Other texts reinforce the Vedas

- Upanishad, discuss philosophy, meditation, and the nature of God; they form the core spiritual thought of Hinduism.

Epics - Mahabharata, which contains the epic poem Bhagavad Gita, “song of god”

- Ramayana, epic that tells the story of god and prince Rama and wife Sita;

Hinduism

Aum • represents the

Brahman or the Absolute

All Gods are part of ONE large force called “Brahman”

Brahman is nameless, formless, and unlimited

Deities3 principle gods:

1. Brahma, creator of the universe

2. Vishnu, preserver of the universe

3. Shiva, destroyer of the universe– These gods can take many forms because there are

creators, preservers, and destroyers for everything

Beliefs

• Polytheistic Belief in many Gods

• Pantheistic God is in everything and is infinite

• Eternal soul, atman, which is reborn many times

• Samsara, Sanskrit word meaning reincarnation

• Moksha – free your soul from your body so that you can unite with Brahman

– Cannot be achieved in your lifetime so you must be reincarnated for Moksha to occur

• Non-Violence – All living things are equal because they are part of God’s force and have a soul

Beliefs continued…

Karmaa. Moral law which guides the universe

b. Total difference between good and bad deeds.• The balance of karma in a previous life determines

an individual’s present condition.• Your present situation is a result of your deeds in a

past existence

c. End goal is final and complete union with Atman and Brahman

Karma and Caste System

• Beliefs about rebirth and Karma tied to Caste System

1. Born into a CasteA. Remain in that caste for this lifeB. Nothing you did could change that

2. KarmaA. The reason for where you are placedB. High and Low placements are directly influenced by

your deeds from previous lifeC. Highest Cast = Brahmins = close to Moksha

Sikhism

Blend of Hinduism and IslamBasic Beliefs

1 God

Gurus

85% of 19 million in the world live in Northern India in Punjab

Sikhism

• Founded on the teachings of Nine successive gurus in fifteenth century Northern India

• Religious teachers• No priests

• Heaven and Hell not important; spiritual union with god which results in salvation

Sikhism

• Sikhism condemns blind rituals such as fasting, visiting places of pilgrimage, superstitions, worship of the dead, idol worship etc.

• Sikhism preaches that people of different races, religions, or sex are all equal in the eyes of God. It teaches the full equality of men and women.

• Women can participate in any religious function or perform any Sikh ceremony or lead the congregation in prayer.

The Five Evils of Sikhism

• Influences of ego, anger, greed, attachment and lust—known as the Five Evils—are believed to be particularly destructive.

• The fate of people exposed to the Five Evils is separation from God, and the situation may be remedied only after intensive and relentless devotion.

The 5K’s• Kesh – unkempt hair = living in harmony with

the will of god• Kanga – comb = keep hair clean and tidy• Kara – steel bracelet = restraint from evil deeds• Kacha – soldiers shorts = self-restraint• Kirpan – sword = courage and self-defense

• Amrit Ceremony - All baptized Sikh’s are bound to wear the 5 k’s

Kacha: To be worn by all baptized Sikhs as undergarment.

A kaṛā, kaṅghā and kirpān.

The 5 K’s of Sikhism

The Golden TempleHarmandir Sahib

The most significant place of worship and one of the oldest gurdwaras

The Akal Takht - before & after • India’s Prime Minister

Indira Gandhi ordered the Indian Army to invade the most sacred of all Sikh shrines, the Golden Temple complex to flush out Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale a Sikh leader

• On June 4, 1984, the Akal Takht building was heavily damaged during Operation Blue Star.

Jainism

Jainism

• Followers of Jinas (24 conquerors)– Believed in the immediate consequence of

ones behavior

• Ascetic (Abstinent)

5 Principles of JainismNonviolence

– Ahimsa

Speaking the truth– Satya

No stealing– Asteya

Sexual monogamy– Brahmacharya

Detachment from

people, places, and material things– Aparigraha

Jainism

• Jain monks can be seen with their nose and mouth covered by a cloth mask to ensure that they do not kill any germs or insects while breathing