Religion paper
Malikbinn
CASTESYSTEM.pptxCASTE SYSTEM
The Intermingling of Religion, Class & Culture
The Four Main Castes
Brahmins: priests, philosophers, the learned; the most pure
Kshatriyas: military leaders, CEOs, former royalty
Vaishyas: skilled workers, merchant class
Shudras: unskilled workers, servants, day laborers
The castes are further subdivided into hundreds of sub-castes
UNTOUCHABLES: Out-of-Caste
Perform the lowest duties: cleaning sewers, disposing of corpses, etc.
Almost always marry other untouchables
Prescribed in Laws of Manu (ca. 200 C.E.)
As many as 25% of Hinduism’s 800 million adherents are outcastes
India’s constitution (1948) forbids discrimination against them
They refer to themselves as “dalits” the oppressed
Ghandi called them “harijan,” children of God
Some dalits have converted to Buddhism or Christianity to shake off the stigma
The Stages in Life
Student (from birth to completion of one’s education)
Householder (working/career and family-raising years)
Retired person
Sannyasi/renunciant (those who has left society behind and devoted themselves to a devotional life via one of the yoga paths). This stage is for the few not the many.
