Is Buddhism Really Caste-Free?

[TTCUSM]

Vanakkam Eveyone,

It is a widespread belief among many Indians that Buddhism began as a protest movement against Hindu practices like animal sacrifice and caste discrimination.
Upinder Singh challenges this view on page 308 of A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

No religion tech such practice, These practice are just manipulation of religion done by humans to control other humans..

 

[TTCUSM]

No religion tech such practice, These practice are just manipulation of religion done by humans to control other humans..

Before giving a knee-jerk reply, you might want to actually read the link I posted.
Here are a few relevant quotes:

The creation of the monastic order had the potential for creating great social upheaval by providing a haven for social dropouts. However, the Buddhist tradition reflects a desire to maintain the status quo and specifies a number of conditions for entry. For instance, soldiers could not join without the permission of the king, slaves could not join until freed by their masters, and debtors could not join until they had paid off their debts.
...
The Pali canon reverses the Brahminical order of rank and places the Kshatriya higher than the Brahmana.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Before giving a knee-jerk reply, you might want to actually read the link I posted.
Here are a few relevant quotes:

Knee-jerk reply indeed, but not me..

You missed the nature of my post..

 

[HeinzGud]

No, Buddhism is not cast free but the cast holds no prominent stance in Buddhism.

 

[pmaitra]

Before giving a knee-jerk reply, you might want to actually read the link I posted.
Here are a few relevant quotes:

I read your link. It clearly states that jati and varna are irrelevant in the new order called sangha. Now, you asked the question "Is Buddhism Really Caste-Free?" The answer to the literal interpretation is Yes. If you want to argue, you can, on what people do instead of what people are supposed to do.

 

[Mad Indian]

Dude, India has twisted even casteless religions, which explicitly state that all Believers(this is wrong too, but OT) are equal into ones with castes. How do you expect buddhism to have a chance in this Society? In several parts of India even intermarriage between Christians and Hindus are allowed as long as they are in same caste. That rigid caste system in India is.

 

[Tronic]

No religion in India is caste free. Caste transcends religion in South Asia.

 

[niharjhatn]

Unfortunately every religious group these days believes in the "holy man" or those of a certain birth that are better than others... whether it be the pope or the dalai lama or simply someone of higher birth...

Not implying that all such people are phonies, but only religion in its purest sense - i.e. struggle WITHIN oneself - is free from caste. As soon as groups become involved, discrimination (to various degrees of course) is bound to happen.

India's caste system was further bastardised by views of aryan invasion.

And then you have companies like fair and lovely trying to take advantage of the situation

 

[W.G.Ewald]

We may find that Heaven is not caste-free. What then?