The Sage Vashishtha, Lord Rama's Guru, was originally a kshatria who became a brahmana (the proper term for brahmin) ---.
Riverwolf
It was Visvamitra who was a kshatriya who became brahmarishi -- the highest brahmin.
...
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
The Sage Vashishtha, Lord Rama's Guru, was originally a kshatria who became a brahmana (the proper term for brahmin) ---.
Today our modern standpoint is that the (Indian) caste system is an evil and should be abolished. ----, acts as an impetus to this developement for everyone. For the world as a whole peace outside is connected deeply with peace within.
Thank you A-ManESL
I commend you for this nice post, although I see that it has elicited automatic negative reactions... and that is probably justified, given the bad press that many spiritual concepts get in secular society. It is, I think similar to the way Jihad is considered evil and the way many concepts of old and new testaments are judged as evil. We can only try to put a few words and let people form their own understanding.
Interesting. Maybe we should create a new thread for this tangential matter. I find myself wondering if there is such a thing as an automatic bad press for spiritual concepts in "secular society", and if maybe it is something that exists in India but not here "in the West".
Because, let me tell you, I was very shocked by the assertion.
Riverwolf
It was Visvamitra who was a kshatriya who became brahmarishi -- the highest brahmin.
...
Oh, I see.
So every single person is exactly the same? Every single person can be a soldier, president, plumber, priest, programmer, mathematician, poet, novelist, etc? Everybody has the same mental capacities?
Everybody has the same physical capabilities?
People with mental issues and learning disabilities should be taught in the exact same classrooms as those without such issues, instead of separate classes that can give them what they need in a mode that they can understand?
(due to some internet issues, I didn't see this post before the next one)
It isn't a contest to see who is worse, nor is my point defeated by America's faults.
Life will never be fair...but I detest a system which intentionally imposes limitations based upon family.
As for the US, I know many people who came from dirt poor backgrounds here who did well. Mobility exists.
Riverwolf
It was Visvamitra who was a kshatriya who became brahmarishi -- the highest brahmin.
...
I understand that India has made great strides against the caste system.Mobility exists in India also. There are also some benefits to being a Dalit in India. Many seats are set aside for them at the university. I know Dalit engineers here in America.
To call that a caste system looks hollow.
We lack the intent to enforce a designated social & economic status upon an individual.
The term "caste system" should mean something narrower than a general lament that "life isn't fair".
I grew up in poverty, including living for years in homeless shelters. I'm currently an electronics engineer.
I grew up in poverty, including living for years in homeless shelters. I'm currently an electronics engineer.
I agree that there is a vicious cycle of poverty, but I observe that it has more to do with social issues than financial ones, although money is part of the problem.
In Penumbra's case, I suspect that she was born an engineer.Impressive! And rare. I need to find the study, but apparently people rarely change classes - what you're born into is usually what you stay in your entire life. I wonder if I read that in a Gladwell book.
In Penumbra's case, I suspect that she was born an engineer.
There's no known cause for the condition, nor is there a cure.
I don't Power Point (too hi-tech). But if I did, I'd suffer from the excessive detail you decry.No cure necessary - delicious!
Though my adoration of engineers is thorough and devout, for the love of everything sane, must your Power Point presentations have 54 exhaustively detailed slides? Can you not prune? Why am I asking a man with 500 Hawaiian shirts?
I grew up in poverty, including living for years in homeless shelters. I'm currently an electronics engineer.
I agree that there is a vicious cycle of poverty, but I observe that it has more to do with social issues than financial ones, although money is part of the problem.
Yes, that's what I said. I said everybody was "exactly the same" and that every single person can be a blah, blah, blah, blah ...
When you talk about allowing people to explore their capacities and capabilities, why in the world would you favor a system that separates people depending on their individual interests and/or skills into social ranks rather than just allow people to freely make indepedent choices?
Among other reasons, because it is very possible that the situation has changed significantly since.