Thread by @Aabhas24

1/n Buddhism and Caste System: A thread

It is widespread misinformation that Buddha Dharma was against Varna, Jati and related hierarchy.

Truth is that Buddha Dharma followers never went against it. Let's examine primary sources.

2/n Here are snippets from:
1)Madhurasutta (84)
2)Kannakatthala Sutta (90)
3)Assalāyanasutta (93)
4)Cullavagga IX.1.4

Which clearly talk of 4 Varnas: Brahmins, Kshatriya, Vaishya & Sudra

3/n In fact in Kannakatthalasutta (90), it is further clarified that of the four the first two are chief and deserve respect from the other two.

Read these snippets of Sutta.

4/n Jati by decent is very well recognized in Buddhist Lit. They even go on to talk of low(hina) Jatis, like, Chandala, Vena (basket makers), Nesada (hunter, trapper), Pukkusa (Scavenger), Rathakara (makers of chariot) etc.

See the reference from Suttavibhanga, Vinaya Pitaka

5/n It also talks of that an Ordained Monk who comes from a Hina Jati, is abused and is also directed for a Prayashchit.

The Vinaya Pitaka makes it very clear that Jati is based on one's descent.

6/n And it mentions that dignity of a Monk is based on:
Jati, Naam, Gotra, Karma & Craft.

There are a lot more. You may read the whole section here: archive.org/details/I.B.Ho…

7/n According to Aṅguttara Nikāya III.57.2, Buddha informs that, Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Sudras is based on birth and deeds of past.

Link to read: lirs.ru/lib/sutra/The_…

8/n jatiya nama gottena (Vinaya Patika, IV.6), jatito namato gottato (Dighyanikaya II.18), jatitthaddho (Sutta Nipata 104), clearly express of recognition of Jaati by birth only, and it also indicates importance of name, clan at the same time.

9/n According to Suttanipāta Pabbajjā Sutta, when Bimbisara asked Buddha about his identity and origin, he pointed it to be Kshatriya, Sakya Clan and Suryavansha.

10/n Ariguttara Nikaya (II.35) explains that "beings/ puggalas" are of four categories:
a)tamo tama parayano, of miserable birth and bound for misery
b)tamo jyoti parayano, of miserable birth but bound for happiness
c)joti tama parayano, of happy, good birth but bound for misery

11/n d)joti joti parayano, of happy good birth & bound for happiness.

The point that is to be noted is this that "tamo puggalas" are identified as belonging to nicha kula, low families of Vena, Nesad etc. Thus these four categories are sub yonis of Manushya yoni.

12/n The Hina Jatis are referred to as dysgenic and Unch Jatis are referred to as eugenic.

These classifications were purely based on birth based jati, kula.

13/n While the birth based Varna and Jati was very predominant (including that of Buddha followers), the Buddha's direct takes are much more nuanced, different and complex.

We need to look at the Vasettha Sutta and its interpretation.

14/n There Buddha explains Manushya is Jati and Varnas are occupation based.

But does it make Buddhism off from Casteism? No it does not, I'll elaborate further in this thread about the nuances.

Don't conclude with these half information. Much to publish.

15/n According to the Vasettha Sutta, one is Kshatriya, Brahmin, Vaishya and Shudra based on occupation not by birth.

They all belong to the same Jati, ie Manushya.

According to the Sutta 291-307, Buddha himself explains the phenomenon. Read here suttacentral.net/mn98/en/sujato…

16/n Buddha is shown to be explaining that various insects, trees, quadrupeds, reptiles, fishes birds etc as Jatis (species) distinguished by linga-bheda and distinctive anatomy. He mentions that to be reason for this Jati Bhed.

17/n According to him the four Varnas are distinct not for Jati-Bhed but for Socio-Economic Occupational differences.

Here is the snippet of the respective Sutta.

18/n Through the Sutta 611-619 Buddha is shown to be explaining that a same Human makes living through go-raksha & farming, come to be known as Krishka (farmer), making living through craft are Shilpi, those making living through trade are vanija,

19/n those making living by service of others are called presaka, those who make living through warfare are called yoddhajivi, those making living through the work of purohita are Brahmanas.

20/n In sutta 648-650, Buddha is shown to be explaining that Gotra is an imaginary appellation of identification in society, and the thing is taken so seriously by society that it became part of it.

21/n In the conclusion, Buddha makes it clear in 650 (check snippet in 19/n):

"Not by birth is one a brahmin,
not by birth is one a non-brahmin;
one is a brahmin by deed [karma],
one is a non-brahmin by deed."

22/n In the same Vasettha Sutta Vasistha & Bhardvaja ask Buddha if one becomes Brahmin by birth or by karmana ?

Buddha's explains in Sutta 612-19 that how professions are livelihood of various varnas.

23/n In Sutta 650-52, he identifies the varnas by profession (karmana). In Sutta 657-659, too Buddha explains Karmana to be equivalent to profession of livelihood than the "deeds".

So it will be wrong to interpret it latter way in order to relate with Varna by past live's deeds.