Thread by @vakibs

In this thread, I will comment about whether “Brahminism” has anything to do with political grievances and why scapegoating “Brahmins” is off the mark.

If one wants to complain about “Varna”, Kshatriyas should one’s target. One should call that evil as “Dharma” not “Brahminism”.

For example, in the Twitter fiasco that @jack conducted with a placard titled “Smash Brahmin patriarchy”, even if patriarchy has jack-shit to do with the Caste system, and that itself has jack-shit to do with “Varna”, the placard should read “Smash Dharmic patriarchy”.

@jack Once, the Dalai Lama said that there is so much misery in this world because people are interested in their own enlightenment, and not in the others.

This shows a good contrast between Buddhism and “Brahminism”. Brahmins need to be utterly disinterested in the rest of the world.

@jack The logic of “Brahminism” is utterly harsh. You cannot save anybody else. Believing that you will save anybody else is an illusion and leads to Adharma.

You can only minimize the violence you impose on the world. But most people will perish in pain anyways. Not your business.

@jack So the point is Varna Dharma, like any other social order, is not the responsibility of Brahmins not should they care for it !

It is entirely the responsibility of Kshatriyas. I will explain why this is the case.

@jack The 4 Varnas derive from the understanding that any human being can achieve 4 different types of experiential delights or “Purushārthas” in this life: Kāma (sensual pleasures), Artha (possessions), Dharma (ethical existence) and Moksha (liberation from bodily constraints).

@jack The 4 Varnas are based on which of the “Purushārthas” a person is most interested in. Śūdras in sensual pleasures, Vaiśyas in possessions, Kshatriyas in Dharma, and Brahmins in Moksha.

It is clear Dharma is the prerogative of Kshatriyas. Moksha means letting go of *everything*.

@jack There is a hierarchy in Purushārthas based on how stable their pursuit is. Moksha stands alone by itself. Dharma is dependent (āśrita) on Moksha. Artha on Dharma. And Kāma on Artha. Correspondingly, the respective Varnas are dependent on others.

Brahmins are dependent on *none*.

@jack This is marked out in how the Varnas were considered to have arisen. Amongst the Dēvas, Agni (fire) is the Brahmin. He stands by himself and needs no one else. The 8 Dikpalas headed by Indra are Kshatriyas. The 8 Vasus are Vaiśyas. Pūshan is the Śūdra. They arose in that order.

@jack In the human society, this evolution was marked in the various Yugas. In the Satya Yuga, most people were supposed to have a comportment of Brāhmana. In Trēta Yuga, that of Kshatriya. In Dwāpara, that of Vaiśya. In Kali, that of Śūdra.

The Yugas are successively more unstable.

@jack This social evolution is exactly the opposite of what the modern anthropologists propose, who say luxuries like “ethics” and “liberation” are not thoughts that come to “primitive people”.

According to Dharma, renunciation is fundamental to achieving higher Purushārthas.

@jack So a simple life and a simple society is far more adapted to achieving Moksha or Dharma. The modern life is cluttered with too much confusion to afford such clarity.

Brahmins, especially, need to have perfect control of their mind and not hold desire for anything whatsoever.

@jack At the most extreme level, this means a dispassion even for the well-being of their own bodies, or of the society, or of the world itself. Such is the harsh unforgiving nature of Agni.

Compassion for others, for the world, or even for their own bodies is only a stepping stone.

@jack The body is sacred. The whole of Prakriti is sacred. But the Brāhmana needs to understand that he holds nothing of this Prakriti as a possession. All the transformations of nature, or of the mind, follow a cycle of their own.

A Brāhmana needs to cultivate dispassion over this.

@jack There is only one condition that is placed on the Brahmins. That they don’t refuse any sincere seeker who approaches them for knowledge. Especially if they possess supreme knowledge by direct experience, they should not hide it. That’s all.

But they cannot save anybody/anything.

@jack A Brahmin should not wish harm on anything. He should not commit violence in thoughts or deeds on anything. He should seek for the well-being of every person and every species of life. That is the Swasti Mantra. But this is only for *health*, in the pursuit for liberation.

@jack This is it. Dharma is the prerogative of Kshatriyas, who understand the terrible unforgiving nature of this world, *and who realize the necessity of holding on to Brāhmanas as the source of knowledge*. If Dharma is destroyed, that’s the problem of Kshatriyas alone.

@jack So if anybody has any complaints about whatever socio-political grudges, address them to Kshatriyas. The Brāhmanas should not care a damn thing. Even if temples and Teerthaa are destroyed, they are not needed by Brāhmins. They can still perform their Yajña and guard their Tejas.

@jack The utter foolishness and arrogance of society in this age probably deserves all the pain inflicted on it.

Leave Brahmins alone. They don’t need any savior. And they don’t need to be scapegoated for anything.

A Purohita (well-wisher) can do *nothing* if people don’t want him.