Low Caste Hindus Convert En Masse

[Guest guest]

What concerns me is not that these low-caste Hindus converted.. who can blame them? it's that some Hindus still haven't abolished the caste by birth system in their heart completely, even when we can clearly see it is a force of bigotry and discrimination.

 

Buddhists continue to show up caste conscious Hindus on their practice and outlook of compassion and equality of all beings.. so is it any surprise low-caste Hindus convert?

 

I believe the future of Hinduism must lie in Gurus like Ammachi, who disregard all caste, race and gender differences, and show compassion and love for all. If we do not develop the heart of the Ammachi devotees, most low caste Hindus will be absorbed into the Buddhist and Christian religions, where they are not treated as second Class citizens.

 

Low-caste Hindus convert en masse

By Krittivas MukherjeeSat Oct 14, 10:31 AM ET

 

news./s/nm/20061014/india_nm/india272240

 

 

Thousands of low-caste Hindus converted to Buddhism and Christianity on Saturday in protest against new laws in several Indian states that make such changes of religion difficult.

 

The ceremonies took place in the central city of Nagpur to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the conversion to Buddhism of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, a low-caste Hindu and the founder of India's democratic constitution.

 

Buddhist monks in orange robes and Christian priests administered religious vows in separate ceremonies to about 10,000 Dalits, the politically correct name for those called "untouchables" in the past.

 

Several states governed by the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have introduced or strengthened laws to stop what it says are forced conversions, mainly by Christian missionaries.

 

Most of those who converted on Saturday in one of the biggest inter-faith changes in years were poor villagers from the state of Maharashtra where Nagpur is located.

 

"You are no more a Hindu. Say you will not worship any Hindu god or goddess. Say I will never go to a temple," a Buddhist monk asked the crowd to repeat with him.

 

While more than 9,000 people converted to Buddhism chanting Buddhist mantras, over 500 others embraced Christianity by taking dips in a makeshift pool as part of the baptism process.

 

Under the new laws anyone planning to leave the Hindu fold, the country's majority faith, must obtain certificates from officials and affidavits from courts, stating they were converting out of free will and not by inducements.

 

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

 

Christian groups say these laws are aimed at curbing religious freedom and against the Indian constitution. The anti-conversion laws were condemned by Pope Benedict this year.

 

"There is complete freedom in the constitution to pick up and follow any faith you chose. Today is the celebration of that freedom," said Joseph D'Souza, president of the All India Christian Council, who presided over the baptism.

 

"This is not about religion or conversion. It is about a constitutional right, the right to practice one's own religion," said Udit Raj, president of the Indian Justice Party.

 

Dozens of riot policemen were deployed at a public park in Nagpur where the mass ceremonies took place. At the park some Dalit activists burnt a copy of Gujarat's anti-conversion law.

 

A hardline Hindu leader said the conversions were "forced".

 

"What are they talking about? Our constitution guarantees freedom of religion, not forced conversion," Prashant Harpalkar of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) said.

 

More than 16 percent of India's 1.1-billion population are Dalits, who occupy the lowest rank in a 3,000-year-old Hindu caste system.

 

Though caste discrimination is outlawed and the government has reserved quotas in educational institutions and government jobs for Dalits, they still face social discrimination in many parts of India and even violence from higher caste groups.

 

Hindus form 80 percent of secular India's population, Muslims more than 13 percent and Christians less than 3 percent. Religious minorities such as Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis make up the rest.

[niranjan]

It is a fact that more than 70 per cent of the ancient Hindu Rishis, or enlightened masters of India, belonged to the lower castes.

Valmiki and Vyasa , who wrote the epics Ramayana and Mahabharatha respectively, belonged to the lower castes.

In ancient times , one's caste was determined by one's temperament, talents and inclinations. Caste was not a barrier to the lower caste people, who rose to the level of the upper castes through their talents.

This was the reason why Kshatriyas like the Buddha and Vishwamitra , became Brahmins or men of spiritual nature and why a Brahmin like Parashurama became a Kshatriya.

This is also the reason why shudras or low caste people like Valmiki , Vyasa, Vasishtha, Narada, Drona, Karna ,Thiruvalluvar were raised to the position of a Brahmin or Kshatriya , in virtue or their superior learning or valour.

Much more of this information can be found in Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's book "Heritage of the dalits".

Shankaracharya and others , were the great caste-makers. They would sometimes get hordes of Baluchis and at once make them Kshatriyas, and also get hordes of fishermen and make them Brahmins forthwith.

It was with the advent of the foreign invasions in India, that the caste system became rigid, and migration of people to different castes were stopped.

Even then, enlightened masters from the lower castes such as Kabir, Ravi Das, Sri Narayana guru were revered by the upper castes as well.

When India gained independence due to the efforts of Hindus like Gandhi, perfect equality was thrust upon the masses of India , no matter to what caste one belonged to, thus reestablishing and continuing the ancient tradition of India.

Even the constitution of independent India , was created by a Dalit called B.R.Ambedkar.

It will take some time for the deadweight of tradition of the rigid caste system to be removed from India. But as enlightened Hinduism and Buddhism, as preached by Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and others are reaching the masses, slowly these shackles are being dissolved .

[Guest guest]

You really have to blame caste-conscious Hindus who still promote their version of the caste system. Until they sort out their discriminatory ways expect to see a rise in conversions to other religions. I'd rather see low caste people be treated as equals in Buddhism than as lesser beings in Hinduism. After all Buddhism is quite tolerant, progressive and Buddha was a son of India.

It's not that we don't have many Hindu sects opposed to hereditary caste-system, we have many, the problem is Indian society, their mentality and unwillingness to change.

[niranjan]

 

In ancient times , one's caste was determined by one's temperament, talents and inclinations and actions. Caste was not a barrier to the lower caste people, who rose to the level of the upper castes through their talents.

This was the reason why Kshatriyas like the Buddha and Vishwamitra , became Brahmins or men of spiritual nature and why a Brahmin like Parashurama became a Kshatriya.

This is also the reason why shudras or low caste people like Valmiki , Vyasa, Vasishtha, Narada, Drona, Karna ,Thiruvalluvar were raised to the position of a Brahmin or Kshatriya , in virtue or their superior learning or valour.

Much more of this information can be found in Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's book "Heritage of the dalits".

 

 

In the manu smriti , when it comes to stance of hereditary caste system, the verse below is believed to sanction support for vocational non-hereditary caste system.

 

"As the son of Shudra can attain the rank of a Brahmin, the son of Brahmin can attain rank of a shudra. Even so with him who is born of a Vaishya or a Kshatriya" (X: 65)

 

 

Paramahansa Yogananda also opposed what he called to the un-Vedic caste system as we know it today. He taught that the caste system originated in a higher age, but became degraded through ignorance and self-interest. Yogananda said:

 

 

"These were (originally) symbolic designations of the stages of spiritual refinement. They were not intended as social categories. And they were not intended to be hereditary. Things changed as the yugas [cycles of time] descended toward mental darkness. People in the higher castes wanted to make sure their children were accepted as members of their own caste. Thus, ego-identification caused them to freeze the ancient classifications into what is called the ‘caste system.’ Such was not the original intention. In obvious fact, however, the offspring of a brahmin may be a sudra by nature. And a peasant, sometimes, is a real saint.”"

—from Conversations with Yogananda, Crystal Clarity Publishers, 2003.

[niranjan]

More than 70 per cent of the ancient Rishis belonged to the lower castes. Much more information on this can be obtained from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's book "Heritage of the Dalits."

 

The caste sytem has definetely been dismantled to a certain extent. There are many shudras who have rose to the rank of Brahmin(intellectual or scholar ). Similarly many shudras have rose to the rank of Kshatriyas ( armed forces, police forces , administrators). And there are many Brahmins who have gone down to the level of the shudras and vaishyas, working as labourers or merchants or businessmen.

Slowly and steadily, the caste system in present India is reverting back to the caste system of ancient India in its original form, where one's caste is determined not by birth, but by ones talents , inclinations and karmas.

And this should be enforced as soon as possible.

[niranjan]

Vedas, the proud possession of mankind, are the foundation of Hinduism. Vedas are all-embracing, and treat the entire humanity with the same respect and dignity. Vedas speak of nobility of entire humanity (krinvanto vishvam aryam), and do not sanction any caste system or birth-based caste system. Mantra, numbered 10-13-1 in Rig Veda, addresses the entire humanity as divine children (shrunvantu vishve amrutsya putraha). Innumerable mantras in Vedas emphasise oneness, universal brotherhood, harmony, happiness, affection, unity and commonality of entire humanity. A few illustrations are given here. Vide Mantra numbered 5-60-5 in Rig Veda, the divine poet declares, “All men are brothers; no one is big, no one is small. All are equal.” Mantra numbered 16.15 in Yajur Veda reiterates that all men are brothers; no one is superior or inferior. Mantra numbered 10-191-2 in Rig Veda calls upon humanity to be united to have a common speech and a common mind. Mantra numbered 3-30-1 in Atharva Veda enjoins upon all humans to be affectionate and to love one another as the cow loves her newly-born calf. Underlining unity and harmony still further, Mantra numbered 3-30-6 in Atharva Veda commands humankind to dine together, and be as firmly united as the spokes attached to the hub of a chariot wheel.