Buddha and the caste system

by P. Wattegama

While the principal objective of the Buddha was the spiritual reform of mankind and the deliverance of suffering humanity from the bonds of Sansaric existence, it is more than a truism to say that the Buddha had an abiding concern for the problems faced by the contemporary society.

The Buddha delivered a number of Suttas to expose the effects of social evils and to bring about a reformation through a revolution of thought. A social inequality that Buddha sought to mitigate both by salutary advice as well as personal example were the Indian caste system which had, by that time, penetrated, deep into the society.

The Indian caste system was a social stratification which had originated with the Aryan colonisation of Northern part of India. The Aryan invaders who conquered the indigenous tribal Dasyus about 1500 B.C. claimed superiority over the natives on the strength of their victory and their fair complexion and planted the seeds of racial superiority which developed into the caste system in due course.

A further development followed which divided the society into groups based on occupations. Warriors and officers in the king’s service came to be called Kshatriyas, the priestly class including teachers Brahmins, skilled artisans including farmers Vaishyan and the menial workers Sudras. With the growth of Vedic religion, social divisions were given a religious dimension. Vedic sages propounded a Theory of Creation and converted the social groupings into a product of divine ordination. Purusha Sukta of the Rig Veda states that when the Cosmic Man, Prajapathi was sacrificed his mouth brought forth the Brahmins, arms the Kshatriyas, thighs the Vishyas, and the feet the Sudras, thus establishing a hierarchy of castes. Brahmins and Kshatriyas rivalling each other claimed the highest privileges. Sudras who had to perform all slavish duties suffered most.

Of the two sublime qualities of the Buddha, Great Wisdom (Maha panna) and Great Compassion (Maha Karuna), we see the latter manifesting in full measure in the Buddha’ concern regarding the alleviation of worldly miseries of the people. In this respect, social discrimination was one of the subjects that engaged the attention of the Buddha. The Buddha saw in the caste system of the day a pernicious practice of grouping human beings into horizontal layers for purposes of privilege and power on grounds of birth.

The Buddha proclaimed that no man could be either superior or inferior in society on account of birth. While inequalities and social distinctions are facts of life which cannot be eliminated altogether, they must draw their validity from reasons that are just and fair.

The Buddha has devoted a number of Suttas to drive home the fallacy of the institution of caste. Vasettha Sutta (Sutta Nipata) records Buddha’s admonition to two Brahmin students who could not reach a settlement whether it was birth or character that determined the status of a Brahmin.

In a long discourse the Buddha explained to them that it was the conduct that makes a man noble or mean; birth and other accidents do not count at all. The Buddha’s approach to this problem was based on ethics.

In this Sutta the Buddha proclaim the concept of the biological unity of mankind. He pointed out that genetic variations are a feature among plants and animals. Human beings constitute one single species. Differences among men are only nominal signifying designations such as those relating to occupations. Descriptions such as the colour or hair or the skin are not fundamental. Human race remains a single unity notwithstanding all superficial and variant characteristics. Any classification as high or low, based on birth is fallacious and arbitrary. It is an affront to human dignity.

In Assalayana Sutta (Majjima Nikaya) the Buddha condemns the Brahmin addiction to the caste concept. The Buddha condemns the Brahmin claim of birth from the mouth of Brahma and questions Assalayana, almost bluntly, whether he had not seen pregnant Brahmin women.

In Madhura Sutta (Majjhima Nikaya), Thera Mahakaccayana eveals how economic strength can supersede caste in the race for superiority in society. A wealthy Sudra can employ a poor Brahmin as his servant. Poor Brahmins were earning a living even as butchers.

Vasala Sutta (Sutta Nipata) in an example to the Buddha’s methodology of giving new meaning to traditional beliefs that were held in high esteem by a deluded society. The entire teaching contained in the Sutta is summarised in one stance which says “One does not become either an outcaste (Vasala) or a Brahmin by reason of one’s birth - It is one’s conduct and action that makes one an outcast or a Brahmin. “The Sutta enumerates a series of ignoble qualities, vices and immoral acts which the Buddha categorises as distinguishing attributes of an outcast (Vasala).

The Buddha said that not all societies have multiple layers of social classes. Some societies have only two classes - wealthy masters and poor workers. The poor are not perpetually condemned to poverty. A poor but enterprising worker can achieve material success and enter the superior wealthy class while a stupid and indolent millionaire would degenerate to poverty by wasteful living.

The Buddha defined both, the Brahmin and Vasala in terms of ethical connotations. The ‘Vasala’ (outcast) is defined in this manner in the Vasala Sutta while the correlative on the ‘Brahmin’ is found in the Brahmana Vagga of the Dhammapada which contains the identifying qualities of the real ‘Brahmana’ according to the Buddha’s definition.

Esukari Sutta (Majjhima Nikaya) is another discourse which exposes the vacuity of the caste theory. The Buddha emphasises herein that members of all four castes can practise “Pure life” with equal result. The Buddha explodes the myth that can particular caste in born to rule and another to serve. No one has a hereditary claim for social superiority. The Buddha rejects also the fatalistic view that man’s lot in life is pre-ordained and declares that misfortunes can be overcome by diligence (appamada), wisdom (panna) and effort (viriya).

The Buddha’s onslaught against the caste system of the day was not limited to verbal denunciation. The Buddha demonstrated his stance of equal treatment of all human beings by admitting as Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis, members of all castes without any discrimination and giving positions of importance purely on merit.

Sunita, the scavenger, Upali the barber, Kumara Kassapa the abandoned orphan, Punna the slave girl, and Sati the fisher’s son were some of the social outcast who lost their low identity in lay life and became respected members of the Sangha.