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Ram:
There are many aspects of such statements. First we
donot know where from Weber was taking these quotes. Second we donot know
what exactly Buddha's quotes were and what were there tone and
meaning.
However the most important thing is that many
outsiders, and most Indians, make a misunderstanding about what exactly Buddha
preached. Many just assume that Buddha reformed Hinduism. But was it so? Many
assume and even proclaim that Buddha was against the caste system. But was he
against the caste system? Or in fact was Buddha against any system? I donot
think you will not find a single statement by Buddha that he was against this
and that.
So part of the problem is the very misconception
about what Buddhism is or was.
Thus Weber was assuming certain and things
regarding what Buddhism was supposed to be according to him and then he was
criticizing why Buddhism failed. etc
Before we go deeper into these debates, we need to
know what exactly Buddha did or tried to do.
In fact I hear similar statements about
Xongkordev. Because most Assamese just assume and write essays that
Xongkordev was trying to reform the society and that he was against the
caste system. According to me Xongkordev did not try to reform the
society. Neither Buddha tried to reform the society or
Hinduism.
Once we look from that angle, many things become
clear.
May be sometime later.
RB
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 5:33
PM
Subject: Re: [Assam] Buddhism: An
Atheistic and Anti-Caste Religion? - EdmundWeber
Dear Barua,
I sent in the article because it seems Weber has almost contradictory
views on Buddhism than those often discussed here. In fact, I was surprised
too at some of Weber's analyses and views.
In certain places, the article also claims that Buddha and Buddism was
very much caste conscious. That kind of surprised me. I thought Buddhism
at least was devoid of it. We know, Islam and Christianity (in India) do
practice some form of casteism (and maybe not as rigidly as Hindus - but they
do so.
For Instance:
"According to this Buddhist
tradition, it is thanks to the gods and in a broader sense to the
brahmanas"
or
"It seems to me that
it is important to the present discussion that the early Buddhism did not
worship the gods of the lower castes or the dalits but the gods of the higher
castes. The gods of the lower caste people, like for example Shiva, were
always a thorn in their flesh to them and to the non-Buddhist high castes
."
or
According to Buddha, and he proclaimed the point of
view of his fellow class men, the Sakiyas, belonged to the mundane society of
the brahmanas on the grounds of caste purity and mixing among the kshatriyas
According to this report the Buddhas belonged all to the
high castes, to the kshatriyas and brahmanas. Buddha says proudly about
himself "And now I, the venerable and fully enlightened one, was born a
warrior and have come from the caste of warriors, o monks."
However, to Siddharta and the monks that listened to him,
not only the varna, the hierarchical class but also the jati, the clan
respectively the family were of substantial importance.
I very little knowledge of Buddhism to start with and
hopefully you or others could clarify this dichotomy.
--Ram
On 3/28/06, Rajen
Barua <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:
It is very difficult to
summarize what exactly is his point.
It is one of those articles
which makes lot of noise but does not make any sound.
RB
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 3:39
PM
Subject: [Assam] Buddhism: An Atheistic
and Anti-Caste Religion? - EdmundWeber
As we are discussing religions, I thought netters may be interested in
what Weber has to say about Caste and atheism in Budhhhism. He has an
interesting take.
--Ram
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