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Lecture Notes

There is one important point I have yet to make about the importance of the caste system in ancient Indian civilization. The caste system granted several important benefits to its members, two of which I want to expand upon here. To begin, one's caste served as one's ultimate system of social support. Should one fall on hard times, become a widow or orphan, or need assistance, one's fellow caste members would take you or your children in, educate your children in the ways of the caste and/or profession, and offer food and shelter as needed. Second, belonging to a specific caste also gave a solid sense of who you were and of what your place in society was. Many ancient Indians appreciated knowing their role and place, and felt a security not available in other societies. Although to many Americans this might sound anathema, since we are taught to dream big and always try to "better" ourselves, for many Indians such a life of constant striving would be undesirable. Regardless of these very real social benefits, the fact remains that the ultimate benefit of the caste system is its intrinsic ties to moksha through the "correct" following of the religion's precepts. To do one's dharma without question and without desiring another's is to gain positive karma, which in turn leads one closer and closer to moksha, the ultimate end of becoming one with The One again, becoming a part of the universal all from where everything, including man, originally came.