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evolution of the caste system from the classes in the Rigveda
is
important to students of social history inasmuch as "it
affected the
status of citizens and affected their duties as
members of the body politic". A man's position in later
days was
determined by the caste in which he was born
and not
by his intrinsic merits or character.
_even the
Though the Buddhists waged a severe war against
the caste system and the Br膩hma峁嘺 superiority, it is a
mistake to
suppose that the caste system was non-existent
in the
Buddhist age. As a matter of
Buddhist writings recognized the formal castes. In
contrast to the
Brahmanical works which state that the
Br膩hma峁嘺 superiority was throughout unchallenged, the
Buddhist writers
show a distinct Ksatriya bias and put the
Ksatriya
claim to undisputed superiority, the Jain writers
supporting
them. In spite of the crushing attitude towards
the
Br膩hma峁嘺s, we find many instances of the Br膩hma峁嘺s
being
regarded with respect in the Buddhist age.
caste
system did exist in the Buddhist age though some
The
restrictions
as to food and occupation were relaxed. After
the revival
of the Br膩hma峁嘺s under the Guptas, the
Br膩hma峁嘺s emerged as the supreme race and the rules of
the
caste system were made rigid and inelastic. Among
the
writings on the caste system both from the pen of Indian
and
foreign writers almost all of whom indulge in
attacking
and condemning the system, one is rather
relieved to
read of the different note struck by Prof.
Viswanatha when he says that "the caste laws were laws of
spiritual
eugenics intended to foster and promote the
evolution
of a superior race".
8 With regard to the occupations of these different
castes, they were more or less fixed. It was the duty of
the Br膩hma峁嘺s to study and teach the Vedas, to perform
sacrifices
and officiate at sacrifices, to give charity and
receive gifts
. The Ksatriya took to himself the protection
of the
people, charity, performance of sacrifices, study and
non-
attachment to pleasure. The Vai艣yas
themselves in cattle-rearing, agriculture, charity,
engaged
performance of sacrifices, study, trade and money-lending.
The only duty of the
S奴dras was to serve the persons of the
three higher
castes. At first these rules were very rigid. No.
1 Banerji, Pub. Adm. p. 20.
3 Racial Synthesis, p. 149.
2 CHI, I, p. 221; Corporate Life, p. 364.
4 Manusmrti, I. 88-91; cf. also Santiparva, 72.