What Is Your Caste?

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Aum Sri Sai Ram!

 

WHAT IS YOUR CASTE?

By Alexey Zborovskiy

 

The famous caste system is still popular in Bali (where the author of

this paper lives), as well as in India and other places. In a field of

religion/spirituality, the original caste system is apparently one of

the most controversial subjects. Many debates about it show how

different are views, and how much mutual disagreement is here among

people. The paper that you read right now was written with view to

contribute in establishing harmony among such persons. At the end of

each Kali Yuga (period of moral and physical degradation of humankind,

in which we live) our planet faces many big problems, such as global

pollution, increase of water level and other. These calamities, if

left uncontrolled, can lead to disaster. Therefore, let's do

something. First of all, we must understand who among us has wisdom.

Whom we shell follow? To answer this question, we must understand what

the true wisdom is? Is it merely knowledge of physical world, of all

these short and long ways to acquiring material power (such as money,

name, fame etc.)? Many political leaders possess these powers

nowadays, however we can't say the world is getting well under their

leadership. How to be with disastrous situation that the planet faces

– collapse of the ice shelf!? Can we say that air and waters are

polluted, tropical forests are almost gone, truth and simplicity are

laughed upon, youth is losing all respect to elders etc. – all this is

due to wise governing? Of course – no. Not at all. These calamities

result directly from just the opposite, i.e. - deluded, unskillful

governing! They result directly from wrong ways in which modern

leaders govern nations. These leaders, as well as those who support

them, possess all except for deep understanding of things.

 

According to Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, four-caste system was

established by God, based on qualities of individuals. It was created

for all people - as a 4-steps stairway to Divinity.

 

Qualities are many. To understand their diverse relationships, we must

somehow organize them. They all can be easily organized into 3 chief

categories, known as three gunas:

- sattwic, or pure gunas (qualities)

- rajasic, or passionate qualities

- tamasic, or deluded qualities.

The goal of Man's life is to grow from lower – tamasic – qualities to

rajasic, from rajasic – to sattwic, and further up – to God, who is

said to be above all qualities. If we want to survive, to live happily

and also to finish our life happily, then we must try understand: how

the mentioned qualities express themselves in our day-to-day living,

and how to grow from lower to higher levels. After looking for the

expressions of three famous gunas in our life (with aid of ancient

teachings) I came to following conclusions about 4 castes:

 

1. One, who cares of him/herself only, who is filled with

nationality-, or religion-based hate, who's mind is totally perverted

(like that of Adolf Hitler, or of Ravana) must be considered an

outcast. Tirans, totalitarians, terrorists, as well as many other

criminal persons belong to this group. Tamas guna (perverted

understanding of Reality, hate for God) determines vast majority of

their thoughts, words and actions.

2. One, who cares basically of him/herself and his/her family, is

shudra, or servant. Such person is generally living life of an animal,

and remembers God in times of extreme pain only.

3. Those, who care of themselves, their families, neighbors, and,

perhaps, a little more, are vaishyas, or traders (businessmen). These

persons provide food and goods for others, but their motives are

basically egoistic and depend too much on configuration of their

business. This is why - whenever situation permits - they tend to

deviate from pure means of acquiring wealth. They can, nevertheless,

have some fear of sin, and can even do complex religious rituals.

However, if you ask them for details, you'll find that they generally

have very little understanding of what they do. They understand only

superficial details, or branches, of their rituals, but not the basis,

the root. Business affairs is the area understood by them wider and

deeper than anything else. Mixed tamas- and rajas- gunas prevalue in

these individuals. Along with shudras, vaishyas form broadest category

of people today.

4. One, who cares of him/herself, his/her family, as well as of

his/her whole country, without even neglecting interests of other

countries, is truly a kshatriya: knight, defender. Such person

regularly follows spiritual discipline, though he/she may not have

perfect understanding of all details. Rajas (passion), with good

portion of sattwa (love for all), together determine actions of these

rare heroes.

5. Finally, we have those, who know both formal religion and God, or

at least make sincere attempts to get this knowledge. Being always

full of joy and sympathy to all creatures, they spend time in constant

process of reasoning on spiritual matters, combined with controlling

of their senses. These extremely rare people always live to their

words. They use all their faculties to protect interests of all living

beings. They are verily brahmins (Priests).

 

Members of all castes, as well as even the outcasts, have equal right

to be loved and respected, because nothing ripens simultaneously in

Nature. The bigger trees drop their seeds, and then provide protection

from too much sunlight and wind, so that the younger trees can grow.

So also with people. All cannot have equal level of spirituality

simultaneously. However, life without discipline, without rules, is

virtually impossible. Therefore, some limits must regulate

interactions of all castes. For the instance, under all circumstances,

brahmins must show all signs of their devotion to God. The form of God

are both Truth and Love. Truth and pure Love (i.e. Love for all

beings) cannot be separated from each other, as well as from speech

and actions of true brahmins. On the other hand, representatives of 3

other castes must show their respect to brahmins, as well as to God.

Namaskara mudras (the traditional " Namaste " greeting) and/or other

signs of respect must be shown to brahmins, who deserve them more than

others. Members of all castes must show love and respect to each other

- by sincere service to each other - in accordance with the rules set

for them. Four castes is in fact wonderful and ever actual system,

aiming to provide happiness and prosperity for everyone. Child may

want to play with a crocodile. But parents know what is better for

their offspring. They give such advise, and show such reaction which

is best for the current situation. They may show either sweetness, or

neutrality, or even harsh reaction - according to situation. Mother,

who loves her child more than herself, can even turn furious in order

to safe her child.

 

The meaning of life is far above mere eating and reproducing. If last

is the goal of life, where was need to be born as humans then? Thus we

all must understand the true meaning of our life. Then we will easily

understand caste system, and… we will restore the last! By restoring

castes in their rights – based on judging ourselves by our own deeds –

we will please our Eternal Mother – a Godhead. Because it is Purna

Avatar, our beloved Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Who Himself proclaimed that

the caste system must be recovered (see Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba:

Gita Vahini).

 

In fact, every person - no matter to what religion or nation he/she

belongs – fits well into one of 4 categories. We all combine elements

of all gunas in our characters. Thus, our caste must be determined

based on surpassing gunas. For example, I myself love to read (and

sometimes even write) about spirituality, love bhajan etc. This is

obviously expressions of sattwa. However, due to presence of some

rajas and tamas in my other actions (coffee drinking, too much sleep

etc.), I suppose myself being a developing kshatria. To determine your

caste, you can use Bhagavatgita, containing many details on the topic.

You can use all available teachings of Sai Baba. You can also analyze

your personal qualities with help of this paper of mine. Family to

which we are born, can play only a secondary role in caste

determination. As Baba says in Sutra Vahini, being born to high caste,

if we don't protect our good character, we fall down to lower level.

Contrary, being born to shudras, if only we undertake efforts, we can

change our status for a higher one. It is only a matter of our

personal effort. In spiritual field, only what is inside (i.e. our

character) counts. There are no fees, or secret formulas, or such

initiations which can change us inside. Changing our caste is only

possible though uprooting our bad habits, as well as by grace of God.

 

Four castes is an evolutionary stairway which every person has to walk

slowly – step by step. There can be no sudden jumps over one or two

steps! One, who is intending to move a step higher, must change

his/her personal qualities (character) first. Perfection in fulfilling

one's duties, or, in other terms, sincere work – according to one's

true caste – is a key to our progress.

 

Written in Bali, Jimbaran, June 2008

 

Read this paper in html- format – with links to Ice shell collapse

real time photos and other important items:

http://www.geocities.com/healingnature_alex/writings/whatisyourcaste.html