Hierarchy of Varnas

The four stations of life in the traditional Vedic or Hindu scripture texts are called varnas, and these varnas correspond to the group structure of Hindu society. This hierarchy of varnas is described by Kinsley:

(1) the Brahmins, who are described as priests and scholars; (2) the Kshatrias, who are said to be warriors and rulers; (3) the Vaishyas, who pursue commerce and trades; and (4) the Shudras, who are described as serfs whose duty it is to serve and support the three higher groups.

The advantages to the well-being of society can be inferred from this description. It is obvious that the first group is associated with wisdom and social ideology, which can also be associated with religious doctrine, or the source of common belief and ritual practice. It is the priestly class, even though not all Brahmins are priests per se. The second group appears to have the duty of enforcement or protection of the doctrine within society; it is the military class. The third group further protects the integrity of society by seeing to its material needs; it is the trading class. All of these groups, says Kinsley, are entitled to study the vedas. In fact, they are obligated to study the vedas as children. The fourth group, which is not given access to the scriptures, is meant to enable the other three, particularly the Brahmins, to flourish. The whole effect is to organize a very populous society and to impose clarity on the shape of that society. Kinsley also mentions a fifth gr

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les are undefined and vague, and where self-discovery is not a priority. This difference can also be explained by reference to several elements of Hindu philosophy: dharma, or one's social role; karma, or the moral law that one reaps what one sows; samsara, or the realm of individual material existence; and moksha, or release from samsara and karma. There is s slight difference of terminology in Buddhism, where dharma refers to the Buddhist law or Body of Truth, and samsara refers to the world of becoming. The purpose of Hindu life is to accomplish moksha, but it must be accomplished by way of dharma. In the West, the focus is mainly on karma and samsara, and there is not regard for dharma. Thus moksha seems hard to accomplish in the West. 3. Just as Hindu society is structured, so is Hindu belief about individuals. This leads to the doctrine of four stages of life. Each stage of life is referred to as an ashrama. The stages of life are logically connected to the progress from youth to older age in the context of the Hindu social order. Also, the first two of the stages are concerned with the physical world, where the social obligations are fulfilled, and the second two are concerned with the spiritual world, where the objecti

Category: Philosophy - H