Cywilizacja bramińska

Abstract

Religion, although draws its ultimate justification out of para-cultural sources, it is bound with it, penetrates and expresses it in different cultures. Because a man, as a subject of religion is also “a cultural fact” in his behaviour and substance mainly by the fact that he is a creator of culture. In the model of traditional of the social Indian culture the concept of freedom of an individual as political ideal disappears. The freedom cannot be reconciled with institution of castes. By the fact of birth in a given caste an individual receives a personal “ration” of virtues. Social ideal was always scrupulous fulfilment of duties resulted from the position held in a social hierarchy, in local community and in a family. The Hindu name of caste is “dgati”: “the kind” as the meaning for example a kind of animals or plants. Castes are smaller units than “varna” and they could be described by various features: origin, place of residence, occupation – profession, wedding rules, diet (which for example for certain Braminian castes is tightly vegetarian; the untouched, however, are allowed to eat even beef). Detailed report of individual castes duties and regulations legally binding under a religious sanction had been proclaimed in the book of legislation Manu (VIII-II century before Christ).