The Social System of Aryans

1.  Explain the origins of the caste system

-          The origins of the caste system are unknown, but it was related to Hinduism. The word 'caste' is came from England or Portugal or Spain, 'Casta,' which means 'pure.' However the system was abused and became a system of racist segregation.

 2.  What does the Aryan term “varna” means?

-          The name for the original social division of Vedic people into four groups, which are subdivided into thousands of jatis in Hinduism

3.   Briefly explain or identify who was in each of the four main varnas

-          Brahman comprises the priests and teachers in society.

-          Warriors and rulers belong to the Kshatriya.

-         resembles the modern American middle class. Merchants, farmers, and artisans make up the Vaishya.

-          Sudra is the lowest of the four, people who do hard work and labor.

4.   What was the fifth varna that was eventually added and what was their role in society?

-      The people of this "fifth varna" are now called Dalits or Harijians who were formerly known as "untouchables" or "pariahs". However, this last strada is not a part of Hinduism.

5.  What does the term “jati” means?

-       Jati means a Hindu caste or distinctive social group of which there are thousands throughout India.

6.  What were some of the general rules of jati?

-      The general rule of jati is that they can only marry with jati, and also when you were born u belong to jati because your parents belong to jati, which you can’t change.

7.  What was the punishment for violating these rules?

-      For violating the rules, you get expelled from jati.

8.  What was the believed benefit of having castes and jatis in Aryan society?

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9.  What were the “Upanishads”?

-      The Upanishads are philosophical texts considered to be an early source of Hindu religion. There are more than 200 known.

10.  Explain the term “Brahman”

-      Brahman is the one supreme, universal Spirit that is the origin and support of the phenomenal universe in Hinduism. Brahman is sometimes referred to as the Absolute or Godhead which is the Divine Ground of all being. Brahman is conceived as personal ("with qualities"), impersonal ("without qualities") and supreme depending on the philosophical school.

11.  Explain the term “Samsara”

-     Samsara is the cycle of birth, life, death, rebirth or reincarnation within Hinduism, Buddhism and the other Indian religion.

12.  Explain the term “Karma”

-     Karma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies.

13.  What was “moksha” and what two things were required in order to attain it?

-     Within Indian religions, moksha is the liberation from samsara and thee concomitant suffering involved in being subject to the cycle of repeated death and reincarnation or rebirth.

14.  Briefly explain how the Upanishads explained the caste system.

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