DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0065
Nomistic Brahmanism. 53
central body around which all other classes and orders
of beings revolve like satellites. Not only are they in-
vested with divine dignity, but they are bound together
by the most stringent rules, while the other castes are
separated from them and from each other by insurmount-
able barriers. The doctrine of Manu was that the deity
created distinct kinds of men, as he created varieties of
animals and plants; and that Brahmans, soldiers (Ksha-
triyas), agriculturists (Vaisyas), and servants (Sudras) were
born and must remain from birth to death as distinct from
each other as elephants, lions, oxen, and dogs, wheat, barley,
rice, and beans. A Brahman, however, could have four wives,
and marry a woman belonging to any of the three lower
castes. Inter-marriage could also take place between mem-
bers of all the four classes, or, again, between the castes which
resulted from such intercourse. Hence arose an almost end-
less number of mixed castes, every one of which is theo-
retically restricted to its own occupation and bound by its
own rules.
So long, then, as a man holds to the rules laid down by
the ancient law-givers and assents to the great Vedanta doc-
trine that the one all-pervading impersonal Spirit Brahma
underlies everything in existence, and that the spirit of man
is identical with that Spirit, he is at liberty to hold any
other religious opinions he likes, and may even assent to
the truths of Christianity. Perfection is attained by him
alone who is a strict observer of the duties of his caste and
accepts the above doctrine. Those Brahmans who are sound
in the faith with regard to Brahma, and are obedient to
Brahmanical caste-law and tradition (smriti), especially as
handed down by the great Vedantist Sankaracarya, are
called Smartas. Such is Brahmanism—such is the creed,
which, as it has no one special founder, is called ' the system
of law and religion prevalent among the Aryas' (Arya-
dharma).
central body around which all other classes and orders
of beings revolve like satellites. Not only are they in-
vested with divine dignity, but they are bound together
by the most stringent rules, while the other castes are
separated from them and from each other by insurmount-
able barriers. The doctrine of Manu was that the deity
created distinct kinds of men, as he created varieties of
animals and plants; and that Brahmans, soldiers (Ksha-
triyas), agriculturists (Vaisyas), and servants (Sudras) were
born and must remain from birth to death as distinct from
each other as elephants, lions, oxen, and dogs, wheat, barley,
rice, and beans. A Brahman, however, could have four wives,
and marry a woman belonging to any of the three lower
castes. Inter-marriage could also take place between mem-
bers of all the four classes, or, again, between the castes which
resulted from such intercourse. Hence arose an almost end-
less number of mixed castes, every one of which is theo-
retically restricted to its own occupation and bound by its
own rules.
So long, then, as a man holds to the rules laid down by
the ancient law-givers and assents to the great Vedanta doc-
trine that the one all-pervading impersonal Spirit Brahma
underlies everything in existence, and that the spirit of man
is identical with that Spirit, he is at liberty to hold any
other religious opinions he likes, and may even assent to
the truths of Christianity. Perfection is attained by him
alone who is a strict observer of the duties of his caste and
accepts the above doctrine. Those Brahmans who are sound
in the faith with regard to Brahma, and are obedient to
Brahmanical caste-law and tradition (smriti), especially as
handed down by the great Vedantist Sankaracarya, are
called Smartas. Such is Brahmanism—such is the creed,
which, as it has no one special founder, is called ' the system
of law and religion prevalent among the Aryas' (Arya-
dharma).