Caste System

[Harmeet Singh]

Baba Bhindrawale's qoute

General Sahib, You've commanded very large armies. I'm a stupid Jat. What do I know about these things? You should read GurbaaNee. Doing that gives power

If this is true than NOBODY should believe in caste. What is the problem here? :wub: ))))

There is a saying in Dasam Granth by Guru Sahib that

"kashitriya ka poot hoon brahmin ka nahin"

Does that mean Guru sahib belived in saying he was Khatri? It was said in a whole together different context.

The context to which this quote is being said is misinterpreted. Baba jarnail singh is probably saying he is "neecha and so neecha that he is as paapi as some who is believing in castism"

Did you see teh point Baba Jaranil ji was making here? he also calling himself stupid along with the Jaat. So if that above qoute is true he is also saying stupidity is anlogous to Jaat and therefore no body should believe in caste.

[guruji's_student]

so ur point being is?

<_< im not looking 4 an argument but persuasive txt

[Guest Jahan]

"Jatts are a race"

:wub: :D

______________________________

Include Jats in backward class category, says Jat mahasabha

Our Correspondent

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040228/...8/punjab1.htm#3

- Rajya Sabha member Dara Singh at the national conference of the All-India Jat Mahasabha held in Amritsar on Friday.

— Photo by Rajiv Sharma. (Members of the 'Jatt race' :doh: )

Amritsar, February 27

Mr Dara Singh, MP, and national president, All-India Jat Mahasabha today urged the state and Central governments to include Jats in the backward class reservation category. He was addressing the gathering at the inaugura

l session of two-day national seminar of the sabha here today.

While talking to mediapersons he said the Jats were provided reservation in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh and said state and Central governments were delaying reservation of jobs for Jats in other states and in Central Government.

Answering queries, Mr Dara Singh denied that he would take part in active politics. He, however, clarified that he might campaign for the BJP in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. He endorsed that the BJP-led NDA government wanted to make India a developed nation by 2020 as envisaged by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Earlier, he inaugurated a seminar by lighting the ceremonial lamp. He said the Jat farmers should desist from committing suicides. He alleged that the rights of Jats were always ignored by the consecutive governments due to their vested political interests.

Mr Harpal Singh Haripura, state president of the sabha called upon the Jats to fight against the social evils prevailing in the society such as female foeticide, drugs menace besides stressing on providing education to girl child and to old age people. Speaking on the occasion Dr Gurdial Singh Khehra, former joint director, Agriculture Department, Punjab, and state general secretary of the sabha said the government should provide new techniques to farmer free of cost.

[Mann_Jatt]

Punjabi Predator I am only now replying to you out of courtesy.

He was a farmer for a short time he could be implying Jatt from there

Jatt does not equal farmer I have told you that and proved it. The Punjabi word for farmer is Kisaan.

You can't be both.

I am and will be until I die. You deny that a Caucasian Christian is not both White and Christian or a Black Muslim is not Black and Muslim. I always hear about American converts of Yogi Bhajan being refer to as White Sikhs, funny how you can't stand the notion of Jatt Sikh.

It says in there that everyone is equal and that caste/class/race is finished and that you are equal to everyone else in Sikhism

Guru Nanak gave new directions to the divided society to destroy it's caste, creed, and other barriers. His preaching united all people under one category -- as equal human beings. He emphatically told them that being the children of the same Father, God, they were all equals. To implement his teachings Guru

Nanak founded the institutions of sangat and pangat where people would sit together, pray together, and eat together without any discrimination of caste, color, creed, or faith. Nobody was considered inferior or superior regardless of his birth or wealth.

I do view everyone as equals, you see you have to study the caste system at the time to understand what Guru Ji were saying. Although Jatts have never been a part of it, others were. Dalits and others were treated worse than animals and they had no basic human rights. It was this inhumane treatment that Guru Ji were against not whether you choose to marry and stick to your own ethnic group. With regards to marriage, all the Gurus married within their "caste", Khatris (please note that Guru Ji were beyond caste/race as their were of a greater being), but what I am trying to say is that if Guru Ji wanted to make a point about marriage they would of done so by marrying outside their "caste".

I promise you nothing makes me more angry then "caste" based Gurdwara.

I don't mean to offend you or anyone else in this forum but these are the facts you can't change.

I didn't disputed what Guru Ji said, you can't also deny the fact that Jatts are a ethnic group pre-dating the caste system who had and have their own culture, history and identity.

Harmeet Singh, you can try all you want but the fact remains Sant Ji recognised their Jatt background, you can twist and play with the words all you want. You are facing a losing battle on here.

As for that article, it doesn't include Punjab, doesn't matter anyhow, like I said above:

MORE LIES, anyhow, understand this, you can call me whatever you like, call me the lowest of the low, I am a Jatt, we don't care what you call us, you can never put us down, we will always walk with our heads up high. This is Jatt mentality.

As for Scheduled Castes, now that's a different issue altogether.

[PunjabiPredator]

Punjabi Predator I am only now replying to you out of courtesy.

He was a farmer for a short time he could be implying Jatt from there

Jatt does not equal farmer I have told you that and proved it. The Punjabi word for farmer is Kisaan.

To most people it means farmer to me it mean't farmer until i started looking on the internet and then some people think of it as a religion/class/caste/race/farmer

You can't be both.

I am and will be until I die. You deny that a Caucasian Christian is not both White and Christian or a Black Muslim is not Black and Muslim. I always hear about American converts of Yogi Bhajan being refer to as White Sikhs, funny how you can't stand the notion of Jatt Sikh.

Muslim and Christain are a different religion it has no meaning to us as for Yogi Bhanjan he didn't refer to them as White Sikhs it was mainly the news media and he got people from different religions and made them Sikh and didn't label them from different class/race or backgrounds.

It says in there that everyone is equal and that caste/class/race is finished and that you are equal to everyone else in Sikhism

Guru Nanak gave new directions to the divided society to destroy it's caste, creed, and other barriers. His preaching united all people under one category -- as equal human beings. He emphatically told them that being the children of the same Father, God, they were all equals. To implement his teachings Guru Nanak founded the institutions of sangat and pangat where people would sit together, pray together, and eat together without any discrimination of caste, color, creed, or faith. Nobody was considered inferior or superior regardless of his birth or wealth.

I do view everyone as equals, you see you have to study the caste system at the time to understand what Guru Ji were saying. Although Jatts have never been a part of it, others were. Dalits and others were treated worse than animals and they had no basic human rights. It was this inhumane treatment that Guru Ji were against not whether you choose to marry and stick to your own ethnic group. With regards to marriage, all the Gurus married within their "caste", Khatris (please note that Guru Ji were beyond caste/race as their were of a greater being), but what I am trying to say is that if Guru Ji wanted to make a point about marriage they would of done so by marrying outside their "caste". I promise you nothing makes me more angry then "caste" based Gurdwara.

Guru Nanak didn't just refered to caste he refered to creed, and other barriers. Look you get angry at the caste system and yet you are starting another thing that our Guru told us not to follow which is class/race they told us to treat everyone equal and to follow the Guru Granth Saab.

I don't mean to offend you or anyone else in this forum but these are the facts you can't change.

I didn't disputed what Guru Ji said, you can't also deny the fact that Jatts are a ethnic group pre-dating the caste system who had and have their own culture, history and identity.

Harmeet Singh, you can try all you want but the fact remains Sant Ji recognised their Jatt background, you can twist and play with the words all you want. You are facing a losing battle on here.

As for that article, it doesn't include Punjab, doesn't matter anyhow, like I said above:

MORE LIES, anyhow, understand this, you can call me whatever you like, call me the lowest of the low, I am a Jatt, we don't care what you call us, you can never put us down, we will always walk with our heads up high. This is Jatt mentality.

As for Scheduled Castes, now that's a different issue altogether.

Look Sant Ji could have mean't anything by that one comment i don't hear him addressing Jatt in any of his speeches and nor did he refer to himself as a Jatt-Sikh. As for the group that existed before the caste system its finished the day you became a Sikh just like our own great grandparents/great grandparents changed there religion or whatever they were believing in to become a Sikh you don't see them refering to us now as a Jatt-Hindu-Sikh do you? When our Guru Ji's told us to treat everyone equal they mean't everything not just the caste system. You are not treating everyone equal if you are remembering a race/class (Jatt) and telling everyone on this forum that most Khalistanis were Jatt. You call our Guru Ji's great then why don't you listen to them they were from different backgrounds too you don't see them mentioning that during there time the only thing they did was bring people together from differen

t class/race/caste/ and form Sikhism.

Jatts are an ethnic group or race, divided into clans which have existed before the times of the caste system, they belong to a group of invaders from Eastern Europe/Central Asia called the Scythians, tribal warriors who were the first people to tame the horse. Rajputs also belong to this group. Jatts settled in Punjab and surrounding areas like Pakistan, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan, you will not find them anywhere else. Most Jatts are Sikh whilst others are Muslim and Hindu.

Jatts have physical and mental characteristics like sharp facial features, build, skin tone, aggressive nature etc.

Jatts are fiercely independent people who have never accepted the caste system, go to the villages of Punjab and see the treatment of Brahmins (creators of the caste system) they are ridiculed and mocked.

Jatts have their own culture and traditions like Bhangra etc. Jatts only marry into other Jatt clans, e.g. Mann, Gill, Sidhu, Brar, Dhillon, some Jatt names are found in the west like Mann, Gilll, Hans, common lineage. Moonlighting of Jatt names is common, where a non-Jatt will adopt the Jatt clan name from the village they are from.

I don't call this treating people equal or following anything your Guru Ji's said. Do you honestly think this is treating everyone equal and that our Guru Ji's told us to follow this? They told us to treat everyone equal that is not treating everyone equal therefore you shouldn't be following it even if it existed a billion years ago before the caste system.

[amankaur]

Received this email bout caste, some of u may already have it thought il pop it on here, i knw its long but interesting:

MADNESS OF BELIEF IN CASTE:

JAAT-PAAT

No one should be proud of his caste. He alone is a Brahmin, who knows God.

Do not be proud of your caste, you ignorant fool! So much sin and corruption

comes from this pride.... The five elements join together, to make up the

form of the human body. Who can say which is less (inferior or bad), and

which is more (superior or good)? Says Nanak, this soul is bound by its

actions. Without meeting the True Guru, it is not liberated (sggs 1128).

<><><><>

In Gurmat — Divine Teaching or Wisdom of the Gurbani, Sri Guru Granth Sahib — there is no place for the caste system (Jaat-Paat). Baabaa Nanak introduced the concept of a society with no caste distinction. This concept was followed through by all Sikh Masters. Yet, the madness of belief in castes has a very strong hold in Sikhs! In one hand the propagators of the Sikh Dharma mouth platitudes about a casteless society preached by the Masters, but on the other hand, they practice it madly. What a paradox and hypocrisy!

Per Gurmat, any one who believes in Jaat-Paat cannot be a true Sikh; for the castes only relate to the body; not to the Self (Soul, Spirit or Truth). In other words, the caste-conscious person is a material being (Manmukh) who has confounded the Self for the physical body. Consequently, he identifies himself and others as Jatt Sikh, Saini Sikh, Bhaapaa Sikh, Rorra Sikh, Tarkhaan or Raamgarheeaa Sikh, Mazhabee Sikh, Khatree Sikh, Lavaanaa Sikh, Kookaa Sikh, Naadhaaree Sikh, Nihang Sikh, Nirmalay Sikh, Brahmin S

ikh, list goes on and on. Now, there seems to be a new class of Sikhs called Caucasian Sikhs (white or Gore Sikhs)! The result of this foolishness is as follows:

Most Sikh marriages are organized along the caste lines. Within Sikhs, if a boy or a girl from one caste marries someone from a different caste without mutual consent of their parents, it sometimes turns into a bloody tragedy. Thus, Jatt Sikh, Saini Sikh, Bhaapaa Sikh, Rorha Sikh, Tarkhaan or Raamgarheeaa Sikh, Mazhabee Sikh, Khatree Sikh, Lavaanaa Sikh, this Sikh or that Sikh, rarely intermarry.

Many Gurdwaaraas are built along the caste lines. In many Sikh villages in Punjab, Mazhabees or Dalits have their own Gurdwaaraas and even separate cremation grounds. Also, even in foreign countries, many places people have separate Gurdwaaraas based on caste system and discrimination.

Many Gurdwaaraa committees are elected along the caste lines.

Many Gurdwaaraa committee members are nominated along the caste lines.

If a group of Sikhs identifying with one caste looses control of management of a particular Gurdwaaraa to Sikhs identifying with another caste, they split and open up another Gurdwaaraa.

Many Gurdwaraas, thus, are built based on ill feelings created by the madness of belief in Jaat-Paat rather than a genuine spiritual cause.

Many times people make donations to particular Gurdwaraas strictly along the caste lines; rather than a just cause.

Many professional Bhaais and Granthees are hired or selected along the caste lines.

Many professional Kirtan singers are invited along the caste lines.

Many social contacts are based on the caste lines.

Political elections are contested along the caste lines (in addition to party lines).

What a false pretension! The Gurbani (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, SGGS) roars that the madness of false pride of caste results in two things: Sin and corruption. In spite of such strong warnings and consequences, majority of the Sikhs are inflicted with this grave disease of Jaa

t-Paat. Having said that, it should be of no surprise to see the prevalence of sin and corruption in the society; including the so-called religious places. In this context, this Gurbani Reflection will attempt to reflect on the following.

Origin Of The Pride Of Caste

Does God, Soul, Or The Self Has A Caste?

Does Caste Help After Death?

Manmukh (materialist) And Jaat-Paat

Gurmukh (spiritual being) And Jaat-Paat

Low And High Caste: What Does It Mean?

The True Caste

Cure From The Disease of Jaat-Paat

Origin Of The Pride Of Caste

Those having the false pride of caste are called "fool" and "ignorant" in the Gurbani. To put it otherwise, as the Gurbani says, those who practice caste distinction and feel pride of their belief in Jaat-Paat are foolish and spiritually ignorant beings.

But, what is ignorance? Material or body-consciousness, which gives rise to false ego (Haume), is the ignorance so much talked about in the scriptures. Opposite of the body-consciousness is the spiritual Consciousness. Therefore, according to the Gurbani, spiritual ignorance or mental blindness is the root cause of this madness called Jaat-Paat or false pride of caste.

Agian andher mahaa panth bikhraa ahankaar bhaar lad leejai: The path of spiritual ignorance is utterly dark and treacherous; the mortal is loaded down with the crushing load of egotism (sggs 1326)

Antar agian dukh bharam hai vich pardaa door payeeaass: There is ignorance and pain of doubt within, like a separating screen between the man and God (sggs 40).

Hayumai meraa jaat hai ati krodh apmaan: Ego, self-centeredness, excessive anger and pride are the caste of men (sggs 429).

Hayumai meraa jaat hai hayumai karam kamaae: This is the nature of ego, that people perform their actions in pride (sggs 466).

All living entities are under the influence of the three modes of Maya's material nature (illusion, conditioned mind, ignorance, duality, etc.). It clings to everyone except the spiritual beings. It aff

ects mortals many ways. And one of the ways Maya snares us into its illusion or hallucination is through our false pride of caste.

Aachaar biyuhaar biaapat ih jaat: It (Maya) impinges upon us through our charactor, occupation, and caste (sggs 182).

Does God, Soul, Or The Self Has A Caste?

Before we seek answer to this question, let's find out if there is any relationship between God, Soul or the Self. According to the Gurbani, in reality, there is no difference between these three. They are virtually synonymous.

Aatam mahi Ram ram mahi aatam: The Lord is in the Soul, and the Soul is in the Lord (1153).

The Gurbani declares that God has no caste. Accordingly, our Soul or the Self is also casteless. If the Spiritual Father is casteless, so are His children. Thus names, shapes, forms, castes, religions, birth, death, etc., are of the temporary material body only. One's Pure Self is free from such limitations. We are time and again reminded by the Gurbani to know this Truth — we are the casteless Self , the "Joti-Svaroop".

Mann toon joti saroop hai apnaa mool pashaan: O my mind, you are That — the true image of the Divine Light — know your Reality (sggs 441).

Then, why so many living entities are engulfed by the razing fire of madness of false pride of caste? It is so because the mortals, due to ignorance, identify themselves with the material body instead of the real Self. A spiritually blind cannot understand this. Why? Because the casteless Infinite Consciousness that the Gurbani talks about is not the subject of unmeaning rituals, lip worship, garbs, ceremonies, mundane history, culture, outer looks, material logic, scholarship, and speculations. Only a Gurmukh or a True Sikh — a Self-realized person — knows it.

Jaat ajaat ajonee sambhayu na tis bhayu na bharmaa: The caste of God is castelessness; He is unborn, self-illumined, without desire and doubt (sggs 597).

Gurmukh jaat pat sach soi: God is the caste and honor of the Gurmukh (sggs 560).

Ekam ekanka

ar niraalaa. Amar ajonee jaati na jaalaa: The Unique Lord is Peerless, Immortal, unborn, and without caste and involvement (sggs 838).

Naari purukh nahee jaat na janamaa naa ko dukh sukh paaidaa: (Before the rise of material consciousness) neither there was female, nor male, nor caste, nor birth nor did any one suffer pain or pleasure (sggs 1035).

Varan jaat chihan nahee koee sabh hukme sarist upaaidaa: God has no color, caste and mark; by His Will, He creates the whole world (sggs 1075).

The above verses of the Gurbani make it very clear that God is casteless. Also, God has no ancestry or family. Therefore, the Self or the Soul made in His True Image is also casteless. After reading this, it should not be surprising to anybody as to why Baabaa Nanak introduced the concept of a casteless society!

Jaanahu joti na pooshahu jaatee aagai jaat na he: Recognize God’s Light within all, and do not inquire or consider caste, as there is no caste in the world hereafter (sggs 349).

Does Caste Help After Death?

In the end, the body of a Gurmukh (Spiritual being) as well as a wicked person meets the death. But there is a difference in the death of both entities — a pure devotee (Gurmukh) dies in God-Consciousness and links back to the Original Source. However, to the contrary, a wicked person full of worldly nonsense dies in Spiritual blindness (or material consciousness) and suffers repeatedly.

According to Indic scriptures, death means destruction of the material body, not the Spirit Soul. Upon death of the body, the bundle of memories or energy move on to the next field of experiences. And that new experience very much depends upon one's state of being at the time of death. The state of mentality at the time of death is determined by what we practice throughout our life!

Jit laago man baasnaa ant saayee pragtaanee: That Vaasnaa or desire, to which the mind is attached, at the last moment, becomes manifest (sggs 242).

Physical body, caste, material status, titles, pow

er, beauty, name, fame, and so on, do not go along one's Soul. The Gurbani compares the pride of caste with poison. Since the poison's function is to kill, whoever tastes the poison of this false pride of caste dies in Spiritual blindness, and suffers the consequences.

Jaatee dai kiaa hath sach parkheeai. Mahuraa hovai hath mareeai chakheeai: What merits is in the caste? Truthfulness is measured within. Pride in one’s caste is like poison—he who taste it will die (sggs 142).

Dehee jaat na aagai jaae. Jitahi lekhaa mangeeai tithai chhuttai sach kamaae: Man's body and caste will not go with him to the world hereafter. Where one is called to answer for his account, there, he will be emancipated only by the practice of Truth (sggs 112).

Aggai jaat na jor hai aggai jeeoo nave: In the next world, caste and power do not count; the mortal has to deal with new beings there (sggs 469).

Why is it that the body, pride of caste, etc., do not count in the world hereafter? The reason being is that these things are external, hence, not the Real Essence. The Real Essence is the Truth, Waheguru, who is the Divine Substance in all things and beings. He is all there is. Therefore, focusing on external things would be meaningless if this inside Reality is ignored.

Manmukh And Jaat-Paat

According to the Gurbani, one who believes in Jaat-Paat is a Manmukh (egotistic or material being). He is Spiritually blind; hence, without Intuitive Wisdom. His life is perplexed due to ignorance of his True Nature, which is Pure Consciousness. In such a perplexed state of mind, a materialist thinks that this world is solid or permanent. However, the inside reality is to the contrary. The only thing that is permanent is the Spirit (Infinite Consciousness) that pervades within evrybody and everything.

People in material perplexities are called in the Gurbani by different names. Such names include Manmukh, Saakat (faithless cynics), Kusang (bad company), Aatam Ghaatee (self-murderer), Chor (thief), Mayadh

aaree (Maya-stricken), Bimukhan (nonbeliever), Jhooth or Koorh (false or fake), nondevotee, demon, beast, <banned word filter activated>, fool, animal, material-being, spiritually ignorant, etc.

Thus, a Manmukh is a stubborn fanatic. Consequently, he suffers from the ailment of duality (Doojaa Bhaav), resulting in his separation from his Source, which resides in the cave of his heart. He has no Intuitive Understanding of the Shabad (Naam, Bani, Hukam or God's Will), the purpose of life, his relationship with God, and the Way of life. Due to such egotistic life, he suffers repeatedly.

Aggai naayu jaat na jaaisee Manmukh dukh khaataa: The body and caste will not go hereafter, and the Manmukh suffers (sggs 514).

Gurmukh And Jaat-Paat

A Gurmukh is a Self-Realized person. By awakening Divine Grace within, he has killed his inner ego. He is a humble being, who is jealous of no one. Ever engaged in meditaion on the Divine (Japa or Name-Simran), he is completely immersed in the Infinite Consciousness, Waheguru. Hence, a Gurmukh is a casteless being. As the Infinite Consciousness or Waheguru is casteless, so is he. All his actions are selfless; for he is purified in and out. He sees the All-pure in all. Being spiritually wise, he knows the Essence of the Divinity as all there is; in everything, everywhere, and beyond measures. That's his casteless caste! This is the sign of a true Sikh. No other mundane qualification matters.

Nanak Gurmukh gian praapat hovai timar agian andher chukaayaa: O Nanak, the Gurmukh attains spiritual wisdom, and the pitch-black darkness of ignorance is dispelled (sggs 512).

Gurmukh jaat pat Name vadiaaee: God's Name is the caste, honor, and glory of the True Sikh or Gurmukh (sggs 230).

Hari Bhagta kee jaat pat hai Ram: The caste and honor of the Lord's devotees is His Naam (sggs 768).

Hamree jaat pat sach naayu: The Name is my caste and honor (sggs 353).

Sant janaa kee jaat Hari Suaamee tum Thaaku ham saangee: God is the caste of the saintly person. You

are the Lord; I am just Your puppet (sggs 667).

Naam jaat Naam meree pat hai Naam merai parvaarai: The Name is my caste, the Name is my honor, and the Name is my family (sggs 713).

Nanak Gurmukh gian praapat hovai timar agian andher chukaayaa: O Nanak, the Gurmukh attains spiritual wisdom, and the pitch-black darkness of ignorance is dispelled (sggs 512).

Thus, a pure Sikh (a Self-realized person) is beyond any mundane caste and related false pride. Because of his pure love and devotion for God, he depends only on God. For that, God is his caste, honor, glory, family, etc.

Laale apnee jaat gavaaee: The Lord's slave lays aside his caste (sggs 363).

Low And High Caste: What Does It Mean?

It's not the family of birth, material wealth, name, fame, power, education, knowledge, external religion, titles, etc., that makes one low or high. Who is low and high depends solely on one's deeds and how he lives his life. For example, by merely taking birth in a so called Sikh or a Brahmin family, one does not become a Sikh or a Brahmin. If both of them act in material consciousness, they are not any better than a so called Shoodra (low caste beings). In fact, according to the Gurbani, one does not even become qualified to be called human being just because he is born in a human form, what to speak of low and high caste heredity!

Bin boojhe pasu bhaye betaale: Binu boojhai pasu bhaye betaale: Without Divine understanding, people become beasts and demons (sggs 224).

Kartoot pasoo kee manas jaat: Men belong to the human species, but they act like animals (sggs 267).

Manmukh tatt na jaananee pasoo maahi samaanaa: The Manmukh (material being) is a beast; he does not know the essence of Reality that is contained within himself (sggs 1009).

Mool na boojhahi aapanaa se pasooaa se dhor jeeo: Those who do not understand their own Roots (Source); they are beasts. They are just animals! (sggs 751).

In the Gurbani, a Spiritually blind person is defined as a "low caste

" or a low class wandering person, who is bewildered by the dualistic principle of the material nature. The intellect and other faculties of such person are characteristically confined to gross matter and concerns of materiality. The Gurbani compares such person with the worm of ordure. Such Spiritually blind individual is so very much attached to the world and its objects that he has no time or longing to practice true love for his Pure Self. In all sincerity, God's Name has no appeal to him. Thus, he is a first class hypocrite.

Andhula neech jaat pardesee khin aavai til jaavai: The spiritually blind, low caste or class wandering soul, comes for a moment, and departs in an instant (sggs 731).

Bin naavai sabh neech jaat hai bista ka keeraa hoi: Without the Name, every one is of low caste, like the worm of ordure (sggs 426).

According to the Gurbani, a Gurmukh (Spiritually wise) is the best among all. He has the Pure Intellect and capacity to comprehend the Source of the universe. He is the True Being, the knower of the Divine. His perception is through intuition. Such Gurmukh or a true Sikh or a true devotee is the Self-realized or God-intoxicated person. Except for the Waheguru, he knows that everything else is of impermanent nature.

Metee jaat hooye darbaar: Effacing my caste, I have become the Lord's courtier (sggs 875).

A person who is spiritually so elevated is wisdom-guided; for he lives in Shabad-Surti (Unconditioned Consciousness). He sees God within and without. Such individual expresses God through his God-guided intelligence, discrimintive thoughts (Viveka), and God-centered activities.

The True Caste

The preceding discussion reflects as to what constitutes a low class and a high class being. With the help of this understanding, we can try to know the real nature of a "true caste" or true class. It is not the family caste, social status, or the ancestary that gives a person the status of Supreme Dignity. It is the Unconditioned Consciousness — Shabad-Surti or Go

d Consciousness — that determines the true status of a person. Simply put: A person immersed in Divine Name (Pure Consciousness) is of High Class; to the contrary, a person immersed in material consciousness is of low class.

Jaat ajaat Naam jin dhiaaiaa tin param padaarath paayaa: Of high caste, or low one, whosoever meditate on the Naam, he obtains the supreme wealth (sggs 574).

Karam dharam tere Naam kee jaat: Good actions, religion, and high caste are contained in God's Name (sggs 154).

Bastaa tootee jhumpree cheer sabh chhinna. Jaat na pat na aadro......: He dwells in a broken-down shack, in tattered clothes, with no social status, no honor and no respect; he wanders in the wilderness, with no friend or lover, without wealth, beauty, relatives or relations. Even so, he is the king of the whole world, if his mind is imbued with the Divine Name. With the dust of his feet, men are redeemed, because God is very pleased with him (sggs 707).

The Gurbani teaches us that there were no castes or social classes, no religious robes, etc., before the rise of the material world (Maya or conditioned consciousness). The so-called four castes — the Brahmins, Kshatriya, Vheshyas, Shudras or Dalits — came into being afterwards. Like the Gurbani, no where in Vedic literature has it been stated that one is born Brahmin or Kshatriya or Vheshya or Shudra or Dalit. So called four castes are nothing more than four general divisions which totally depended on quality of the person. Therefore, had nothing to do with the castes, race, creed, and skin-color as these are understood today. Unfortunately, with the passage of time, the real meaning of this diversity has been lost.

In spite of the fact that no true scripture or spiritual teacher supports the caste system, there is a rigid caste system among the Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists, Jain, and so on. For instance, in their villages, Shudras or Dalits are not even allowed to draw water from wells used by so-called upper castes, or enter the temples managed by

the upper caste. What a shameful hypocrisy!

What went wrong? The weakness of our religions is that their propagators do not practice what they preach. As a result, what has remained of the great teachings of the Masters and the scriptures is the unmeaning rituals, lip worship, showoff spirituality, religious robes, dogmas, and so on. People indulge in so-called religious activities but hardly ever bother to better themselves, mend their ways, change their mentality or know "Who I am?". Consequently, the man is unable to embrace all mankind as one so preached in the scriptures.

Due to this stupidity of the propagators of religions, many people become converts, particularly those deprived, discriminated against and destitute tribal and lower castes. It's equally shameful for other religions to manipulate and exploit such people by converting them into their respective religion for ulterior purposes. Is this the solution? No. Because, by converting others, all they are doing is magnifying the problem by creating more divisions, differences, discrimination, fanaticism, and hatred in the world. At the present, all organized religions are inflicted with error. In the words of a great one, "But religion is not always purely known — and even less often purely practiced — which gives rise to differences."

The sage Tulsidaas says: "At the touch of the philosopher's stone, metals become gold. Likewise all castes, even the butcher and the untouchable, become pure by repeating the Divine Name. Without the Name the people of the four castes are but butchers."

Hence, to classify or identify a person with certain caste based on his heredity or family of birth is shear ignorance. The quality of the Jeeva (individual being) depends on one's attributes and actions. In other words, one's quality is determined by how he responds to the three modes of the material nature, not by heredity, race, caste, color, or some other nonsense notions.

As indicated in the Gurbani, all ar

e equal in respect to the Spiritual Teachings. Therefore, the one who, as a Spiritual being (Gurmukh), chants and meditates on the Divine Name attains liberation while living in the body and obtains the Supreme Status. Other mundane qualifications do not matter a bit.

Agge paalaa kee kare sooraj kehee raat...: What can the cold do to the fire? How can the night affect the sun? What can the darkness do to the moon? What can caste do to air and water? What are personal possessions to the earth, from which all things are produced? O Nanak, he alone is known as honorable, whose honor the Lord preserves (sggs 150).

The Gurbani lists many Enlightened Beings who came from the so-called "low caste" families, but through the Divine Name, they all attained the Supreme Status. For example, Naamdeva, a calico-printer of little material worth, became worthy of Praise; Kabeer was of weaver caste, but by cherishing the Divine Love, he became the Treasure of Virtue. Ravidas, the cobbler, who carted the dead animals, abandoned the love of Maya; and became renowned; Sain, the barber, who was engaged in doing odd little things, became known when he enshrined the Transcendent Consciousness in the Mind; Dhanna, the farmer, also became dedicated to the God's Way, and he was ushered into the Divine Presence within; Bidura, the son of a maid-servant, became realized through the Name; Baalmeek became a sage; the list goes on and on.

Oshee mat meree jaat julaaha. Hari kaa naam lahio mai laahaa: Says Kabir Sahib: mean is my understanding and I am a weaver by caste. I have reaped the profit of the God's Name (sggs 524).

Neech jaat Hari japtiaa uttam padvee paae. Pooshahu bidar daasee soote Kishan utriaa ghar jis jaaye: Contemplating God, men of low caste attained a High Status. Ask Bidura, the son of the slave-girl, with whom Krishna chose to abide (sggs 733).

Re chit chet chet achet. Kaahe na Baalmeekahi dekh: Be conscious, be conscious, be conscious, O my unconscious mind. Why do you not look at Baalmeek? (

sggs 1124).

Cure From The Disease of Jaat-Paat

In the mother's womb, no one knows one's caste. It is from the Seed (Shabad) of the same One Divine that the whole Creation comes into being. True is the One; and no one is separate from this Infinite Consciousness. He is here, He is hereafter. His form is One, but manifestations are many. That casteless Essence abides within the body of each and every one of us as the Pure Self. Therefore, the one who calls himself a high caste loses the Merit of his human birth.

Ek noor te sabhu jagu upjiaa kaun bhale ko mande: From this One Light, the entire universe welled up. So who is good, and who is bad? (sggs 1349).

Saahib maeraa eaeko hai: My Lord is One; He is the One and Only (sggs 350).

Ek pashaanai haumai maari: Recognize One Truth by erdaicating egoism — the error (sggs 1277).

Jo deesai so taeraa roop: Whatever is seen, O God, is Your form (sggs724).

Ek anek biaapak poorak jatt dekho tatt soee... Sabh Gobind hai sabh Gobind hai Gobind bin nahee koyee...Ghat ghat antari sarab niranti keval ek muraaree: In the one and in the many, God is pervading and permeating; wherever I look, there He is....God is everything, God is everything; without God, there is nothing at all...In each and every heart, and deep within the very nucleus of all, is the One God (sggs 485).

Thus, we know from the scriptures that we are made in the True Image of One God. Still, we behave to the contrary. Why? Because our false ego-sense or pride stands in the way as a formidable wall. Contrary to this, those who are free of egoism, for them the Truth (Waheguru) is the easiest thing to know! They live in it, "here" and "now".

Therefore, one cannot know the Truth if his actions are egotistical. In other words, it is impossible to know the Truth by constantly feeding the fire ego (Haume). Therefore, the Gurbani teaches us that, in order to know the Truth, one has to starve the false ego. Unfortunately, instead of starving it, most of us continually

feed it!

The deluded mind creates divisions. Consequently, the ignorant mind is the greatest enemy of an egotistical person. To the contrary, the same mind is the best friend of a person who has eradicated his false ego from within. Accordingly, to realize the Self, the deluded mind needs to be dissolved. As long as there is this contending mind, one will be controlled by the ego. How can one free himself from all these road blocks in the Way to realize Truth? One thing is for sure: The outer looks, mere focus on mundane culture and history, empty rituals, and all superficial and shallow practices compared to the Real Essence will not do the trick! If anything, such egotistical practices will sink one more and more and more into "darkness".

The Gurbani provides us with the sure cure and remedy. It teaches us as to how one can turn the "inverse lotus" upwards, and awaken the inner Light and see the All-pure in all. As time and again indicated in the Gurbani, the key is in becoming Spiritual Being — immersing in God Consciousness or Shabad-Surti.

Shabad mare taa jaat jaae: One rids the pride of caste by becoming Shabad-conscious (sggs 429).

Hari Hari karat jaat kul hari: Uttering God's Name, caste and lineage are effaced (sggs 874).

Naa mai jaat na pat hai naa mai thehu na thaau. Shabad bhed bhram kattiaa Gur Naam deeaa samjhaae: I have no caste or honor; I have no place or home. Pierced through by the Shabad, my doubts have been cut away. The Guru (God) has inspired me to understand the Naam (sggs 994).

Those turned Godwards belong to the caste of the True God; for they abide in their True Nature, their bosom-friend. Accordingly, the Gurbani teaches us to ever abide in the Divine Name. By singing, hearing, remembering, and contemplating the Divine Name, one is saved, caste or no caste.

Achaar biuhaar jaat Hari guneeaa: The Lord's praise is my culture, occupation, and caste (sggs 715).

The madness of cast distinction can be eliminated by the true love of

God; for the God's true lovers are ever casteless! Through the Divine love the "low caste" becomes pure, and no longer remains bewildered. How can we attain this love of God? By removing the "dirt" of hatred, desires and fear from our heart. The Gurbani declares that loving devotion is the only essential thing. That is to say, one attains Divine love by constantly keeping the Divine Name in his mind with faith and sincerity; which purifies the Inner Shrine of the Heart within. We cannot see our reflection in a dirty water. However, once the dirt is removed from water by a purifying agent, one sees his reflection in it! The Divine name is the purifying agent!

God is one, but His names are many. Therefore, what is to be remembered is that there is only one God, and that He dwells within all hearts equally. If this simple truth is realized, then the entire humanity will become a one family of single race and caste!

Maanas ki jaat sabhai ekai pahichaanvo: Recognize the entire mankind as one family (Paatshaahee 10).

[randip singh]

Hi Maan,

Let me ask you a few questions..........

1) If you are so concerened about race/caste what are you doing on a site about Sikhism that is firmly against racial/gender/caste distinctions? Would you not be better on a caste/race web site?

2) We all recognise that people are different from different backgrounds as Sikhs, but we do not make an issue of it. Why are you clearly making an issue of it?

3) Does not the term Aryan-Christian or White-Christian cunjer up images of some sort of right wing association? They why do you persist in doing the same?

4) You used the flimsy example of Guru’s marrying other Khatri’s only that all “race” purveyors use, but I have yet to find any Guru that refered to them as Khatri-Sikh or Khatri-Bedi. However you clearly do. Do you think you know better than the Guru’s?

5) Putting the issue of marriage to one side, does not all the Guru’s writings talk exclusively about equality? Then why then the need to emphasise amongst fellow Sikhs that you are racially different?

6) Why should we care whether you are racially different? Does it make you braver? Does it make you tougher? Does it make you more intelligent? (Think carefully before you answer this in the Sikh context).

7)You have mentioned earlier that Bhangra was invented by the Jatts, then if that is the case, then where are the Bhangra dancers in Haryana, UP, and Rajhasthan? Also what about Bhangra in Pakistan Punjab (non-existant)? What has happened to it? And please point out to the exact fellow who invented Bhangra, we all want to know?

8) What makes you racially different from other Punjabi’s? It certainly is not features or colour b

ecause I see black, short and flat nosed Jatts all the time in the Midlands where there is a massive community of Sikhs from Jatt backgrounds? Do they have specific DNA markers that seperate them from the rest of humanity?

9) What makes you think we care about your racial theories......afterall .........that is all they are “theories” cunjered up by one BS Dhillon from 18th Century British Historians? (You see I have debated with BS Dhillon (XXX) on this matter and he resorted to insults in the end.)

10) What makes you think Jatts were exclluded from the caste system? What makes you think they were able to by pass the Brahmanical influences? Why did so many Jatts try to become Buddhists and then Muslims and then Sikhs and finally Arya Samajists to avoid the caste system? Why are all references in Dabistan-i-Mazhib (which are Persian records from Mughal Times) refer to Jatts as Shudra or lower Vaishnav? Why did Jatts always consult Brahmins on all auspicious occaisions? Why did the Phulkian Maharaja (Sikhs from Jatt backgrounds) try and get Brahmins to pronounce them as Kshatriyas?

I have a great and deep respect for Sikhs of Jatt background. My uncle is of Jatt background, as well as several aunts, sisters in laws and wife, and they never make an issue about being Jatt, however in the last 2 to 3 years I have noticed a group of cyber-warriors determined to emphasise this Jaat-Paat stupidity over and over again..................they are continually defeated..............

.........anyway........enough questions for now...........I suspect you will call me a Jatt-Hater after you cannot answer the questions......... :e: ......but I have no time for anyone be it tarkhan, bhatra, jatt, rajput etc who is supposed to be a Sikh yet makes issu

es over caste/race when it has nothing to do with Sikhism......

[Guest Jahan]

Jatts are an ethnic group or race, divided into clans which have existed before the times of the caste system, they belong to a group of invaders from Eastern Europe/Central Asia called the Scythians, tribal warriors who were the first people to tame the horse.

:wub:

So why are there no "Jatts" in Persia or Afghanistan since these places were also invaded and ruled by Scythians and Parthians at one time or another?

According to Ibbertson, Maclagan, Rose etc the only Punjabis to be largely found in Central Asia were those of the Khatri caste. Look at the demographics of Punjab prior to 1947 partition and again you will find that the Jatt cast is most predominate in the eastern and south eastern parts of Punjab (Doba, Malwa and Haryana) ie, those areas of Punjab which were never invaded or migrated to en-mass by Persians and Central Asians.

Most Jatts are Sikh whilst others are Muslim and Hindu.

:D

Jatts have physical and mental characteristics like sharp facial features, build, skin tone, aggressive nature etc.

:doh:

- Rajya Sabha member Dara Singh at the national conference of the All-India Jat Mahasabha held in Amritsar on Friday.

I dont see any of these great German Warriors which sharp features, good builds, light skin tone etc All i see is a bunch of brown-skinned, short, dark Indians who are of Jatt caste

Jatts are fiercely independent people who have never accepted the caste system

:wub:

That is why of all the Punjabi Sikhs those who came from Jatt caste background are the biggest supporters and promoters of their forefathers caste.

Jatts have their own culture and traditions like Bhangra etc.

:wub:

Bhangra is a apart of Punjabi culture. It has nothing to do with any caste. Id like to see the Bhaiyaa Jats of UP perform Bhangra, and why not? Isnt Bhangra apart of their "Jat culture" too?

Oh thats right, its not. It is a Punjabi dance.

Jatts only marry into other Jatt clans

:wub:

My friends, here we have something called the caste system. Sadly, it is being promoted by someone who calls himself a Sikh.

Aman Kaur - Nice post

[amankaur]

KIDDA?

YH I THOUGHT NO POINT IN FIGHTING OVER THIS CASTE STUF CUS LIKE IF U DNT KNW BOUT IT ALREADY THEN IM SORRY ONLI GOD CAN HELP YOU THIS WAY I DIDNT SAY NOTHING N LET MY EMAIL SAY IT AL!

THE AMOUNT OF TIMES IV HAD THIS CONVO BOUT CASTE IS BASICALY KINDA GETIN ON MY NERVES SO IM SURE ALOT OF U GET FUSTRATED BOUT IT N AL!

FATEH!

[randip singh]

KIDDA?

YH I THOUGHT NO POINT IN FIGHTING OVER THIS CASTE STUF CUS LIKE IF U DNT KNW BOUT IT ALREADY THEN IM SORRY ONLI GOD CAN HELP YOU THIS WAY I DIDNT SAY NOTHING N LET MY EMAIL SAY IT AL!

THE AMOUNT OF TIMES IV HAD THIS CONVO BOUT CASTE IS BASICALY KINDA GETIN ON MY NERVES SO IM SURE ALOT OF U GET FUSTRATED BOUT IT N AL!

FATEH!

Aman Kaur.....there are a hard core of about two or three people who write this divisive stuff..............