Brahmans: Hindrances for Preaching the Gospel in Nepal
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Gospel and Brahmans in Nepal
“The
real trouble- makers were the Brahmins, the people of high-caste, who, more
than anyone else, realized the potential danger the Christian faith would pose
to their religious establishments, should they allow it to grow, they were the
ones who urged, through intimidation and threat, the relatives of the new
converts either to reclaim them or to ostracize them from their society.”[5]
It shows that Brahmans are one of big hindrances
of entering Gospel in Nepal Nepal
CHAPTER 2
BRAHMANS IN HINDUISM
Brahman’s position in Hindu society
Practices of Brahmans
Religiously Brahman’s occupation is priest. As priest,
they spent a lot time in the temples to worship and celebrate religious events.
That is how they affect much influence to people.[12]
In ancient times, priest’s status was very preeminent. They have many wisdom
and knowledge, they used to study and teach Vedas to people. They play significant
roles of mastery over the mighty.[13]
As advisor, they advise people all kinds of matters of spiritual or temporal problems.[14]
Attending worship service is many merits for Brahmans to control emphasizing
the people’s faithfulness and urging to giving offerings.[15]
During the service, Brahmans preside all the service programs and lead even in
sacrificial animal ritual.[16]
CHAPTER 3
BRAHMANS IN SOCIETY
Brahman’s position in caste system
The basic condition to become a member of Hinduism
is to acknowledge Brahman’s rank and caste system. Mark Johnson defined in his
journal
“Caste
system is a form of hierarchical stratification in which the necessary
statements and judgments about relative status are couched predominantly in a traditional
ritual language.”[17]
It is connected deeply with social and
individual life style and it is a significant factor in Hindu society. It is needed
to keep stronger the Hindu society and confirm higher the position of Brahman.
“Caste determines an individual's behavior, obligations,
and expectations. All the social, economic, religious, legal, and political
activities of a caste society are prescribed by sanctions that determine and
limit access to land, position of political power, and command of human labor.”[18]
Caste system can be divided four groups
largely: first class is Brahman, second class is Chetris, third is vaisya and
the last class is Sudra.[19]
Brahmans is the highest class among other classes. “Chetris are king, politicians,
soldiers etc and reign country and protect Brahman. They can lead service.
Vaisya is merchants, farmer and artist and they can not lead the service. Sudra
is servants of upper class and they can not attend all service.”[20]
Sudra is the bottom of the hierarchy and they are regard of pollution and not
pure.[21]
“Brahman has had the dominant role in the modern kingdom of Nepal
“People
should protect the Brahmans by performing four duties-by (showing him) respect
and liberality, acknowledging his invincibility and by granting him security
against capital punishment.”[24]
Their attitude toward other castes
Brahman’s attitude to other castes is showed through
their culture and customs of life and social structure. Because of hierarchy
social system, they are an upper class and have many privileges and powers.
These kinds of privileges make them more superior themselves and arrogant and
they are really trying keeping the high rank and advantages. These following
examples prove this saying. “Each cast is strictly endogamous and inter-caste
marriage is not tolerated.”[25]
Brahmans marry only to Brahmans and they avoid marrying to lower castes which
means they want to preserve the purity of blood.[26]
Geologically most Brahmans live together with same class and do not live with
lower castes. “More than half of all Brahmans and Chetris live in the western
hills, where they form about eighty percent of that area’s total population.”[27]
Their life style also shows that they do not eat meal together with other low
caste and do not use a same table with them and also they do not have touch to them.[28]
The other character is that Brahmans have many forbidden food especially meat
comparing lower class. “The Newars, most of the lower castes, are great
consumers of Buffaloes, and of goats, sheep, ducks and fowls.”[29]
However Brahmans do not have such meat. The reason why they do not eat meat is
that pure people Brahmans can not eat unclean food. Brahmans want to
characterize in distinguish and separation with other class.
CHAPTER 4
BRAHMANS AND OTHER
RELIGIONS
“In 1991,
approximately 89.5 percent of the Nepalese people identified themselves as
Hindus. Buddhists and Muslims comprised only 5.3 and 2.7 percent, respectively.
The remainder followed other religions, including Christianity.”[30] These religions
synthesis an integral social life and culture and intermingle with Buddhism.[31] Because
of this religion dualism, there is not religion conflict and they exist with
harmony.[32]
Hinduism:
As the statistics show that around 90% of Nepal
“Buddhism
had its origin in the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, a Kshatriya caste prince
of the Sakya clan. The Buddha accepted or reinterpreted the basic concepts of
Hinduism, such as karma, samsara,
dharma, and moksha.”[33] Buddhism
in Hindu society emphasizes pessimism and renunciation. Nirvana is similar in
Moksha (salvation) in Hindu and metaphysical religion.[34] People worship
Both Hindu and Buddha’s deities, Brahman and Buddhist
Priesthood
work together and two religions are co-existing and
interacting
freely.[35]
Muslim: In
the late 15th and early 16th centuries first Muslims,
kashmiri traders came to Nepal
Tantrism is a combined religion with Hindu’s Vedas
and Upanishads and Buddhism’s doctrines and ritual. In 6 centuries Tantirm developed
Tantirc Hinduism and Buddhism. After that this Tantrism is united to Hindu and Buddha’s
temple.[37]
Brahman’s attitude of other religions, Buddhism,
Muslim, Tantrism is not negative. It is that because most Brahman are holding
Hinduism and other religions are all connected and mixed with Hinduism. Their doctrines
and teachings do not conflict with Hinduism and they do not evangelism also. The
Hinduism acknowledges and supports Brahman’s status and as priest’s role. There
are no problems to keep Brahman their own position with other religions.
Brahmans and Christianity
Historical
process of Christianity’s persecution
However it is a different story to Christianity.
Brahman’s attitude to Christianity is different from other religions. Unlike
other religion, Christianity is struggling from first time entering Gospel to Nepal Nepal Darjeeling Nepal Nepal
“The
followers of Christianity, Islam and other religions should not preach or
proselytize Hindus disturbing Hinduism. If someone has preached, he should be
imprisoned for six years and if a foreigner is found guilty of preaching he should
be expelled from the country. If any Hindu changes his religion to any of the
above mentioned religions, she should be imprisoned for one year. If he has
changed his religion he should return to Hinduism again.”[40]
Not only by law but also Brahmans persecute Christian
and destroy church even in present time.[41]
As Brahmans are high social rank, most prime ministers, politicians and layers
must be Brahmans. They have decision right and they use it for their benefit.
It means all Nepal
The reasons of Brahman’s rejection to Christianity
Among Nepal Christian’s
population, most of them are low caste. There are not many Brahmans.[42]
It must be a reason not accept Christianity especially Brahmans comparing other
caste.
First reason is that Bible teachings are different from Hindu’s
teachings. Bible teaches only one God and do not acknowledge other gods and
salvation can be have accepting Jesus not other ways. About caste system, Bible
teaches that human right is all same and there is not like caste concept in
Bible.[43]
If caste system disappears due to Bible teaching, Brahmans will loose their privilege
as high class. So they are afraid of spreading gospel and try to prevent Christianity.
As most Brahmans are Hindu priest, they can not accept and can not stand different
teaching from Hinduism.
Second Brahmans do not want to lose their privileges
and vested rights. Jonathan Lindell expressed about this in his book like that.
“overall
the Brahmins keep watch on the populace to see that they keep the caste rules and
then serve people in the priestly functions and out casting someone who became Christina
from before Hindu depended on the zeal of the society and the pressure of the
Brahmins.”[44]
As this study shows that Brahmans have many advantages
of politically, economically, religiously and socially. Comparing other
religions, they are regarded highly and have enjoyed their blessings especially
in Hindu society and caste system. These two systems allow Brahman’s position to
protect and to preserve. The blessings are not small and loosing these benefits
means for them to lose everything. It is natural to want to keep and hold these
advantages forever. They think that Christianity is the one which takes away
their rights and power because of its teaching. That is why they reject to
spread Gospel.
CHAPTER 5
CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bista, Dor Bahadur. People of Nepal Kathmandu : Ratna Pustak Bhandar, 1996.
Emery, G. w. and M.W. Anderson.
Things Touching the King. London
Johnson, Mark. The Quandary
of Caste Voice of Bhakti: Text in Context, Number 4: November 2002.
Lee, Chun Shim. “A Proposed Mission Strategy of the Korean Church Nepal Seoul
Lindell, Jonathan. Nepal Kathmandu , Nepal Mission Nepal
Maharjan,Mangal Man. Nepal Kathmandu , Nepal
Mendelsohn, Oliver. and
Marika Vicziany, The Untouchables. Combridge , United
Kingdom Cambridge University
Munshi, Shew Shunker Singh.
and Pandit Sri Gunanand, History of Nepal Delhi , India
Naidu, Sushil K. Nepal Society and Culture. Delhi , India
Naik, Cregory S.J, Understanding our fellow pilgrims. Gujarat , India
Perry, Cindy L. Nepali Around the World. Kathmandu , Nepal
______________. A Biographical History of the Church in Nepal Katmandu , Nepal Nepal Church
Shah,A.B. Religion and Society in India Bombay New Delhi
Sharma, Bal Krishna. The orginal of Caste System in Hinduism and
its Relevance in the Present context. Kathmandu ,
Nepal
Smart,Ninian. The World’s Religions. Cambridge , United Kingdom Cambridge
Vaidya, T.R. and B.R. Bajracharya , Nepal
[1] Chun Shim Lee, “A Proposed Mission
Strategy of the Korean
Church Nepal Seoul
[2] Cindy Perry, A Biographical History of the Church in Nepal
[3] Ibid., 4.
[4] Ibid., 11-12.
[5] G. w. Emery and M.W.
Anderson, Things Touching the King,
(London: Marshall, Morgan and Scott, 1952), 94-96; quoted in Cindy Perry, A Biographical History of the Church in
Nepal (Katmandu, Nepal: Nepal Church History Project, 1989), 11.
[6]T.R. Vaidya and B.R. Bajracharya , Nepal
[7]Mangal Man Maharjan, Comparative Study of Hinduism and
Christianity in Nepal Kathmandu , Nepal
[8]Ibid., 41-53.
[9]Ibid.,155-157.
[10] Ibid., 47.
[11] Ninian Smart, The World’s Religions (Cambridge, United
Kingdom: Cambridge, 1998), 73.
[12] Munshi Shew Shunker Singh
and Pandit Sri Gunanand, History of Nepal
[13] Cregory Naik, S.J, Understanding our fellow pilgrims (Gujarat , India
[14] Bal Krishna Sharma, The orginal of Caste System in Hinduism and
its Relevance in the Present context (Kathmandu, Nepal: Samdan Publishers,
1999), 39.
[15]Ninian Smart, 87.
[16]A.B Shah, Religion and Society in India
[17]Mark Johnson, The Quandary
of Caste Voice of Bhakti: Text in Context, Number 4: November 2002.
[18]“Caste
and Ethnicity,” Google; available from http://countrystudies.us/nepal/;
Internet; accessed 28 May
2004 .
[19]Chun Shim Lee, 31.
[20]Ibid.,32.
[21]Oliver Mendelsohn and Marika
Vicziany, The Untouchables
(Combridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 1998), 6.
[22]Dor Bahadur Bista, People of Nepal
[23]Bal Krishna Sharma, 38.
[24] Ibid., 38-39.
[25] Sushil K. Naidu, Nepal
[26] Bal Krishna Sharma, 4.
[27] Dor Bahadur Bista, 1.
[28] Chun Shim Lee, 33.
[29] T.R. Vaidya and B.R.
Bajracharya,18.
[30]“Religion and Society.” Google; available from http://countrystudies.us/nepal/33.htm;
Internet; accessed 28 May
2004 .
[31]Karl
Samson, Jane Aukshunas, “Frommer's Nepal 28 May 2004 .
[32]“Religion and Society.” Google; available
from http://countrystudies.us/nepal/33.htm; internet; accessed date 28 May
2004 .
[33]Ibid.
[34] Chun Shim Lee.,36.
[35] Cindy L. Perry, Nepali Around the World (Kathmandu,
Nepal: Ekta Books, 1997), 5-6.
[36] Dor Bahadur Bista, 160-166.
[37] Chum Shim Lee, 40.
[38]Cindy Perry, 27.
[39]Ibid, 11.
[40]Mangal Man Maharjan, 11.
[41]International Christian
Concern, “Persecution on Nepal May 31,
2004 .
[42]Joshua Project, “people
groups by country” Google; available from
http://joshuaproject.net/countries.php?rog3=NP; Internet; accessed May 31, 2004 .
[43]Mangal Man Maharjan,
153-159.
[44] Jonathan Lindell for the
United Mission Nepal Nepal
[45]Joshua Project, “list of
Unreachedpeople in Nepal 29
May, 2004