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Know all human beings to be repositories of Divine Light”
Stop not to inquire about their caste;
In the hereafter there are no castes.
Shri Guru. Granth Sahir 8:3.I
Sikhism
The whole idea of caste is something that I have never understood. Why one group of people should be “better” than another group. And then have to stay that way and for some of them to be designated “untouchable” absolutely boggles my mind.
At one time I had a student from India in my class. It became obvious to me that their family was from the Brahman caste in the way they held themselves and the way they behaved toward others. I didn’t say anything about it because it was not the child who behaved that way but rather the mother. They had brought their culture with them.
I can also remember when I was in Egypt that there were some people there who felt that they were “superior” to others. They were bemoaning the fact that Cairo was no longer the “Paris” of Mediterranean. It was obvious that having money defined them as “better” than the others. There was one woman who was rude enough to laugh at me for putting salt on my watermelon. Her self-perceived superiority was showing through.
The belief in some countries that someones "blood is Royal" or the hunt through genealogy records to prove that someone famous was their ancestor (I suppose to prove that they are "better" because of this) is incomprehensible to me. I mean So What! Blood is blood and everyone has the same or else when they need a transfusion they would only be able to use other so called "royal blood."
I have seen the same attitude from those who have “worn the purple of the fraternity” upon their honored shoulders. They forget the admonition that “he who is elevated for the moment, but serves the rest.”
No one is better than anyone else in the eye of the Divine. There is another quote from the book that fits here. Patrick uses a different version but I love the King James Version
Acts 10:34-35 (King James Version) Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
I try to see everyone as God’s perfect child. Of course, there are some people who make that extremely difficult. Their attitude and treatment of others obscure the good but it is still there. Just harder to find.
I was reminded of the concept of Namaste when I read a blog today. I share it with you here..
Namaste
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