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76-730: The tale of Prince Vessantara is celebrated as an annual festival in Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Cambodia. The story has slight variations in other parts of Asia: in Tibet, the story is known as the Jīnaputra Arthasiddhi Sūtra and the prince known as Arthasiddhi; in China, it is known as Taizi Xudanuo Jing and the prince is known as Sudana (須大拏太子). He is known as Shudaina-taishi in Japan. When Gautama Buddha visited his father's kingdom for

152-1032: A Brahmin family, Ramananda welcomed everyone to spiritual pursuits without discriminating anyone by gender, class, caste or religion (such as Muslims). He composed his spiritual message in poems, using widely spoken vernacular language rather than Sanskrit, to make it widely accessible. The Hindu tradition recognises him as the founder of the Hindu Ramanandi Sampradaya , the largest monastic renunciant community in Asia in modern times. Other medieval era Brahmins who led spiritual movements without social or gender discrimination included Andal (9th-century female poet), Basava (12th-century Lingayatism), Dnyaneshwar (13th-century Bhakti poet), Vallabha Acharya (16th-century Vaishnava poet), Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (14th-century Vaishnava saint) were among others. Many 18th and 19th century Brahmins are credited with religious movements that criticised idolatry . For example,

228-442: A Buddha-to-be. His mother, according to tradition, was a princess who did great meritorious deeds and wished to become the mother of the person who would be the next Buddha. After she died, the princess ascended to heaven and became one of the consorts of the deva (Buddhism) called Indra . She lived happily until the day she had to be reborn again as a human. Indra gave her ten boons she could ask for, and one of wishes she made

304-595: A Buddhist kingdom, states Leider, may have been because Hindu texts provide guidelines for such social rituals and political ceremonies, while Buddhist texts do not. The Brahmins were also consulted in the transmission, development and maintenance of law and justice system outside India. Hindu Dharmasastras , particularly Manusmriti written by the Prajapati Manu, states Anthony Reid, were "greatly honored in Burma (Myanmar), Siam (Thailand), Cambodia and Java-Bali (Indonesia) as

380-520: A distance. Today, such complete performances are rare. The Vessantara Festival or Great Birth festival was once "one of the most theatrical of all the Buddhist festivals". Monks and novices were invited to perform the characters of the Vessantara story. Some of the scenes, especially the mismatched couple formed by Jujaka, the old Brahmin, and his young wife Amittada, are attractive for the public during

456-440: A forest. The young prince and princess saw wild fruit hanging on high branches, but their parents could not reach it. Miraculously, all the trees bent their branches for them. The family then arrived at the neighbouring kingdom of Ceta. The king of Ceta was informed of their arrival and rushed to greet the prince. He was touched by their story and offered his throne, but the prince declined. He and his family also declined to stay in

532-584: A forester guarding the entrance to the Vamka Mountain and tricked him by claiming that Vessantara's banishment had been revoked. He met a hermit and tricked him as well. Finally, the brahmin Jujaka went to the forest to prince Vessantara while his wife Madri was away. He asked him for his two children, which Vessantara readily gave away. Jali and Kanha went to hide in a lotus pond. Their father found them and asked if they would help their father achieve his highest goal,

608-399: A long painted scroll held aloft by young and old and accompanied by drums and dancers, is taken in procession from the forest through the village lanes to the pagoda, bringing Prince Vessentara back to his city. In carrying the scroll, and performing the narrative, villagers create a visual and material universe conveying meanings beyond the written text. In Sri Lanka, verses of lament from

684-399: A palace. They started to live celibate lives on a mountain called Vamka. The king of Ceta ordered a hunter to patrol the entrance to the mountain, to prevent anyone from disturbing the family. Meanwhile, Jujaka, a greedy old brahmin who lived as a beggar, had a very young wife, Amittada, who was also very beautiful and hard-working. During the drought, Amittada regularly brought water from

760-685: A preface to the Vessantara Jataka festival in Thailand and Laos. Whereas the Thet Mahachat is associated to the birth of Vessantara, in Thailand, the Phi Ta Khon is another festival traditionally ascribed to a story of the Vessantara Jataka in which the Buddha in one of his past lives as a prince made a long journey and was presumed dead. The celebrations on his return were so raucous as to wake

836-512: A professor of Sanskrit and Religious studies, state, "there is no evidence in the Rigveda for an elaborate, much-subdivided and overarching caste system", and "the varna system seems to be embryonic in the Rigveda and, both then and later, a social ideal rather than a social reality". According to Vijay Nath, in the Markandeya Purana (250 CE), there are references to Brahmins who were born into

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912-435: A red-drop rain appeared. This miracle led to his followers asking, "What is this rain?" He then explained that this rain had appeared once before during his previous life. Then, he told them the story of his life as King Vessantara. King Vessantara was the son of Sañjaya, king of Sivi , and was born in the capital city of Jatuttara . At this point, Buddhist tradition regards him as a bodhisatta ( Sanskrit : bodhisattva ),

988-455: A rich man, he ate too much. His digestive system failed and he fell dead upon his plate. King Sanjaya sent his men to find Jujaka's family to seize the latter's wealth; however, his wife and in-laws were afraid of the punishment for Jujaka's treason, so they fled. Sanjaya arranged a grand procession to meet his son and daughter-in-law. The Kingdom of Kalinga also returned the white elephant, now that Kalinga had become prosperous again. This abated

1064-699: A teacher, author, strategist, philosopher, economist, jurist, and royal advisor, who assisted the first Mauryan emperor Chandragupta Maurya in his rise to power and is widely credited for having played an important role in the establishment of the Maurya Empire . Historical records from mid 1st millennium CE and later, suggest Brahmins were agriculturalists and warriors in medieval India, quite often instead of as exception. Donkin and other scholars state that Hoysala Empire records frequently mention Brahmin merchants who "carried on trade in horses, elephants and pearls" and transported goods throughout medieval India before

1140-509: Is a varna ( caste ) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the Kshatriya , Vaishya , and Shudra . The traditional occupation of Brahmins is that of priesthood ( purohit , pandit , or pujari ) at Hindu temples or at socio-religious ceremonies, and the performing of rite of passage rituals, such as solemnising a wedding with hymns and prayers. Traditionally, Brahmins are accorded

1216-428: Is celebrated with such importance. The festival is usually celebrated in the preaching hall or sala of the local temple or wat , beginning early in the morning and lasting until midnight. The festival usually takes place yearly for three full days between February and April, during the fourth lunar month. The festival includes a procession of one thousand balls of sticky rice to the temple to symbolize each verse of

1292-573: Is decorated with painted cloths. Old women roll cigarettes, make betel-nut packets, and candles. The spirit of Upagupta is invited to come from the Mekong River and enter a statue, which is then carried to the temple holding the festival. In the areas where there is no river, the spirit can be invited through normal water pipes, as in Vientiane in Laos. Upagupta is supposed to protect the ritual surroundings of

1368-589: Is in the Rigveda , occurs once, and the hymn is called Purusha Sukta . According to a hymn in Mandala 10 , Rigveda 10.90.11-2, Brahmins are described as having emerged from the mouth of Purusha , being that part of the body from which words emerge. The Purusha Sukta varna verse is now generally considered to have been inserted at a later date into the Vedic text, possibly as a charter myth . Stephanie Jamison and Joel Brereton,

1444-697: Is preliminary, at best. Most Sanskrit works are a-historic or, at least, not especially interested in presenting a chronological account of India's history. When we actually encounter history, such as in Rajatarangini or in the Gopalavamsavali of Nepal, the texts do not deal with brahmins in great detail. According to Kalhana 's Rajatarangini (12th cent. CE) and Sahyadrikhanda (5th–13th cent. CE) of Skandapurana, Brahmins are broadly classified into two groups based on geography. The northern Pancha Gauda group comprises five Brahmin communities, as mentioned in

1520-504: The Thet Mahachat or Boun Pha Vet celebrations, the Vessantara Jataka is an important part of the traditional folklore in many areas of the Southeast Asian region. Some of the scenes, especially the mismatched couple formed by Jujaka, the old Brahmin, and his young wife Amittada, are attractive for the public during the festival. While it has lost its traditional importance in some areas, in others it has gained in popularity. Scenes of

1596-697: The Vessantara Jataka Festival is known as Thet Mahachat ( Thai : เทศน์มหาชาติ ), from Maha Jati or "Great Birth", in Central Thailand ,. It is also known in Isanas Bun Phawet (Bun Phra Wes), Bun Duan Sii (' Merit-making of the fourth month') or Thet Phawet in Isan . . The Thet Mahachat is very popular both in rural and urban communities in Thailand, often with dance and drama performances, as well as festive parades and processions through

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1672-617: The 14th-century. The Pāli Canon depicts Brahmins as the most prestigious and elite non-Buddhist figures. They mention them parading their learning. The Pali Canon and other Buddhist texts such as the Jataka Tales also record the livelihood of Brahmins to have included being farmers, handicraft workers and artisans such as carpentry and architecture. Buddhist sources extensively attest, state Greg Bailey and Ian Mabbett, that Brahmins were "supporting themselves not by religious practice, but employment in all manner of secular occupations", in

1748-508: The Angkorian inscription No. K. 485, which was found at Phimeanakas temple and composed by Princess Indradevi in the 13th century AD, the Vessantara Jataka was performed as a religious dance. This tradition of performances has not completely been lost from the Khmer tradition, as the Vessantara jataka is nowadays celebrated as a theatrical performance during the festival by non-professional actors. As

1824-688: The Brahmins Raja Ram Mohan Roy led Brahmo Samaj and Dayananda Saraswati led the Arya Samaj . Some Brahmins formed an influential group in Burmese Buddhist kingdoms in 18th- and 19th-century. The court Brahmins were locally called Punna . During the Konbaung dynasty , Buddhist kings relied on their court Brahmins to consecrate them to kingship in elaborate ceremonies, and to help resolve political questions. This role of Hindu Brahmins in

1900-597: The Buddha's son. Kanha became Upalavanna, the bhikkhuni (nun). The loyal courtier who informed him of the place he should stay became Ananda , his now cousin and attendant. Jujaka became Devadatta , his now arch enemy. The white elephant became Maha Kassapa . The Vessantara Jataka is celebrated in temples during a Buddhist festival known as Thet Mahachat ( Thai : เทศน์มหาชาติ ), from Maha Jati or "Great Birth", in Central Thailand , Boun Pha Vet in Laos and as Bun Phawet (Bun Phra Wes), Bun Duan Sii (' Merit-making of

1976-637: The Buddhist and other non-Hindu tradition is Mahano . Strabo cites Megasthenes, highlighting two Indian philosophical schools Sramana and Brahmana : Megasthenes makes a different division of the philosophers, saying that they are of two kinds, one of which he calls the Brachmanes , and the other the Sarmanes ... Patrick Olivelle states that both Buddhist and Brahmanical literature repeatedly define "Brahmin" not in terms of family of birth, but in terms of personal qualities. These virtues and characteristics mirror

2052-517: The Gupta Empire era and thereafter. However, the knowledge about actual history of Brahmins or other varnas of Hinduism in and after the first millennium is fragmentary and preliminary, with little that is from verifiable records or archaeological evidence, and much that is constructed from ahistorical Sanskrit works and fiction. Michael Witzel writes: Current research in the area is fragmentary. The state of our knowledge of this fundamental subject

2128-872: The Mughals, later to the British Raj. The East India Company also recruited sepoys (soldiers) from the Brahmin communities of Bihar and Awadh (in the present day Uttar Pradesh) for the Bengal army . Many Brahmins, in other parts of South Asia lived like other varna, engaged in all sorts of professions. Among Nepalese Hindus, for example, Niels Gutschow and Axel Michaels report the actual observed professions of Brahmins from 18th- to early 20th-century included being temple priests, ministers, merchants, farmers, potters, masons, carpenters, coppersmiths, stone workers, barbers, and gardeners, among others. Other 20th-century surveys, such as in

2204-518: The Royal tradition of Thailand , particularly for the consecration and to mark annual land fertility rituals of Buddhist kings. A small Brahmanical temple Devasathan , established in 1784 by King Rama I of Thailand, has been managed by ethnically Thai Brahmins ever since. The temple hosts Phra Phikhanesuan (Ganesha), Phra Narai (Narayana, Vishnu), Phra Itsuan (Shiva), Uma , Brahma , Indra ( Sakka ) and other Hindu deities. The tradition asserts that

2280-551: The Sivi Kingdom with a rain of gems. Vessantara allowed people to keep those gems for themselves and the leftovers went into the Kingdom treasury, which he used for his charity. His treasure never ran out. Buddha explained that each person had been reborn in the time of the Buddha as people surrounding the Buddha's person. His parents used to be Vessantara's parents. Madri was now reborn as the Buddha's former wife . Jali became Rahula ,

2356-706: The Thai Brahmins have roots in Hindu holy city of Varanasi and southern state of Tamil Nadu, go by the title Pandita , and the various annual rites and state ceremonies they conduct has been a blend of Buddhist and Hindu rituals. The coronation ceremony of the Thai king is almost entirely conducted by the royal Brahmins. According to 2007 reports, Brahmins in India are about five per cent of its total population. The Himalayan states of Uttarakhand (20%) and Himachal Pradesh (14%) have

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2432-579: The Vessantara Jataka are found depicted on the walls of Buddhist temples throughout Southeast Asia. They are also engraved on the murals of Angkor Wat , Cambodia, and depicted in ancient patterns on ikat silk cloth. In the last seven centuries in Thailand, the Vessantara Jātaka has played a significant role in legitimating kingship in Thailand, through the Great Birth festival. Merit-making and paramis were greatly emphasized in this festival, through

2508-464: The Vessantara Jataka sermon was entirely in Pali; it is now customarily recited in the vernacular languages with some Pali stanzas interspersed throughout, but these cannot be understood by most laity. At the end of each chapter and before the following one, a hard-mallet pin piet ensemble customarily plays from a standard repertoire. Those who know the pieces can detect which chapter is about to start, even from

2584-412: The anger of the people of Sivi. Jali led the army and civilians to his parents' residence and the family was reunited. After the most happy moment, all six of them collapsed. The red rain poured down from Heaven to revive the family. This rain "soaks those who want to be soaked, but will not fall on those who want to stay dry." Vessantara was crowned as king again and returned to his kingdom. Indra blessed

2660-490: The attainment of Buddhahood a future life. Both agreed and became Jujaka's servants. Vessantara told the brahmin to bring the children to their grandfather, saying, "The king will reward you for bringing his beloved grandchildren back to him". Jujaka disagreed, stating the Sunjaya would execute him instead. The brahmin tied both children with vines and dragged them like cattle. Both children begged their father to help them while

2736-463: The city and going to live in the forest as a rishi (hermit) with his wife Madri and their two children, Jali and Kanha, he also gave away his wealth. One of his loyal courtiers suggested that the family should live at Vamka Mountain. They left the city on a four-horse chariot. Along the way Vessantara gave away his horses and four deities appeared in the form of stags to pull the chariot. Then he gave away his chariot. The family walked on foot through

2812-589: The classical period of India. Some of the Brahmin occupations mentioned in the Buddhist texts such as Jatakas and Sutta Nipata are very lowly. The Dharmasutras too mention Brahmin farmers. According to Haidar and Sardar, unlike the Mughal Empire in Northern India, Brahmins figured prominently in the administration of Deccan sultanates . Under Golconda Sultanate Telugu Niyogi Brahmins served in many different roles such as accountants, ministers, in

2888-473: The dead. Khamsing Srinawk 's 1969 story Dark Glasses depicts the disappearance of a young girl lured to Bangkok, presumably to work as a prostitute, until she returns for the Vessantara festival, a ritual migration undertaken by the children of Northeastern Thailand. Brahmin Traditional Brahmin ( / ˈ b r ɑː m ɪ n / ; Sanskrit : ब्राह्मण , romanized :  brāhmaṇa )

2964-466: The defining documents of law and order, which kings were obliged to uphold. They were copied, translated and incorporated into local law code, with strict adherence to the original text in Burma and Siam, and a stronger tendency to adapt to local needs in Java (Indonesia)". The mythical origins of Cambodia are credited to a Brahmin prince named Kaundinya, who arrived by sea, married a Naga princess living in

3040-441: The deity Śakra intervened and in disguise, asked for his wife Madri, who Vessantara readily gave him. Then Indra gave Madri back to Vessantara as a trust, for all his acts of benevolence and generosity had been perfect. Two deities felt sympathy for the young prince and princess. They disguised themselves as their parents and helped nurse Jali and Kanha. They made Jujaka take a wrong turn and led him to into Sivi Kingdom and through

3116-403: The difference that the latter was not sacerdotal. The Brahmins were expected to perform all six Vedic duties as opposed to other twice-borns who performed three. Historical records, state scholars, suggest that Brahmin varna was not limited to a particular status or priest and the teaching profession. Chanakya , a Brahmin born in 375 BCE, was an ancient Indian polymath who was active as

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3192-434: The faithful and no monks. The three-day celebration focuses on monks who recite the story of the second-to-last incarnation of Buddha as Prince Vessantara. The long chant consisting of a thousand verses, was originally recorded on fourteen sets of palm-leaf manuscripts. The monks recite the full story in vernacular language without intermission in a performance lasting between twelve and eighteen hours. The original text of

3268-515: The families of Raksasas . He posits that this is an indication that some Brahmins are immigrants and some are also mixed. According to Abraham Eraly , "Brahmin as a varna hardly had any presence in historical records before the Gupta Empire era" (3rd century to 6th century CE), when Buddhism dominated the land. "No Brahmin, no sacrifice, no ritualistic act of any kind ever, even once, is referred to" in any Indian texts between third century BCE and

3344-595: The festival. The parts of the story in which Matrsi and Jujaka appear as extremes of tragedy and comedy: the Matsi episodes elicit great sadness as Matsi mourns the loss of her children while the Jujuaka episodes elicit gales of laughter when Jujaka is shown to be a buffoon. The celebration of the Vessantara Jataka varies from region to region throughout the ritual calendar. While it has lost its traditional importance in some areas, in others it has gained in popularity. According to

3420-442: The first time after he achieved enlightenment , elders of the ruling dynasty did not pay him respect out of conceit, since they were older than the former Prince Siddhartha. The Buddha miraculously appeared in the air above his relatives. His father was the first to bow down and admit that it was time to pay respect to his own son. Other members of the dynasty then bowed down and accepted the religion. Suddenly, rain clouds gathered and

3496-550: The flooded lands. Kaudinya founded Kambuja-desa, or Kambuja (transliterated to Kampuchea or Cambodia). Kaundinya introduced Hinduism, particularly Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Harihara (half Vishnu, half Shiva), and these ideas grew in southeast Asia in the 1st millennium CE. The Chams Balamon (Hindu Brahmin Chams) form a majority of the Cham population in Vietnam . Brahmins have been part of

3572-582: The fourth month') or Thet Phawet in Isan . It is also an important celebration in Cambodia, Burma and Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka, verses of lament from the text Vessantara Kāvya are often recited at the corpse of a relative who just died, especially the verses of Madri mourning the loss of her children. This text was composed in Sri Lanka in the early modern period by a secular poet, and emphasizes abandonment and emotional desolation. The themes were very popular among

3648-478: The highest ritual status of the four social classes, and they also served as spiritual teachers ( guru or acharya ). In practice, Indian texts suggest that some Brahmins historically also became agriculturalists , warriors , traders , and had also held other occupations in the Indian subcontinent. It seems likely that Kannauj and Middle country was the place of origin of majority of migrating Brahmins throughout

3724-575: The land themselves, many supplementing their income by selling their labour services to other farmers. Many of the prominent thinkers and earliest champions of the Bhakti movement were Brahmins, a movement that encouraged a direct relationship of an individual with a personal god. Among the many Brahmins who nurtured the Bhakti movement were Ramanuja , Nimbarka , Vallabha and Madhvacharya of Vaishnavism, Ramananda , another devotional poet sant . Born in

3800-434: The late first century CE. He also states that "The absence of literary and material evidence, however, does not mean that Brahmanical culture did not exist at that time, but only that it had no elite patronage and was largely confined to rural folk, and therefore went unrecorded in history". Their role as priests and repository of sacred knowledge, as well as their importance in the practice of Vedic Shrauta rituals, grew during

3876-405: The long chant. ,; the process of listening to the nonstop sermon on the Great Birth at the temple; merit making to transfer it to the deceased relatives and the departure of a "caravan", buffaloes, and oxcart for sale in distant lands. A few days preceding the feast, stages are built to host to folk opera and popular dancing. A pavilion to store paddy contributions is constructed. The reception hall

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3952-424: The magical white elephant, which had brought rain to his kingdom, to envoys from Kalinga , a neighboring country which was facing a drought. The citizens of Vessantara's kingdom were distressed by the fear of drought because of the loss of the elephant. Thus, they convinced King Sanjaya to resume control of the kingdom and banish his son Vessantara. The king readily gave away his kingdom to his father. Before leaving

4028-485: The medieval centuries. Coming from Kannauj is a frequent claim among Brahmins in areas distant from Madhyadesha or Ganges heartland. The term Brahmin appears extensively in ancient and medieval Sutras and commentary texts of Buddhism and Jainism . Modern scholars state that such usage of the term Brahmin in ancient texts does not imply a caste, but simply "masters" (experts), guardian, recluse, preacher or guide of any tradition. An alternate synonym for Brahmin in

4104-410: The monks were proclaim each section, villagers are selected to dress up as the main characters in the story. Today, Buddhists in a village around any given pagoda take turns to read out the total of 13 volumes of the Vessantara Jataka. The celebration starts with the parade of an ikat silk cloth featuring the story of Vessantara. The festival ends with a procession of all the participants around

4180-466: The murals from Three Bridges Temple ( Thai : วัดสะพานสาม ; RTGS :  wat saphan sam ), Phitsanulok , Thailand, 2015. Vessantara Festival The Vessantara Festival is one of the 12 monthly Buddhist festivals celebrated yearly in Theravada Buddhist pagodas in memory of Vessantara, remembered as the penultimate life of the Buddha. It is the only previous life of the Buddha which

4256-528: The new British rulers. They were the first community to take up Western education and therefore dominated lower level of British administration in the 19th century. Similarly, the Tamil Brahmins were also quick to take up English education during British colonial rule and dominate government service and law. Eric Bellman states that during the Islamic Mughal Empire era Brahmins served as advisers to

4332-445: The old man scolded and beat them with his stick. Vessantara could not stand this scene and reached for his weapon he kept in his hut. However, he overcame all anger and let his children be taken away. Madri's return passage to their residence was blocked by tigers (actually deities in disguise). When she didn't see her children, she wandered around all night looking for them and finally collapsed before her husband. Vessantara thought she

4408-453: The ordinary people, though the emphasis was very different than the earlier Buddhist texts. The Thet Mahachat is very popular both in rural and urban communities, often with dance and drama performances, as well as festive parades and processions through the towns. During this Buddhist festival the monks give a sermon about the entire text of the Vessantara Jataka, accompanied by rituals and cultural performances. Because of its central role in

4484-677: The pagoda carrying various offerings as if accompagnying Vassantara back to his kingdom. Mentioned in the Burmese historical chronicle Maha Yazawin, the arahan Shin Upagutta is another important figure in the Burmese version of the Vessantara Festival. During the Boun Pha Vet in Laos, for 3 days and 3 nights, the monks take turns to read about the life of King Phavet. In Laos, as well as in Isan,

4560-409: The palace gate. King Sanjaya saw the two familiar faces and ordered royal guards to bring them to him. He recognized his grandchildren and paid for their price. Kanha's price was higher than her brother's, as her father wanted no-one to buy her from Jujaka. In fact, both Jali and Kanha's prices were so high that only king Sanjaya could have bought them. Jujaka became extremely rich. At his first meal as

4636-547: The revenue administration, and in the judicial service. The Deccan sultanates also heavily recruited Marathi Brahmins at different levels of their administration. During the days of Maratha Empire in the 17th and 18th century, the occupation of Marathi Brahmins ranged from being state administrators, being warriors to being de facto rulers as Peshwa . After the collapse of Maratha empire, Brahmins in Maharashtra region were quick to take advantage of opportunities opened up by

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4712-611: The south of the Vindhya mountain range. The term "Dravida" too has territorial, linguistic and ethnological connotations, referring to southern India, the Dravidian people, and to the Dravidian languages of southern India. The Pancha Dravida Brahmins are: The Dharmasutra and Dharmashastra texts of Hinduism describe the expectations, duties and role of Brahmins. According to Kulkarni, the Grhya-sutras state that Yajna , Adhyayana (studying

4788-407: The state of Uttar Pradesh , recorded that the primary occupation of almost all Brahmin families surveyed was neither priestly nor Vedas-related, but like other varnas, ranged from crop farming (80 per cent of Brahmins), dairy, service, labour such as cooking, and other occupations. The survey reported that the Brahmin families involved in agriculture as their primary occupation in modern times plough

4864-498: The story about Prince Vessantara's generosity. Initially, the festival was an important way for the Chakri dynasty to legitimate itself, as Vessantara was the model prince who became king through the power of his merits and sacrifice. During the reform period of Rama IV , however, as Thai Buddhism was being modernized , the festival was dismissed as not reflecting true Buddhism. Its popularity has greatly diminished ever since. Nevertheless,

4940-441: The temple during the performance. Before the recitation of the Vessantara Jataka, other figures are invoked through a sort of recitation of a text called "The Ten Thousand Malay" found in printed Lao version of the Vessantara Jataka. On the morning of the third day, after a ceremony in which respect is paid to the tevada who are asked to witness the merit-making ceremony, the procession of 1000 lumps of rice takes place without just

5016-433: The text Vessantara Kāvya are often recited at the corpse of a relative who just died, especially the verses of Madri mourning the loss of her children. This text was composed in Sri Lanka in the early modern period by a secular poet, and emphasizes abandonment and emotional desolation. The themes were very popular among the ordinary people, though the emphasis was very different than the earlier Buddhist texts. In Thailand,

5092-624: The text, residing north of the Vindhya mountain range . Historically, the Vindhya mountain range formed the southern boundary of the Āryāvarta , the territory of the ancient Indo-Aryan peoples , and Gauda has territorial, ethnographic and linguistic connotations. Linguistically, the term "Gauda" refers to the Sanskrit-derived languages of northern India. The Pancha Gauda Brahmins are: Subcastes of Gaur Brahmins are: Subcastes of Kanyakubja Brahmins are: The Pancha Dravida Brahmins reside to

5168-421: The towns. During this Buddhist festival the monks give a sermon about the entire text of the Vessantara Jataka, accompanied by rituals and cultural performances. Because of its central role in the Thet Mahachat or Boun Pha Vet celebrations, the Vessantara Jataka is an important part of the traditional folklore in many areas of the Southeast Asian region. The tale of Phra Malai has traditionally been recited as

5244-456: The use of merit-making by the Thai monarchy and government to solidify their position and create unity in society has continued until at least the late twentieth century. Jūjaka plays an important role in the Vessantara story. Depicted as lustful, cruel and a coward, his very name implies decrepitude. These kind of depictions of brahmins are typical for Buddhist popular literature. Gallery photos of

5320-500: The values cherished in Hinduism during the Sannyasa stage of life, or the life of renunciation for spiritual pursuits. Brahmins, states Olivelle, were the social class from which most ascetics came. The term Brahmin in Indian texts has also signified someone who is good and virtuous, not just someone of priestly class. The earliest inferred reference to "Brahmin" as a possible social class

5396-491: The vedas and teaching), dana pratigraha (accepting and giving gifts) are the "peculiar duties and privileges of brahmins". John Bussanich states that the ethical precepts set for Brahmins, in ancient Indian texts, are similar to Greek virtue-ethics, that "Manu's dharmic Brahmin can be compared to Aristotle's man of practical wisdom", and that "the virtuous Brahmin is not unlike the Platonic-Aristotelian philosopher" with

5472-531: The well for her old husband. The husbands of the other women in the village held her up as an example of a good industrious wife. One day, in a fit of jealousy, all the village women gathered by the well and beat up the Brahmin's young wife, tearing her clothes. From that day onwards Amittada refused to go to the well any longer. She pushed Jujaka telling him to find her some servants in order to spare her more ridicule. She did not give her husband any peace. Jujaka met

5548-456: Was "Let me become the mother of bodhisattva , who in his next life will achieve enlightenment". She descended to the human world, was born in the court of a king, and later married to King Sañjaya. On the last day of her pregnancy, the Queen wished to sight-see in the capital city. Her husband granted her that wish. She visited several districts, and the people were delighted by their queen. While she

5624-417: Was dead so he lamented his loss. He put her head on his lap and realised that she was still breathing. He revived Madri with water. She woke up and rose immediately to keep a distance appropriate for her vow of celibacy. Vessantara told her what had happened. After Madri learnt that her husband gave away their children, she praised him for his greatness. Fearing that Vessantara would give away his wife as well,

5700-414: Was in the merchant quarter, she gave birth in an emergency delivery at the bazaar, in the heart of the city. Therefore, the newborn prince and heir was named Viśvantara (Vessantara), which means 'Born in the merchant quarter'. As soon as he opened his eyes, the infant prince asked his mother for money to give to the poor. On the same day, a female elephant brought her newborn calf to the royal palace. The calf

5776-524: Was pure white. Vessantara grew up to be a kind person who was willing to give away his belongings to others. His parents were delighted by their son's character and supported the prince's charity with their treasures. Vessantara married princess Madri. They had two children: the Prince Jali and the Princess Krishnaajina. Sañjaya retired and Vessantara was crowned King. One day, Vessantara gave away

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