Brahmanism

see also: Etymology of Brahmanism

The brahmanic Religion corresponds to the second of the three historical phases which one usually distinguishes in the development from the Indian Spiritualité. It is located after the Védisme (approx. 1500-900 av. J.C.).

The " term; brahmanique" is derived from " brahmane" , just like that of " Christianity " is derived from " chrétien" , i.e. with that which professes the faith in Jesus Christ. However, it parallel the same degree of equivalence does not present. Indeed, that is Brahman which has the brahman (word Neutre), i.e. of a formula which has at the same time a religious capacity and a magic character , of a Formule which increases, develops and amplifies. Thus the " term; brahmane" do not indicate the faithful one which venerates the God Brahmâ - late vedic personification - but rather that which belongs to the Caste of the priests. Moreover the Brahmanism is a term of which some are useful indianists to distinguish various aspects from the Hindouisme.

The Brahmanism term is also used:

in a historical direction, the Védisme indicating the vedic culture itself, Brahmanism referring to the ritual System formalized which in is resulting;
in a doctrinal direction, Brahmanism constituting one of the multiple currents of the hindouism, among which there exists about it much of different such as for example the Shivaïsme or the Tantrisme.

Lastly, the Brahmanism term is used in the second place:

in the broad sense, to indicate the social system and monk of the orthodoxe Hindus;
with the restricted direction, more particularly to indicate the rites and the worships of the Brahman S.

Terminology

It is advisable to make the distinction between several Terme S whose resemblance lends sometimes to confusion:

the Brahmanism
the Brahman, term indicating supreme reality or totality of what is
the Brahman, term indicating one of the kinds of priests officiating in a sacrifice vedic (ritvij), at the sides of the adhvaryu, hotri and udgâtri
Brahmâ, term indicating the creative function, personified in the shape of a divinity
the Brahmane S, term indicating a social function; they are the members of the first varna (caste)
the Brâhmana , together of texts including/understanding of the comments on Veda

Principal characteristics

The brahmanic religion was characterized by the reinforcement of the system of the Caste S, of which first demonstrations had already appeared at the time of the Védisme, marked by the birth of flourishing a Civilization which developed as from 5th millenium approximately front J.C. (the Age of the valley of Indus).

This religion penetrated the Plaine of the Gange coming from Baloutchisthan and, towards the west, extended to the plates from Anatolia. The innovation which the Brahmanism introduced, compared to the vedic time, is due to the assertion of the Brahmans as a higher caste of the Indian company, inside which they set up as guards of the Parole crowned transmitted by the Veda . These scientists characters, priests and Teacher S, acquired indeed, in the social order Aryen, a preeminent row, superior even with that of the Guerrier S. the sacrificial ritual which they celebrated played indeed a central role within the framework of the Aryan cultural forms, while remaining absolutely Transcendant, intellectually imperceptible, and even untranslatable by Concept S which would represent it in its indivisibility and its unit, and its existence deprived of particular properties, which shows that the hierarchy placing the Brahmans at the top of the system of the varna is not confirmed through the Buddhist texts, which places kshatriya in the forefront and Brahmans with the second.

The third caste was that of simple the colonist S of race Aryen, the vayshya , Paysan S, Artisan S or Trading S, which maintained the Two dominant classes

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