WHEN BUDDHA............BY THEM 305
that the Brahmins did not accept was the theory of equality and abolition of the “Chaturvarna” caste system. But they did one thing. They, for the time being, put the Kshatriyas on the same level as themselves, relegated the Gods of Brahmin birth to the background, installed Kshatriya Gods in their places and came to other time-serving compromises.
Unexpected Development
A development of a most unexpected nature which would have been utterly abhorrent to Buddha took place in the process of Brahminical campaign of accommodation and compromise. Sacrifice of cows was stopped by Buddha. The animal was sanctified by the Brahmins. The Hindu society in general accepted the sanctification and stopped killing of cows. So did the present-day Untouchables. But the Untouchables being too poor to use fresh meat or beef at any time continued their age-old practice of eating the carcasses of dead cows.
Neither Buddha nor the Brahmins had forbidden consumption of carcasses. The ban was only against slaughtering live cows. But the present day Untouchables had committed one great crime. Being the poorest of the poor and socially on the lowest wrung of ladder they stuck to Buddhism the longest. It required a mighty big force exerted over a long period of years to bring them round. When nothing else would work, social ostracism and Untouchability were applied.
Their practice of eating dead cows was exploited against them. It was something that naturally repelled the Hindu mind. It was obnoxious. The Brahmin could use the situation to his advantage without much difficulty. And so Untouchability was imposed on the entire class. It was really a punishment for sticking to Buddhism when others had deserted it. And so Untouchability continues today in spite of education and all modern ideas of freedom and social equality.” [1]
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- The Bombay Chronicle : dated 24th February 1940.