Brahmin

(noun)

A member of a caste in Vedic Hinduism, consisting of priests and teachers who are held as intermediaries between deities and followers, and who are considered the protectors of the sacred learning found in the Vedas.

Related Terms

  • Vedic Religion
  • Sramanas
  • Sramana
  • Jainism
  • saṃsāra
  • shramana
  • karma
  • ascetic
  • Buddhism

Examples of Brahmin in the following topics:

  • The Sramana Movement

    • Sramana broke with Vedic Hinduism over the authority of the Brahmins and the need to follow ascetic lives.
    • The Sramanas rejected the authority of the Brahmins, who were considered the protectors of the sacred learning found in the Vedas.
    • Brahmin is a caste, or social group, in Vedic Hinduism consisting of priests and teachers who are held as intermediaries between deities and followers.
    • Brahmins are traditionally responsible for religious rituals in temples, and for reciting hymns and prayers during rite of passage rituals, such as weddings.
    • Sramana traditions drew upon established Brahmin concepts to formulate their own doctrines.
  • Buddhism

    • Sramana, meaning "seeker," was a tradition that began when new philosophical groups who believed in a more austere path to spiritual freedom rejected the authority of the Vedas and the Brahmins, the priests of Vedic Hinduism, around 800-600 BCE.
    • In addition to the Vedic Brahmins, the Buddha’s lifetime coincided with the flourishing of influential Sramana schools of thought, including Jainism.
  • Decline of the Maurya Empire

    • The commander-in-chief of his guard, Brahmin General Pusyamitra Sunga, killed him during a military parade and ascended the throne, establishing the Sunga Dynasty, which prospered from approximately 187 to 78 BCE.
  • The Vedas

    • The Brahmins, or priests, came from Purusha’s mouth; the Kshatriyas, or warrior rulers, came from Purusha’s arms; the Vaishyas, or commoners such as landowners and merchants, came from Purusha’s thighs; and the Shudras, or laborers and servants, came from Purusha’s feet.
  • Jainism

    • Sramana, meaning "seeker," was a tradition that began around 800-600 BCE, when new philosophical groups, who believed in a more austere path to spiritual freedom, rejected the authority of the Vedas and the Brahmins (the priests of Vedic Hinduism).
  • Sanskrit

    • In the medieval era, Sanskrit continued to be spoken and written, particularly by Brahmins (the name for Hindu priests of the highest caste) for scholarly communication.
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