You really believe that the cycle of wealth experienced by the higher castes permeated to the untouchables, to the villagers who would probably have starved themselves in order to fill the bowl of a monk?Queequeg wrote: ↑Fri Apr 06, 2018 8:21 pm The fact that the whole sravaka thing could emerge speaks of the massive wealth and food surpluses that Indian civilizations have enjoyed from time to time - to have the resources to let able bodied young men, en masse, loaf around chasing "enlightenment" with a free lunch ticket?
You may be conflating the patronage seen in China, for example, with the monks supported by the relatively poor folk in India.
Food surpluses mean nothing without meaningful transportation and the will for compassionate distribution.
Sorry if I've hit on a sore point, but just as there is no 'typical Asian diet' there is no 'typical Asian society' and you seem to be taking offence on behalf of all Asians when it really isn't that simple.
I'm a bad man too.