Parasaka The Fifth Varna

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text excerpt from "Parasaka the fifth Varna" by P. V. Bapal:

The excerpt discusses the concept of social stratification and the potential recognition of a fifth Varna (social group) in ancient India, drawing parallels between Buddhist and Brahmanical texts.

The author begins by referencing the Assalayana Sutta (No. 93) of the Majjhima Nikaya. In this dialogue, Gotama Buddha and a young Brahmana named Assalayana debate the superiority of Brahmins. Assalayana claims only Brahmins are pure, while Buddha argues that purity is attainable by all four traditional Varnas: Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras.

Crucially, the author highlights that the commentator Buddhaghosa noted that in his time, there were not just four but five social groups. He identifies this fifth group as "Parasaka". Buddhaghosa explains that the Parasaka group arose from mixed marriages between individuals of different Varnas. Specifically, the offspring of a Kshatriya father and a Brahmana mother were called "Kshatriya Parasaka," and the offspring of a Brahmana father and a Kshatriya mother were termed "Brahmana Parasaka." Both types of offspring were considered to be of low birth (hina-jati) and formed an independent, fifth group (pancamassa vannassa atthitaya). Buddhaghosa explicitly asserts the existence of this fifth Varna, contradicting the prevailing theory of only four Varnas.

In contrast, the author points to the Manusmriti (X. 4), which explicitly denies the existence of a fifth group ("nasti tu pancamah").

The author then delves into the etymology and meaning of the term "Parasaka." He expresses uncertainty about the exact reading of the word, noting variants like "Parisaka" and "Padasaka." He inclines towards the belief that the original term might have been "Parasava," a Sanskrit word found in Manusmriti and other Dharmashastras. These texts generally describe "Parasava" as the progeny of a mixed marriage. However, Manusmriti specifically limits this term to the offspring of a Brahmana father and a Shudra mother. This progeny is also referred to as Nishada in Manu (X. 8). The Mahabharata also describes Parasava similarly, stating: "Param savad Brahmanasy esa putrah Sudraputram Parasavam tam ahuh." Vidura is also identified as a Parasava.

The author suggests that the identification of Parasava with Nishada might have led to the use of the term "Panchama Varna" (fifth Varna) in South India to refer to outcastes. He concludes by emphasizing that the evidence from Buddhaghosa clearly indicates that the concept of this fifth Varna, or at least the term, had already come into existence by Buddhaghosa's era.