Theme 1:A: The social and religious setting of Buddhism

At the time when Buddhism emerged, India had as much religious variety as it has today. The Buddha was born into the Hindu culture, which at the time appears to have contained elements of Hinduism that still prevail today, such as social structuring, core religious value, the expectations that come with each of the stages (ashrama) of life, and the four aims of life

Social setting
At the time that Buddhism emerged, there were major social changes taking place, one of the most significant of which was the growing opposition to the traditional caste system in India.
It is in the Hindu scripture known as the Rig-Veda that we find details of the caste system, which comprises of four social categories: Brahmin or priest, Kshatriya or warror, Vaisya or merchant, professional or skilled worker and Sudra or labourer, unskilled.

The Brahmins were at the top of the class system and…