Saints were honoured but never treated as examples to follow
Evidence
The second reason why the teachings of the saints proved ineffective was because the masses have been taught that a saint might break caste, but the common man must not. A saint therefore never became an example to follow. He always remained a pious man to be honoured. That the masses have remained staunch believers in caste and untouchability shows that the pious lives and noble sermons of the saints have had no effect on their life and conduct, as against the teachings of the shastras. — Ambedkar, B R, Annihilation of Caste_ The Annotated…, 1235
Categorization
Category: Causal Relationships
- APHORISMS: The distinction between being honoured and being followed is a durable social observation about how exemplary lives fail to change conduct.
Related
- Saints’ rule-breaking never licensed common people to break caste (similarity 0.88)