Poverty

[pslvax!siva!sadhu at UCSD.EDU]

|It is quite probably a fact that India experienced poverty long before
|1947. As Dominik pointed out a few days ago, Indic literature abounds in
|poor brahmans, beggars, prostitutes etc.

Another point worth considering is that the existence of beggars 
does not necessarily connotate poverty, and reveals a difference
between Eastern and Western attitudes.  In the West, the mentally
ill, and various disabled persons unable to care for themselves are
often put away in homes or institutions.  In India, they have the
honorable profession of begging.  They get more fresh air and sunshine.
The populace is taught the benefit of giving alms.  In fact, begging
and the care of beggars are both highly spiritual acts when taken
as part of sanyasa ashrama, the fulfillment of old age.  The whole
point of the editorial that triggered some of this interesting thread
is that poverty is in the eyes of the beholder.  The many wandering 
mendicants and sadhus of Indian are materially poor by choice, but 
spiritually rich.  The same might be said of devadasis (often 
miscalled prostitutes), poor brahmans (who may actually be dedicated
servants of God who choose to live by the generosity of others), etc.

By the way, I'm not saying India does not have, or has not long had
proverty.  India has tremendous poverty.  It also has tremendous
wealth, and beggars are not necessarily snynonmous with poverty.

regards,
sadhunathan