Page:The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis II 1921 3-4.djvu/53

 THE ANAL-EROTIC FACTOR IN HINDU RELIGION 307

of sublimations of, or reaction-formations against, anal-erotic impulses.

The facts on which the theory of anal erotism is based are now so widely known as to make it superfluous for me to do more than recapitulate some of their salient features. Ernest Tones ^ has observed that Freud discovered the existence of three character traits that are most typically related to highly developed anal erotism — namely, orderliness, parsimony and seli- willedness or obstinacy. To these three primary traits there belong a number of subsidiary attributes, some of which are of a positive nature (sublimations), while others bear a negative character (reaction-formations), and correspond to barriers erected against the repressed tendencies.

I shall now proceed to essay an attempt to apply these prin- ciples to some of the main features, first of the Hindu cosmogony and then to the general character-complex of the races of India that are usually spoken of as 'Hindu'.

Probably the most striking feature of Hinduism, certainly one that has exerted, aiid continues to exert, incalculable influence on the lives of all Hindus, is that remarkable social organisation which has been rather unfortunately termed 'caste'. Caste is a Portuguese word (casta) and was first introduced into India about the middle of the sixteenth century by the Portugese. Max Mueller^ rightly insists on the misunderstanding that has follow- ed upon the employment of this term 'caste' to the social organisation of the Hindus, but neither he, nor Risley, nor Dubois, nor, in fact, any of the numerous writers on the subject of 'caste', has appreciated the fundamental difference of these social distinctions of the Hindus as compared, for instance, to the social divisions that existed among the ancient Egyptians, the Jews, the Greeks, as well as that separation of the public body of the Sabines and Romans by Numa Pompilius. As Farquhar » observes, there was at the time which brought forth the Rigveda, the earliest literature in India, 'no caste among the Aryan tribes'. There was, on the other hand 'a triple division of the people into warriors, priests and commons, but there was no hard and fast law prohibiting inter-marriage and commanding

' Ernest Jones: Papers on Psycho-Analysis, 2nd. Edition, 1918, p. 665. > Max Mueller: The Six Systems of Indian Philosophy, p. 9. 'J.N. Farquhar: Outline of the Religious Literature of India, p. 6.

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