[Buddha-l] Inquisition and untouchability

[Christopher Fynn]

On 17/09/2013, Dan Lusthaus <vasubandhu at earthlink.net> wrote:

> Tibet, by the way, had similar outcaste treatment for butchers, etc. Most
> butchers in Tibet were muslims.

"Most"? - But large areas of Tibet had no Muslim population. This may
have been true in Lhasa and a few large settlements - and possibly in
some parts of Amdo where there were many Muslims - but not likely
anywhere else.

Nomads and semi-nomads, who formed a substantial proportion of the
population, certainly slaughtered animals. Apparently the usual method
employed was suffocation - as it was believed better not to shed
blood.

In SE Tibet pork was also very popular - as it is in Bhutan.

In Tibet blacksmiths who made knives and swords were everywhere
treated as outcasts.

Tibetans will also refuse to eat food from the home of a barren woman
- and in some areas of E. Tibet sexual relationships between even
fairly distant cousins were punished by the couple being tied up and
cast into a river.