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Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c14.s2: Other Schools and Sects

Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c14.s2

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English

Contents

Other Schools and Sects

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II

The Four Great Schools

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The Sūyagaḍaṅga describes the four heretical creeds of the time of Mahāvīra, which are Kiriyaṃ (Kriyā-vāda), Akiriyaṃ (Akriyā-vāda), Annāṇaṃ (Ajñānavāda) and Veṇaiyaṃ (Vinayavāda) ¹²⁴

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¹²² Suja 71 I 3 38

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Kriyāvāda

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Kriyā denotes the existence of soul (jīva) and those who admit the existence of soul are called Kriyāvādins.¹²⁵ It is stated that one who knows the tortures of beings below in hell, one who knows the influx of sin and its stoppage, one who knows misery and its annihilation is entitled to expound the kriyāvāda.¹²⁶ Kriyāvāda comprised one hundred and eighty schools¹²⁷

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¹²⁵ Ibid 1 12, p 208

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¹²⁶ Ibid. 1. 12, p 223a Thus definition of Kriyāvāda is applied to Jains themselves However, it may be noted that according to Śīlāṅka (Sūya Ṭī p. 218a), Kriyāvādins hold that action (kriyā) alone leads to liberation even though it be unaccompanied by right knowledge and right faith; also cf. Uttarā Ṭī 18 p 230 cf also Aṅguttara IV pp. 180-181 where Mahāvīra is represented as an exponent of the doctrine of free-will activity (kriyāvāda)

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¹²⁷ Ibid II 2 40. There are nine categories jīva, ajīva āśrava, bandha, saṃvara, nirjarā, mokṣa, puṇya and pāpa Each of them may be regarded as sataḥ and parataḥ nitya and anitya with regard to kāla, īśvara ātmā, niyati and svabhāva Thus by multiplying 9 x 2 x 2 x 5 we have one hundred and eighty possible schools of kriyāvādins (Sūya Ṭī 1. 12, p 208a)

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Akriyāvāda

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The Akriyāvādins deny the existence of the soul etc, for according to them every thing is of a momentary existence and a state comes to an end the moment it comes into existence, and therefore it can not have any kriyā. They are identified with the Buddhists, who hold the doctrine of kṣaṇikavāda.¹²⁸ Akriyāvādins were also called Viruddhas, since they held the doctrines opposite to other heretics.¹²⁹ Akriyāvāda, it is said, comprised eighty four schools¹³⁰

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¹²⁸ Sūya 12.4-8 The Thā (8 607) gives the eight divisions of the akriyāvādins Eka-c-vādins (monists), Anegānt-vādins (pluralists), Miyatavādins (extensionists), Nimmitavādins (cosmogonists), Samucchedavādins (annihilationists), Nityavādins (eternalists), and Na santi Paralo-ka-vādins (materialists), cf the same method of classification in the Brahmajāla sutta of the Digha. (Barua Pre-Buddhist Indian Philosophy, p 197). In Buddhist works Pakudhakaccāyana’s doctrine is also called akriyāvāda (Law, Historical Gleanings p 33)

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¹²⁹ Anu Sū. 20, Vāya. Ṭī 15 p 194a, Oīā 38 p. 169.

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¹³⁰ Leaving out puṇya and pāpa take the seven categories. Each of them may be regarded as sataḥ (subjective) and parataḥ (objective) with regard to kāla īśvara ātmā niyati svabhāva and vadricchataḥ (cf Śvetāśvatara up 1 2). Thus by multiplying 7 x 2 x 6 we have eighty four divisions (Sūya Ṭī 1.12 p 209).

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Ajñānavāda

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The Ajñānavādins deny the necessity or importance of knowledge to attain salvation, since there is assertion of contradictory statements in it¹³¹ It comprised sixty seven schools¹³²

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¹³¹ Sūya. 1. 12. 2.

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¹³² There are nine categories each one of which may be regarded as sat, asat, sad-asat, arakatvaya, sada-akatvaya, asadakatvaya and sadasadakatvaya, which comes to 9 x 7=63 to these may be added sat asat sada at and asakatvaya which gives us sixty seven schools (Sūya. Ṭī 1. 12, p 209)

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Vinayavāda

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They are also called as Vainayikas or Aviruddhas¹³³ They do not accept external rules of ceremony, but uphold the supremacy of reverence as the cardinal virtue leading to perfection¹³⁴ The upholders of this faith paid equal reverence to god, king, monk, elephant, horse, cow, buffalo, goat, jackal, crow, crane, crocodile and others¹³⁵ By paying reverence to god or master, ascetic, man, and aged persons, inferiors, mother or father by body, mind, speech and gifts, the school is divided into thirty two (8 x 4) divisions¹³⁶

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¹³³ Ovā op cit , Nāya op cit Aviruddhakas are mentioned in the Anguttara III, p 278

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¹³⁴ Sūya 1 2 2 f

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¹³⁵ See infra

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¹³⁶ Sūya Ṭī 1 12, p 209a

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We have already referred to Vesāyana, a Vinayavādī who was practising pāṇamā paṇayā with his arms uplifted when Mahāvīra and Gosāla arrived in Kummagāma¹³⁷ Mauryaputra Tāmali of Tāmalitti was another Vinayavādī, who had a wooden begging pot in which he received rice from every class of people He washed his rice twenty one times and by paying reverence to crows, dogs, cāṇḍālas etc, practised the pāṇamā paṇayā¹³⁸ Then pūraṇa is said to have practised the dāṇamā paṇayā He divided his alms into four parts one was given to travellers, another to crows and dogs, a thud to fish and tortoises and the remaining part he kept for himself¹³⁹

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¹³⁷ Ava Nu 494

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¹³⁸ Bhag 3 1, cf the practice of Kalāno a gymnosophist of Taxila who left India with Alexander and burned himself alive on a funeral pile at Sousa He was so called because in saluting those he met he used the word hail (McCrindle The invasion of Alexander the Great p 386 )

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¹³⁹ Bhag 3 2 For other schools in the Sūyagaḍaṅga see Bechudas's article in the Purā-tattva (3 2 p 112 f)

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Then we had various other religious sects,¹⁴⁰ which have been arranged here alphabetically

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¹⁴⁰ For other sages such as Vakkalacīrī, Asitavala, Divāvana, Parāsara Nārada, Bāhuka, Mātanga and others, see Isibhāsiyā and Sūyagaḍaṅga (3 4 2 f) All these sages were highly honoured by the Jains and according to them they attained salvation

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Attukkosiya—They belonged to the class of ascetics who were proud of themselves.¹⁴¹

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¹⁴¹ Ovā Sū 41, p 196

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Bhūkammiya—They administered ashes to the people suffering from fever etc¹⁴²

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¹⁴² Ibid

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Bhuyyo bhuyyo kouyakāriaka—They administered auspicious baths for procuring good luck¹⁴³ They are also known as Ibhuogias¹⁴⁴

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¹⁴³ Ibid

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¹⁴⁴ Bhag 1 2

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Candidevaga—They had hangers (sikkaka) as their ritualistic paraphernalia.¹⁴⁵

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¹⁴⁵ Sūya Ṭī 7 90, p 154, Brh Bhā 1 285b Cakracaras are mentioned in the Bharata's Nāṭyaśāstra 17 36, also cf Baudhāyana (III 1, 5)

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Dagasoyariya—An adherent of the Dagasoyariyas, also known as Suvādī, who took bath after cleaning his body sixty four times if touched by anybody, is mentioned.¹⁴⁶ Mention is made of a Dagasoyariya ascetic who was putting up in the Nārāyaṇa kottha in Mathurā. After breaking his three days fast he pretended to have taken cow-dung, he never uttered the word itthi (woman) and observed silence. People were so much attracted by his practices that they offered him robes, food and drink.¹⁴⁷ According to Malayagiri, however, these ascetics were the followers of the Sāmkhya religion.¹⁴⁸

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¹⁴⁶ Ācā cū p 21

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¹⁴⁷ Ibid p 163

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¹⁴⁸ Pinda Nir Tī. 314

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Dhammacintaka—They studied religious books,¹⁴⁹ and contemplated on the Dharmasamhitās composed by Yājñavalkya and other sages and acted accordingly.¹⁵⁰

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¹⁴⁹ Ovā Sū 38, p 168

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¹⁵⁰ Anu Sū 20, p 21a

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Giyarai—They devoted themselves to songs and the pleasures of love.¹⁵¹

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¹⁵¹ Ovā 38, p 171, Panna II, 20, p 405.

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Goama¹⁵²—They earned a living by making a young bull painted and decorated with cowries in his neck, performing tricks of touching feet etc,¹⁵³ and created amusement for the people.¹⁵⁴ These ascetics lived on rice.¹⁵⁵

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¹⁵² Gotamakas are mentioned in the Anguttara, III, p 276.

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¹⁵³ Such bulls are even today common sight in Mahārāstra.

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¹⁵⁴ Ovā Sū 38, p 168 Anu op cit

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¹⁵⁵ Nāya 15, p 194a

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Govara—They behaved like a cow and in order to support their bovine character they followed a cow wherever it went, grazed, drank water, returned home and slept. They lived only on grass and leaves.¹⁵⁶

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¹⁵⁶ Ovā op. cit, Nāya op cit, Anu. op cit, The Majjhima, I, p 387 1 and its commentary also refer to Govatika ascetics, also see Lalitavistara (p. 218)

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Kammārabhikkhu—They led a procession with idols (devadronīvāhaka).¹⁵⁷

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¹⁵⁷ Brh Bhā 3 4321

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Kucciya—They grew beard and moustaches.¹⁵⁸

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¹⁵⁸ Brh Bhā 1 2822, ogha Nir 83. According to Pt Nathuram Premi the Kūrcaka monks belonged to the Digambara sect (Anekānta, Aug -Sept, 1914)

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Paraparvārīya—They spoke ill of other ascetics.¹⁵⁹

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¹⁵⁹ Ovā. sū 41, p 196, in the Bhag (1 2) they are also spoken as Kibbiṣas

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Pindolaga—They remained very dirty and their body which was an abode of lice emitted a foul smell.¹⁶⁰ A pindolaga is said to have crushed himself under a rock on the mountain Vebhāra.¹⁶¹

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¹⁶⁰ Sūya cū p 144

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¹⁶¹ Uttarā cū. p 138 A pindolaga was highly respected and famous member of the Buddhist order (Mātanga Jātaka, IV, No 497), p 375, also the com on the Sutta Nipāta II, 514 ff.

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Sasarakkha—They were adepts in casting spells etc, and stored dust for the rainy season.¹⁶² They moved about naked, and used their hollow of hands as alms bowl.¹⁶³

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¹⁶² Brh Bhā 1 2819, 3 4252.

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¹⁶³ See supra, p. 204

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*Vaṇimaga*—They were greedy of food and begged alms by exhibiting themselves to the devotees of Śākya etc¹⁶⁴ They put themselves in a pitiable state and in order to divert the attention of the donors spoke pleasing words.¹⁶⁵

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¹⁶⁴ *Pinda Vir* 444 f

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¹⁶⁵ *Thā I* 5 454 al o *Vi cu* 13 p 86; *Da C* I 19;

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*Vāribhadhaka*—They lived on water or moss and engaged themselves in bathing and washing their feet¹⁶⁶

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¹⁶⁶ *Sūya A* 7 90 p 151

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*Vārikhala*—They washed their pot with mud twelve times¹⁶⁷

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¹⁶⁷ *Brh Bha* 1 1738

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Then various other classes of ascetics are mentioned¹⁶⁸ Some believed in abstention from acids, salt, garlic, onions, young camel's milk, beef and liquors as the path of perfection¹⁶⁹ Some lived in woods, huts, near the villages, practised secret rites and never abstained from killing living beings. They declared "I am not to be punished, tormented or deprived of life because I am a Brāhmaṇa, Śūdras only must be put to such fates because they are mean and low"¹⁷⁰ Then there were various nuns such as *caṇkā, puṇyāṅkī, kapalikā, tevannikā bhāgorāī* and the like they moved in the country of Sindhu in huge numbers¹⁷¹

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¹⁶⁸ Bloomfield describes ascetics who practised atrocities professo who were smitten by love, who were greedy gluttonous, or otherwise vicious and who shunned asceticism (*J A O S* Vol 44 pp 202-42)

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¹⁶⁹ *Suy* 1 7 131 and com

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¹⁷⁰ *Ibid*, II 2 28 cf also *Id* alt *Jata'a* (II No 246) p 202 1 *Mahalodhi Jataka* (No 528) V p 240

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¹⁷¹ *Brh Bha* 4 5441

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