Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c14.54

c14.54

**Pre-Buddhist Ascetics.** India in the fourth century B.C. and, indeed, since the rise of Jainism and Buddhism in the fifth century B.C., had been noted for the multiplicity of its schools and sects of ascetics. Their forerunners were the wandering ascetics of the Vedic days, the *Charakas*, and, later, the *Parivrājakas*, followed by pre-Buddhistic sects like the *Ājīvikas* (who went about naked, the *Nirgranthas* (of scanty clothing), the *Jaṭilakas*, and the like. In the *Dialogues of the Buddha* [II. 165], the ascetics of different orders are described under the general name, *Samaṇa-Brāhmāṇa*, ‘leaders in religious life (*gaṇino*)’ a name occuring very often in the Edicts of Asoka. The *Aṅguttara* [IV. 35] mentions two classes of ascetics whom it calls *Parivrājakas*: (1) *Brāhmaṇa* and (2) *Aññatitthiya*, i.e., other non-Buddhist ascetics.. The *Brāhmaṇa Parivrājakas* are characterised as *Vādaśīla*, disputatious [*Sutta Nipāta*, 382], *Vitaṇḍas* and *Lokāyatas*, Sophists, casuists and materialists [*Chullavagga*, V. 3, 2], and the like. The situation is well summed up in the *Udāna* [pp. 66-7, ed. Pali Text Society]: “*Sambahulā nānātitthiyā Samaṇa-Brāhmaṇā Paribbājakā nānā-diṭṭhikā nānādiṭṭhi-nissayanissitā*: there were very many, and various, sectaries of *Śramaṇas* and *Brāhmaṇas*, all *Parivrājakas*, followers of different *Diṭṭhis*, *Darśanas* or systems, and organisations.”