Some Aspects of Indian Culture

SR No.: 001132
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: A S Gopani, Nagin J Shah, Dalsukh Malvania
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1981
Total Pages: 211
Language: English
Classification: Book_English & Discourse
File Size: 15 MB

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Some Aspects of Indian Culture to all other theories he was himself a law-giver and a law-breaker. His Theory of World and Emancipation is a stereotyped one that can neither be proved disproved, His Theory of Transformation is so illogical and ridiculous that it does. not deserve even the name of a theory. He started a Theory of Eight Finals just to justify his misdemeanour in old age and to shield his moral lapses. His Theory of Eight Life-stages is more or less a common property owned by all literatures. His Theory of Six Abhijatis-the origin, according to JACOBI, of the Jaina doctrine of six lepas is. an elaboration of the Triguna theory of the Samikhyas So the theory which was the backbone of the Ajivlka school was the Theory of Fatalism which is in some form or the other a lower form of asceticism that advocated a life of stagnation and shut the doors to free will. Therefore we are quite justified in saying that the Ajvika school was not at all a major school of philosophy and the attempt to consider its points of similarity and dissimilarity with the well-conc eved systems like the Jaina. and the Buddhist schools is not worthwhile I repeat, once more, in conclusion that the Ajivika sect, of which the Pre-Paninian Ekadanḍins are the prototypes, is in its turn the original pattern of the present day Jatis, Bavas, Bhuvas and Garodas. Regular references to Ajivikas are found as follow:
(1) Ekadadins of Pre-Paninian days (2) Ajvikas of Mahavira's times; (3) reference to Ajivikas in Berbar Rock Inscriptions of 251. B.C.; (4) reference to Ajtvikas in the seventh Pillar-edict of Aska (236 B.C.)5 (5) reference to Ajvikas in the Brhajjarakas and Lighujataka59 of Varshamihira (550 A.D.); (6) Silanka's reference to Ajivikas in the 9th century A.D in his commentary of the Sütrakṛtangu; (7) Halayudha's Ratnamalaso refers to Ajivikas (10th century AD); and (8) South Indian Inscriptions of the 13th century refer to Ajivikas.61
After this there is no authentic reference to the Ajivikas, and this points to the fact that they became quite disorganized, followed and practised whatever they like.. There was no common tie which could unite them under a common leadership and thus they vanished after thirteenth century leaving as the remnan tthe modern vagrant, gypsy-liks, no nali: Biva, Bhavas. Jatis and Garodas
Foot-notes
1 ERE., Vol. I. p. 259.
2 Aup apitika, p. 101 -The references to the Jaina canonical works are to the Agamodaya Samiti editions, and to the Pali text society editions in the case of the Buddhist canonical works. Sthananga, 2; 4; p. 233; p. 310.
3 Majjhimanikaya. I, 36; p. 238; II, 26; p. 524.
4 Pre-Buddhistic Indian Philosophy, p. 302.
5 Trisas tisalakāpuruşacarita (Trans.) p. 161.
6 Majjhimanikaya, II, 26; p. 524. Vinayapitaka (OLDENBERG), Culavagga, V, 23, 3; Pacittiya in Suttavibhanga, 41, 1, Sthananga, loc. cit.