Lord Mahavira and His Times

SR No.: 011080
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kailashchandra Jain
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas
Publication Year: 1974
Total Pages: 427
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 20 MB

Page 203

Lord Mahāvira's Religious Contemporaries and Sects
183
Anga and Magadha. Most probably they were Naishțhika Brahmachūrins. It is said that Uruvela Kassapa used to perform annually a great sacrifice which was attended by the neighbouring people with abundant food. On the occasion of the Ashțakas, in the snowy-cold winter nights, they are described as plunging into the river Nerañjara and emerging out of it repeatedly on account of their belief in purification by bathing.3
That these three brothers had gathered quite a large number of followers and had made three colonies of them, shows that they had developed a congregational life. In the opinion of B.M. BARUA, there was no corporate life, and among the Jațilas forming three distinct groups, the tic in each group was rather domestic than congregational.4 To convert these Brālimana ascetics who performed Vedic rites and enjoyed the respect of their people, was the principle aim of the Buddha, for that would, he thought, produce a magical effect on popular monks. According to Mahāvagga, he was successful in changing the heart of 1000 Jatilas along with their leaders who entered the Order.5 LOKĀYATAS
There is a reference to the Lokayatas in the Dighanikāja. A Brahmaņa well-versed in the Lokāyata doctrine asking the Buddha a series of questions has been mentioned. A Jataka passage refers to Lokāyatika doctrine. The teacher and the student of this doctrinc were both known as Lokayatila. The name of this school was identical with the theory of clements as the prime cause (Bhülavāda and Uchchhedarāda).
OTHER SCHOOLS AND SECTS THE FOUR GREAT SCHOOLS
The Sūtrakṣitingas describes the four herctical creeds of 1. Do, 1, 1,5. 2. SRE, XIII. p. 124. 3. Ibid, p. 130. 4. Gavă and Bodha-Gay?. Vol. I, p. 99. 5. 1. 1. 20. 17-24. 6. Ser: DPPX, VI, 787 7. Ji, VI. 235 S. Suita, 1, 12-1.