Pre Aryan Shramanic Spiritualism

SR No.: 250251
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Ramanchandra Jain
Publisher: Z_Hajarimalmuni_Smruti_Granth_012040.pdf
Publication Year: 1965
Total Pages: 15
Language: English
Classification: Article & Spiritual
File Size: 2 MB

Page 9

२० : मुनि श्रीहजारीमल स्मृति-ग्रन्थ
Chhandogya Upanisad. Non-Violence and Truthful-Speech, here, are enumerated amongst the gifts of the priests. Chhändogya recommends only the truthful speech, not the truth in entirety. The gift of non-violence is done away with by another reference in the same Upanişad where violence is permitted at holy places.22 The pre-Upanişadic Vedic thought is purely materialistic. Hence we cannot look to Upanişads for comparing the Bhāratiya spiritual thoughts with those of Egypt and Sumer. When the Brahmāryans penetrated the frontiers of Western Bhārata, we find asecetics and Yogis surviving from pre-Vedic and pre-Aryan times. They are called 'Munis' in Vedic literature and Shramaņas in the age of Buddha and Mahāvīra. Muni was to the Rigvedic culture an alian figure. Asceticism is directly opposed to the entire Weltanschauung of the Rigveda-Samhita. The Shramaņa sects held towards the world an attitude of ascetic pessimism, disbelieved in a personal cause or creator of the universe, accepted plurality of souls ard an ultimate distinction between Soul and Matter, regarded the world of common sense as real as due to one or more real factors at least partly independant of the soul, and consequently regarded as indispensable for salvation some form of strenuous practical discipline aiming at affecting a real alteration in the situation of Things. The Shramanic culture was ascetic, atheistic, pluralistic and realistic' in content. This comes out clearest from a consideration of the earliest faith of the Jainas-one of the oldest living surviving sects of the Munis. The pre-Upanişadic materialistic (Pravștti-Dharmic) Vedic thought later evolved psuedo-spiritual thought (Nivstti-Dharmic) mainly through the influences of the Muni Shramana culture, in pre-Buddhistic times, within its fold.23 The Achäränga is the most ancient extant Jaina Sūtra going probably to fourth century B.C. The pre-Aryan spiritual ideology of the Muni-Shramana culture of Bharata, in its pristine glory, has been preserved in this Sūtra. Mahavira's followers moulded in the past and mould in the present their conducts according to the precepts ordained in this Sūtra. We learn from Uttarādhyāyana Sutra that Pärsva and his follower saints followed the same code of conduct which was later followed by Mahavira and his follower saints. The Achära of both the Tirhamrkaas was of the same quality. The integrity of the precepts enjoined upon saints in the Achārañga Sutra, thus goes back to the Ninth Century B.C. Vreabha has been unanimously accepted as the First Tirthamkara. Rigveda knows Vrsabha who differentiated between Spirit and Matter.21 Achäränga differentiates between Spirit and Matter. Achäränga, therefore, is entitled to more weight and authority from the scholars than it has hitherto been given. The pre-Brahmäryan Bhärtlyan, firstly, believed in Soul.25 They divided the world in six substances : Dharma (Motion-Medium), Adharma (Rest-Medium), Space, Time, Matter and Souls. The characteristic of soul is knowledge, faith, conduct, austerities, energy and realisation. The characteristic of Matter is sound, darkness, lustre, light, shade, sunshine, colour, taste, smell and touch. Dharma, Adharma and Space are each one substance only; but time, matter and soul are an infinite number of substances.26 In the final analysis; the first four substances are included in the category of Matter. The world, thus, remains constituted of Soul and Matter or Spirit and Matter. Secondly, they believed in the doctrine of the transmigration of soul. A soul that does not comprehend and renounce the causes of sin takes manifold births.27 All living beings owe their present form of existence to their own Karma (Resultant-Effortiveness). Imperfect men whirl in the cycle of births, old age and death.28
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