Slap On Face Of Brahmins Introducing A Little Known Jain Text Of Polemical Objectives

SR No.: 269520
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: A Wezler
Publisher: A Wezler
Total Pages: 9
Language: English
Classification: Article
File Size: 1 MB

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Albrecht Wezler
"A Slap on the Face of the Brahmins"
Yogaśāstra, why the extent of the agreement between these two texts, is of no importance as regards the problem of the authorship. In order to examine this latter alterative it would rather be necessary to carry out a minute comparison between certain parts of the Vedārkusa, first of all those verses which have clearly been composed by its author himself, and the authentic works of Hemacandra in terms of style, vocabulary, etc. But this presupposes a familiarity with the works of the famous Jain polymath which I unfortunately still lack, so that I beg to be excused if I close the discussion for the time being by simply repeating that it seems very probable indeed that llemacandra is the author of the Vedänkusa, also in view of what is said about his erudition, his life and his relation with Brahmins, and the Brahmins' attitude towards him, in Bühler's highiy informative and remarkable book 26 on the life of lemacandrācārya.
(1) that the Jains (as well as the Buddhists) opposed the brahmanical priests (1924: 323 (371]). did not accept their claim of superiority (1951: 74), or rather denied it strictly (1924: 313 (3671): (2) that they considered Hinduism to be a kind of degenerated Jainism (1924: 319 (367]) and the Hindus to have deserted from the true faith (1926: 345); (3) that they, although they themselves strictly adhered to the caste system (1924: 314 [362]) (and the varna system), had their own myth about the creation of the varnas, including that of the (true) Brahmins, (1926: 341f.: cf. 1951: 80)," and (4) that they described in this connection what true Brahmins are to them (1924: 314 [362]).
3. If the information I was able to gather is correct.27 practically no work has been done so far on the special subject of the criticism directed by Jain authors against the Brahinins, or Hinduism in general, not to speak of a comprehensive study of its historical development-after all even in Jainism changes are not entirely unlikely. What we have, in contradistinction, is von Glasenapp's short, though informative article on "Die Polemik der Buddhisten und Brahmanen gegen die Jainas. "2This scholar has, albeit much earlier. also discussed the position of Jainism within the history of Indian religions and its relation to other religious doctrines, his attention being focussed on the influence to which Jainism was exposed, and which it in its tum exercised on other religions. However, from these two articles of von Glasenapp's along with a third one likewise belonging to the early period of his scholarly activity much can be learnt about the attitudes of Jainism and Jains, especially of course of monastic authors, scholars and savants, towards the community of the Brahmins. For the most part, however, it is rather general facts or ideas that are communicated by von Glasenapp, in short a type of information one would expect to and can certainly find in general books on Jainism as well. Nevertheless, it may be useful to just recall what is pointed out by this late German scholar. Even if his assertion that "Jainism is a movemeni" directed against the predominance of Brahmins" (1924: 375 [363]) is definitely an exaggeration, to say the least, it is no doubt true:
It is clear why it was first of all the Brahmins who became the target of Jain criticism and polemics, and not one of the other varmas or Hinduism as such: They recognized the Brahmins to be responsible, both historically and morally, for the theory of their own superiority, for the killing of animals in sacrifice, etc. and it cannot be denied that they were right to a great extent. The antipathy which did not fall short of denouncing the other group as morally wicked, etc., was of course a mutual one; but it would be stupid to even ask the question when it began and by which side it was started, for it was bound to arise-it was in almost all its aspects an inevitable confrontation. In any case, this continuous, and still continuing, process is a historical fact which fully deserves the attention of scholars.
This holds true, I think, for the Vedānkuśa, loo, in spite of the fact that, at least for the time being, one may harbour doubts about its originality. But even if this little work could be shown to be dependent on earlier sources, both as regards the arguments in substance as well as the method applied in argumentation (e.g., contrasting the actual practice of Brahmins with their own normative scriptures), it should be studied more closely. In any case, it should not be totally ignored, and for many reasons, I think: Its first part, the contents of which have been briefly outlined above ($1.1), holds one's allention in that it consists almost entirely of quotations from brahmanical texts. And there cannot be any doubt that the intention of the author of the Vedänkusa, Hemacandra, is in this part, too, a critical or even polemical one.