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CONTEMPORARY HERETICAL CREEDS
Mahavira's Classification
AMULYA CHANDRA SEN
The heretical creeds of the time were all comprehended by Mahavira under four heads, viz.
1. Kriyāvāda 2. Akriyāvāda 3. Ajñānavāda 4. Vinayavāda
These four great schools comprise three hundred and sixty-three schools : Kriyāvāda consists of one hundred and eigthy schools, Akriyavāda consists of eighty-four schools, Ajñānavāda consists of sixty-seven schools, and Vinayavāda consists of thirty-two schools.
The scheme of classification in details is as follows:
1
Kriyāvāda
Kriyā denotes the existence of jiva, etc., and those who admit the existence of jīva, etc., are called Kriyāvādins.
The Jainas have the ‘nine principles of jīva soul, ajīva non-soul, asrava the inflow of kārmic matter into the soul, bandha the consequent bondage of the soul, samvara stoppage of the inflow, nirjarā shedding
1 Sutrakritanga, I. xii. 1 ; Sthananga, 4.4.345; Bhagavati Sutra, 30.1.824; Uttaradhyayana Sutra, 18.23 ; Nandi Sutra, 47; and Sutrakritanga, II. ii. 79.
? Sutrakritanga, II. ii. 79. * Nandi Sutra, 47 ; Gunaratna quotes the following couplet :
asiisayam kiriyanam akiriyavaina hoi culasii annania sattatthi venaiyanam ca battisam
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