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Śramana, Vol. 58, No. 2-3 April-September 2007
Contribution of Śramaņa Tradition to Indian Culture
Dr. B.N. Sinha*
Indian culture consists of two main traditions - Vedic and Sramaņa. The Vedic tradition is known as Brāhmaṇa tradition where as the Śramaņa tradition as Kșatrīya tradition. The Vedic tradition is theistic while Śramaņa tradition is atheistic. Jainism and Buddhism are the two branches of Śramaņa tradition. The philosophies of both - Jainism and Buddhism are based on their canons known as Agama and Tripitaka respectively. The language of Jaina Āgamas is Prāksta whereas Tripitkas are composed in Pāli.
These two sister religions have contributed a lot to the Indian culture. Their contribution may be seen in all aspects of Indian culture or Indian life, such as - Way to Practical Life
The Upanişads of the Vedic tradition have introduced Brahma as the ultimate reality which is absolute. The absolute transcends all subjects and objects of this world. It cannot help any body in the worldly life. So it is of no use for practical life. All worldly affairs, some how or other, are relative to each other. Jainism, one of the Śramanic systems has established the theory of relativity as its basic principle. The same theory of relativity is known as Anekāntavāda in its metaphysics, Syādvāda in its epistemology and Ahiṁsā in its ethics. This theory covers all spheres of human life. So it has paved a grand path to the practical life.
* Reader(Rtd.), Dept. of Philosophy, M.G. Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi Former Senior Fellow, I.C.P.R., New Delhi
