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FI 68/3, Tals-fudba, 2015
vioce raised by our ancient Upanisadic Rsis, Munis and Sramanas against the ritualistic and worldly outlook of caste-ridden Brahminism, became more strong in the form of Jainism and Buddhism along with other minor Sramanic sects. Infact the Upanisadic trend as well as Jainism and Buddhism provided refuge to those, who fed up with vedic ritulism and the worldly outlook. Not only Jainism and Buddhism but some other sects and schools of Indian thought such as Ajivakas and Samkhyas also adopted more or less the same course towards Vedic ritualism. However, Jainism and Buddhism were more candid and vehement in their opposition towards Vedic ritualism. They out rightly rejected animal sacrifices in yajnas, the birth-based caste-system and the infallibility to the vedic verses. In Mahavira and Buddha, the most prominent preachers (exponents), we find the real crusaders; whose tirade, against caste-ridden and ritualistic Brahminism, touching a low water-mark and crumbling under its inner inadequacies, they gave a severe jolt to it. Jainism and Buddhism came forward to sweep away the long accumulated excrescence, grown on Indian culture in the form of rituals, casteism, and superstitions.
But we shall be mistaken if we presume that in their attempt to clear away the dirt of Vadic ritualism, Jainism and Buddhism remained untouched from it. They were also considerably influenced by Vedic rituals. Ritualism in the new form of Tantric practices crept into Jainism and Buddhism and these practices became part and parcel of their religious practices and mode of worship. With the impact of Hindu Tantricism, Jainas adopted various Hindu deities and their mode of worship with some changes, which were suited to their religious temperament, but these deities were alien to Jainism in its original form. The Jaina concept of Sasana Devata or YaksaYaksis is nothing but a Jaina version of Hindu deities. As I have pointed out earlier, the influence has been reciprocal. This can be demonstrated by the fact that on one side Hinduism accepted Rsabha and Buddha as incarnation of God while on the other side
