Buddha And Jainas Reconsidered

Author(s): Johannes Bronkhorst
Publisher: Johannes Bronkhorst

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JOHANNES BRONKHORST
In order to specify the kind of influences to which Buddhism has been particularly vulnerable, it is important to recall that Buddhism presented a way to put an end to the cycle of rebirths determined by one's acts. We can speak in this connection of the doctrine of karma. Buddhism was not the only religious current of its time that offered a solution to the problem posed by the doctrine of karma. It did, however, offer a solution which differed in various ways from the solutions offered by others. In the case of the other currents of the time known to us, the link between the problem and its solution was obvious. In the case of Buddhism, on the other hand, this link was not so clear, or perhaps not clear at all. As a result at least some members of the early Buddhist community tended to borrow such elements from other religious currents, which would help re-establish the link between the solution and the problem it was meant to solve.
Which were the methods taught outside the Buddhist community? Two of them are known to us. The one is, in the early period, primarily linked to the Jainas, the other is, for that same period, best known from certain Upanişadic passages. Both are frequent in the more recent brahmanical literature. These two methods have one thing in common, the conviction namely that one can only escape the results of one's actions by somehow putting an end to all activity. The early Jainas, and many other Indian ascetics with them, applied this principle literally, and suppressed all bodily. and mental activity. 13 They would stand motionless for long periods of time, not reacting to any outside disturbances. The Jaina texts tell with pride how their spiritual heroes would not even react when tortured in various ways by curious onlookers, or by insects and other horrible creatures. The pains and suffering which these kinds of practices provoke were looked upon as signs that old karma was being destroyed. Once all the old karma destroyed, no new karma being added, it was sufficient for the ascetic to fast to death, motionlessly of course, and no new births would await him.
The other method shares the same essential concern. One can only be freed from the result of actions by not committing them. According to this second method, one has to discover that one is not identical with the active parts of the personality. All that is required is that one realise this important
13 BRUHN (1993: 14) rightly points out that the discussion of this characteristic of
Jainism has only started.