Doctrine of Jainas

Author(s): Walther Shubring, Wolfgang Beurlen
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas

Page 27

A SHORT HISTORY OF JAIN RESEARCH
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unlike to each other contributes to their common features being extremely significant, and this explains itself by their having embodied elements of common-sense view (Volksglauben). The time when this happened can be calculated thanks to nonJinist testimonials of spiritual development as well as to chronology. Both agree in going back as far as the 8th century B.C.
The Jain system, moreover, exhibits archaic traits not found in other systems. Among them we have the theory of the elementary particles (earth, water, fire, wind) possessing souls, and the names of dharma and adharma for the media of motion and stop. The former can be rubricated as animism, whereas in the latter there appears the conception of "invisible fluids which by contact cause sin and merit”?, a conception coming near to primitive sorcery. In later chapters of this book we are going to point out some more characteristics of such primitive or popular thinking (“Volksglaube”) It is very well imaginable that, apart from this basis, Mahāvīra made use of the conceptions of other systems, though his is not dependent on other systems we know ofs. On the other hand it is probable that the Jains influenced the Yoga as taught by Patanjalı, but in subordinate items only. There is no relation to the Vaišesika system assumed by JACOBI, though it shares its atomistic character with that of the Jains. Since the similarity between both of them cannot possibly be ignored, the Jains maintained that a heretic4 named Chaluya Rohagutta was the inventor of the Vaiśesika system. For scholarso take the word Chaluya as an illusion to the six (cha) categories in the "Owl" (uluya)philosophy, i.c, the teaching of the Kānādas or "crow-eaters”, i.e.“owls.” The doctrine imputed to Rohagutta is that he under
I JACOBI at frequent places
2 "Mahāvira probably borrowed much more from other sects than we shall ever be able to prove", JACOBI SBE 45, p XXXII
3 A conjecture that Umāsvāti in T 7, 5 ff was influenced by the Yogasūtra was not maintained by JACOBI SPWA 1930, p 607 Some contact between both of them is stated by him ad T 2, 52 and 9, 46
4 This was the 6th heresy of the 7 known in tradition ($ 17)
5 JACOBI (following WEBER) Kalpasutra p 119, SBE 45, XXXV ff, ad T, 9 Most important LEUMANN, Ind Stud 17, P 121 ff