Idea of Ahimsa and Asceticism in Ancient Indian Tradition

Author(s): Bansidhar Bhatt
Publisher: B J Institute

Page 57

THE IDEA OF AHIMSA
traced some parallels from early Buddhist literature and discussed them at length in his articles (ZDMG 63, pp. 171-188 and WZKM 24, pp. 63 fol.). But Alsdorf brought some aspects such as meters, corrections and corruptions in readings, etc. more vividly and critically in light which had been somehow left unobserved in the studies of his precursors: Hermann Jacobi (Jacobi-2) and Jarl Charpentier. I will elaborate some relevant points which Alsdorf by chance missed in his thesis.
48
Both chapters of the Uttarajjhaya contain almost a similar story and topic with slight variations of minor importance. The main story runs as follows:
A Jaina monk (belonging to a sadra class) while on a begging tour for alms came to a Brahmanical sacrifice1 and asked for the alms (Ch.12: vss. 1-9; Ch.25: vss. 1-5). It was refused on the ground that the food was prepared for the brahmins only (Ch.12: vss. 10-11; Ch.25: vss. 6-8). This on the spot raised a disputation between them (Ch.12: vss. 12 fol.; Ch.25: vss. 9 fol.), whereupon the monk explained that the true brahmin is an ascetic like himself, and the true sacrifice consists in ascetic austerities and disciplines.
The Chapter 12 is a later jainized version of the earlier Pali version of the Jataka No.497, that means, at an initial stage, the earliest version of the Jataka is neither Buddhist nor Jainist. At a later second stage, it was buddhized in the Pali canon (Pali version) from which, in the third still a later - stage, it was then adopted with alterations and additions, and fully jainized in the Uttarajjhaya - one of the Jaina canonical texts. This has been discovered first by Carpentier (op.cit.).
-
-
In the Uttarajjhaya Chs. 12 and 25, the Jaina monks criticize unjustified behaviour of brahmins performing the sacrifices. The monks recommended them to perform "true sacrifice" which means, to live a renunciatory mode of life. A true characteristic of a brahmin does not rest on priesthood, but on his preaching and practising the values of renunciation. The Chapter 12 concentrates more on the true character of sacrifice. Here, the brahmin wished to know from the monk the ways and means of the true sacrifice and of avoidance of sinful activity:
1. The monk's presence at a sacrificial spot suggests the preclassical pattern of rituals (see Heesterman-2. p.28, fn.49).