Idea of Ahimsa and Asceticism in Ancient Indian Tradition

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

Page 60

REFORM RELIGIONS
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"You are a sacrificer of sacrificers, the knower among those knowing the Veda, you know the dharma perfectly." (vs.38: Tr. from Jacobi-2. p.141). cf.
tubbhe jaiya jannaṇam tubbhe veya-via via / jois' -anga-via tubbhe tubbhe dhammaṇa paraga //
(c) Parallelism: Brahmanical and Uttarajjhāyā views:
The nature of a true sacrifice described in the above Uttarajjhaya chapters 12 and 25 is nothing but an interiorization of the rituals which we have been explained above in Chs. 2-3. We illustrate here some relevant matters only. The BDS (2.7.12) describes the atma-yajña, manasa-yajña and the like, which is characteristic of a renouncer. The central idea is to perform sacrifice only in himself and by himself. Here, the Jaina monk equates his life to the sacrifice. By his interior sacrifice (Utt.12.44), the penance, he becomes emaciated, gives away as oblations, portions from his own body, his karmas are burnt off as fire-wood, etc. which can be compared with a similar instance of the Ch.Up. (3.17.4) discussed above (2.c). Some terms used in Uttarajjhaya 25.18, e.g. sajjhaya-tavasa remind us of the SB. (11.5.6.3-9) considering the svadhyay - study of Veda - as one of the aspects of an interior sacrifice.
The BDS (2.10.18.2-3 and 3.10.13) gives much weight to the five vows, viz. ahimsa (non-injury to living beings), satya (truth), asteya (honesty), brahmacarya (celebacy) and aparigraha (renouncing of any possession). This can be compared with Uttarajjhaya Ch.12. vs.41 and Ch.25. vss. 23-26,28 (each verse contains one vow respectively). The GDS (3.11) enjoins that an ideal brahmin has no provisions even for the next day! Further, what Uttarajjhaya 25.32 (see above) says is a repitition of the BA.Up.:
The brahmins wish to know it by recitation of the Veda, but sacrifice, by liberality, by tapas, by fasting, and knowing this, he becomes a silent ascetic, cf.
tam etam vedânuvacanena brāhmaṇa vividiṣanti yajñena danena tapasanasakenaitam eva viditva munir bhavati /
The five vows or austerities including the ahimsa in Jainism and Buddhism are borrowed from the early Brahmanical dharmasatras (cf. Jacobi-1. Introd. pp. 22 fol.). The textual passages For Private & Personal Use Only