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JAINA SAHITYA SANSHODHAKA.
i Vol. 1
as very suggestive
to us the view of iya has thus preserved
sphere of activity was also largely Buddha who had no metaphysical creed identical. Both probably spoke the same to plead could afford to maintain a language, had to deal with the same judicious silence when pressed men and same problems, and though to answer questions' that it were vain their conclusions might be conceivably and bootless to inquire after.' But how different their starting point was also about a system like Jainism which the same. The statements and references had to accept the Jiva-Ajiva doctrine in their extant Scriptures tell the same as a part of the inherited tradition ! story. While a passage from the Digha And it is just here that we must imagine Nikaya speaks of 62 current philosophi- Mahavira to have played his great role. cal systems another Jain Sutta speaks of Jacobi has said in one place:-“ The 363- such systems, and persons like similarity between some of these hereMakkbáli Gogala, or Sanjaya Belatthi-tical doctrines on the one hand and putta cut a somewhat similar figure in Jain and Buddhistic ideas on the other the estimation of both these religious is very suggestive and favours the teachers. The Nikaya has thus preserved assumption that the Buddha as well
as Mahavira owed some of his concep “ If you ask me whether there is ano- tions to these very heretics and formuther world--well, if I thought there "lated others under the influence of the were. I would say so. But I don't say Bo. controversies which were continually And I don't think it is thus or thus. -going on with them. Thus, I think, And I don't deny it. And I don't say that in opposition to the agnosticism of that there neither is, nor is not, ano- Sanjaya, Mahavira has established the ther world. And if you ask me Syadvada; and we can also trace the about the beings produced by chance; influence of agnosticim in the Buddhisor whether there is any fruit, anytic doctrine about Nirvana." result, of good or bad actions, or What Lord Mahavira probably whether a man who bas won the actually accomplished was a judicious truth continues or not after death-to tempering of the pronounced agnostieach or any of these questions do I cismof Sanjaya by lending to it an appagive the same reply".
rent positive aspect. While Sanjaya, says i.The Jain Satta regarde this view as “I cannot say if it is and I cannot say
a variety of the as many as 67 kinds of if it is not.” Mahavira says “I can say Agnosticism current at the time, and it that the thing in a sense is and in a is formulated aga far afg' sense is not" The difference between Paal, w zaffa ga 19 #1, aire
these positions is rather formal, but it
was perhaps deemed enough to satisfy ataya No.
the subtle and high-strung logical acu** When an extremely subtle and al- men of the day: in any case Mabayira most unimpeachable dialectic of which was able to harmonise with this temthe above may serve as a specimen pered agnosticism his traditional Jivaseemed to throw all established theo- Ajiva metaphysics and so present a ries and traditions into the melting bold front to the attack which gave a pot, it became imperative upon all who death-blow to many an established claimed to teach an old and positive dogma. Mahavira had in his own doctrine to defend their position. The days to contend against many heretioal
Aho I Shrutgyanam
