Jaina Philosophy Historical Outline

Author(s): Narendra Nath Bhattacharya
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publisher's Pvt Ltd New Delhi

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68 Jain Philosophy in Historical Outline
actions by denying the potentialities or Karma in future existence. They believe that all human actions and endeavours are fruitless. Most of the philosophical schools mentioned in the Buddhist Brahmajāla Sutta, of which we have already occasion to refer, actively contribute to this doctrine of non-action. In the Thana1 Mahāvīra mentions eight classes of Akriyāvādins: (1) Ekkavādins on Monists, Theists and Monotheists, (2) Anikkavādins or Pluralists (3) Mitavadins or Extentionists, (4) Nimmitavādins or Cosmogonists, (5) Sayavādins or Sensualists, (6) Samucchedavādins or Annihilationists, (7) Niyavādins or Eternalists and (8) Na-Santi-Paralokavādins or Materialists. Šilänka in his Acaranga Tika2 mentions six types of Akriyāvādins: the upholders of the doctrines of Kāla, Isvara, Ātman, Niyati, Svabhāva and Yadṛcchă as the First Principles. The doctrines of Pūraṇa Kassapa, Pakudha Kaccayana and a few other contemporaries of Mahāvīra and the Buddha are in close agreement to the views upheld by the Akriyāvādins.
The Ajñānavādins of the Jain texts were sceptics or agnostics who refused to give categorical answer to the questions put to them. Mahavira's expression Aṇṇāniya or Ajñānika evidently refers to Sanjaya and his school. This school corresponds to the Amarāvikkhepikas or evasive disputants of the Buddhists. According to Mahavira, the Ajñānavādins pretend to be intelligent, but in reality they do not know the truth. As teachers they mislead their pupils, because they are unfamiliar with truth and have not got rid of perplexity and contradictions (Aṇṇāniyā te kusalāvi samtā, asamthnyā no vitigicchatiņņā. Akoviyā āhu akoviyehim, ananuvi-ittu musam vayamti).* 67 kinds of Ajñānavādins are mentioned in the Jain texts.
32 kinds of Vinayavādins are mentioned in the Jain texts. It is very difficult to understand what Vinayavāda really was. Jacobi translated Vinayavāda as idolatry. In the Buddhist texts we find that the Buddha was asked many times whether he was a Vinayavadin. From the Jain definitions" it appears that the followers of this school believed in the practice of certain moral codes, probably, without knowing their real impact. Probably the aim of the Vinayavādins was to gain a better future existence by practising certain moral codes. It was not
IIV. 4.
Ed, Dhanapati, 14.
Suya, I. 6.27; I. 12. 1.2; II. 2.79; Uttara, XVIII. 3.
*Süya, I. 12.2.
Süya, I. 12. 3-4; II. 2.79; Uttara, XVIII, 23.