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Lord Mahāvīra and His Times
the time of Mahāvira, creeds called Krizāvāda, Akrijāvada, Ajñānavāda, and Vinayavāda. These four great schools comprise three hundred and sixty-three schools : Krijāvāda consists of one hundred and eighty schools; Akrijāvada of eighty four schools, Ajñānavāda of sixty-seven schools, and Vinayavāda of thirty-two schools. KRIYĀVĀDA
Kriya denotes the existence of the soul (jiva), and those who believe in the existence of the soul are called Kriyāvādins. It is stated that one who knows the tortures of beings below in hell, one who knows the influx of sin and its stoppage one who knows misery and its annihilation, is entitled to expound Kriyāvāda. AKRIYĀVĀDA
The Akriyāvādins deny the existence of the soul, etc., for according to them everything is of a momentary existence, and a state comes to an end the moment it comes into existence, and, therefore, it cannot have any kriya. Without continuity of existence, no krijā is possible; the existence itself is the cause and effect of it. They are identified with the Buddhists, who hold the doctrine of Kshanikavāda. Akrivāvádins were also called Viruddhas, since they held to doctrines opposed to those of other heretics. AJÑĀNAVĀDA
The Ajñānavādins deny the necessity or importance of knowledge to attain salvation, since there is assertion of contradictory statements in it. VINAYAVĀDA
The Vinayavādins or Vainayikas are mentioned as Aviruddhakas in the Anguttara,1 They do not accept signs, external rules of ceremony, and the scriptures, but uphold the supremacy of reverence as the cardinal virtuc leading to perfection.
The upholders of this faith paid equal reverence to cight classes of beings, viz. god and master, ascetics, men, aged persons, inferiors, mother and father, and they maintained that to each of these cight classes of persons reverence may be shown in
1. Argu, III, p. 276.
