Outlines of Jainism

Author(s): S Gopalan
Publisher: Wiley Eastern Private Limited New Delhi

Page 19

10
JAINISM
regulations for their monks. The similarity that characterizes the rules for the ascetic in the Hindu and the Jaina traditions on the one hand, and the differences discernible in the rules prescribed for the Hindu saṁnyāsin and the Buddhist monk on the other, are evidences enough to establish our contention that Jainism was not a mere offshoot of Buddhism. We shall cite here the remarkable similarities between the rules governing the institution of asceticism in the Hindu and Jaina traditions. Since there is no dispute regarding the antiquity of Hindu thought, and since the Buddha is considered to be the founder of Buddhism and a contemporary of Mahāvīra who was only a reformer of the Jaina church scholars have come to the conclusion that if at all we are to refer to 'borrowal', it must be that Jainism and Buddhism borrowed' ideas from Hinduism, and not certainly Jainism from Buddhism. The following are some of the rules prescribed for the ascetic :
"An ascetic shall not possess any store."17 In Jainism and Buddhism also we find the monks being forbidden to possess anything which can be called 'their own'.
"He must be chaste.''18 The fourth mahāvrata of the Jaina muni is exactly the same. This virtue is numbered five in the Buddhist list.
"He must not change his residence during the rainy season."19 We find the same rule in the other two traditions also.
“He shall restrain his speech, his eyes and his actions.":20 We are here reminded of the three guptis of the Jainas.
“He shall not take parts of plants and trees except such as have become detached spontaneously.”21 The spirit of this rule is found reflected in the Jaina tradition which allows the muni to eat only such vegetables, fruits, etc. which have no trace of life left.22
“He shall avoid the destruction of seeds."23 The Jaina tradition applies the rule to all living creatures when it exhorts its
17 Gautama : III. 11; Cf. Baudhāyana : II, 6, 11, 16 18 Gautama : III. 12 19 lbid , III. 13; Cf. Baudhāyana : II, 6, 11, 20 20 Ibid., III, 17 21 Ibid., III. 20 22 Ācāränga, II. 1. 7.6 23 Gautama : III. 23