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The Path of Arhat : A Religious Democracy
Yoga either alone or in groups living in the places away from populations. On account of severe penances undertaken by them they were called śramaņas. They had no attachment to their bodies and took utmost care to see that no life was destroyed. The lives of these Munis were in accordance with the teachings of Rşabhadeva, the first Tirthařkara of Jainas. The roots of Saukhya philosophy of Kapil Muni is in this non-Aryan tradition.
There were two ethnic groups of ‘Vrātva' and 'Vșşala' which were following this non-Aryan traditions. There were five subraces of Vrătya group, one of which was known as Arhanta. Vrătyas were also the worshippers of Linga. Atharva-veda contains a prayer of 'Eka-vrátya' ( 15th Kanda ) who was a Vratya-God. 'Linga' worship is indicative of Saiva religion. The Aryans subsequently recognised Śiva as one of their gods, but previous to that Siva or Rudra was not originally an Aryan god.
In both the ethnic groups of Vrátya and Vrşala non-violence and austerities were greatly respected. Non-violence, austerities and sacrifice are the result of a peaceful and steady social structure. The development of these virtues in the people, who have to move from place to place in struggle of life, is not possible and therefore, the cultural development of Arvans was based on active and adventurous social life. For these reasons non-Aryan culture became introvert and Aryan culture became extrovert. Both these cultures developed in their own way, but after the Aryans settled in this land, both the cultures influenced each other for thousands of years as a result of which a new synthesis grew up which we now identify as Indian culture.”
Speaking of Buddha and Mahāvíra Pt. Sukhalalji remarked that both of them are likely to be the Ksatriyas of Vrşala group and that Buddha was also known as “Vrşalaka'. The selection of the words 'Muri' and 'Arhat' in Kesi-sūkta of Rgveda, is also suggestive of Sramana tradition because
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