Prolegomena to Prakritica et Jainica

Author(s): Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Asiatic Society

Page 68

BANERJEE: JAIN RELIGION IN A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE 51
people into the realm of reality. For example, according to the Vedas, God, the Supreme Power, created the world. Mahāvīra did not preach that God created the world. The Sūtrakṛtānga (1.3.64-68), one of the Agama granthas of the Svetambaras, says that some people say that Brahma created the world, but it is false (Bamho is the word used in Prakrit). It says that people do not know that the world was never created by God and it is eternal. This was the first revolutionary idea that was preached by Mahavira in the 6th century B.C.
The second revolutionary idea was that the life of all beings are very sacred and naturally they should not be killed, but should be protected. All animals wish to live, and not to be slain; therefore, the Jain monks must relinquish the dangerous killing of animals.
Thirdly, the Vedic concept of Atman (self) is challenged. According to the Vedic Upanisads, Atman is permanent, without beginning, change or end. Mahavira opposed this view and said-"Reality (sat) is not permanent, unchangeable or endless". What is the actual construction of Atma which we call soul? In general, according to Indian Philosophy, the Atma of the human beings is ultimately connected to the Paramātmā, which is the Supreme Authority or the Supreme Soul. In between there are intermediary stages. But what the Jains call as Atmā and Parmātmā is different, because the Jains do not believe in an outside Absolute power, their interpretation of Atmā (i.e. jiva), is different.
Fourthly, about the origin of the idea of Ahimsa. In India, the cult of ahimsa is very old. It is found in Vedic as well as in Buddhist religions. In the Rgueda we have lots of passages on Ahimsa- 'mā himṣiḥ'. Buddhism too deals with Ahimsa. But since it was only the Jains who philosophized Ahimsa or made it a part of their philosophy, Ahimsa becomes a property of Jainism. In most of the Indian literature, whatever be the language - be it Mārāṭhi, Gujarāti, Bengali, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil,
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