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512
JOHANNIS BRONKIORST
JAINAS AND ALIVIKAS
513
sectarians" (Sn 381: titthiya vadasile, tr. Norman, 1984: 64), but leaves it at that.
Other passages make clear that Ajivikas could have followers. The term ajivakasävaka "lay disciple of Ajivikas / of the Ajivikas" is used a few times (AN 1.217: Vin II.1.30. 165: III.135 f.). The fact that a bloodrelation (nāti sālohitoj of king Bimbisára is stated to have gone forth among (the) Ajivikas (awakeni pabljito) confirms that the Alivikas constituted one or more groups of religious Wanderers i Vin IV 74).
A feature of the Ajivikas that is repeatedly stressed is their nakedness The Mahāvagga (Vin 1.290 1.) tells the charming story of disciples of the Buddha who, to refresh themselves. had taken off their clothes to let the rain cool their naked bodies. A servant girl, sent to invite Buddhists but seeing only naked men, mistakes them for Ajivikas. In the Suttavibhanga (Vin 111.21! f.) monks find themselves naked as a result of a robbery. but the outcome is the same: they are mistaken for Ajivikas. The terms ajivaka and aceluka seem occasionally used as synonyms. This appears to be the case in the Suttavibhanga (Vin IV.91-92) where the Buddha forbids giving food to naked ascetics (acelaka): the introductory story speaks of Ajivikas instead. It is not surprising that the commentator Buddhaghosa more than once explains the term "Ajivika" as "naked ascetics" (naggapahbajita, Mp 111.334: naggasamana, Ps 1.151). Passages like these do indeed create the impression that the expression is used to reler to naked scenes in general, rather than to any particular movement.
This raises the following important question. We know that at the time of the historical Buddha and of Mahavira there were two kinds of Jainas: the followers of Parsva, who wore clothes, and the followers of Mahāvīra, who were naked. Is it possible that the early Buddhists included the naked Jainas in their general category of Ajīvikas. so that the Jainas mentioned in the Buddhist canon are primarily followers of Parsva?
Before trying to answer this question, it will be useful to consider the evidence which allows us to conclude that there were indeed two groups of Jainas at the time of Mahavira. This evidence comes from the Jaina canon, which describes a few encounters between followers of Parsva and those of Mahavira. One of those encounters is described in Viyahapannatti (Vyākhyāprajnapti) 1.9, where Käläsa Vesiyaputta (Kälāsya Vaisikaputru), a follower of Parsva, questions the Jaina Elders and subsequently accepted the religion based on Five Vows, with pratikramana added." in place of the) religion based on Four Vows. and practised it. He led for long years the life of a monk in the order:
and as a monk, he remained nude ...". That five vows and nudity are the marks that distinguished the followers of Mahavira from those of Parsva is clear from the 23rd chapter of the Uttaradhyayana. In this chapter Kesin, a follower of Parsva, and Gautama, a pupil of Vardhamana, engage in the following shared reflection! Is 1 law the right me, or is the other law the night we are
ind herrines right, or the wher? (111 The LW I tug by the great ape larsvit, which regerses but
the W Light by Vanhata which can live wall The Law which forbids clothes for a muok.orthal winch allowancer and uper garment ..13 The ensuing discussion contirms that Päráva recognises four vows, Vardhamana tive (Utt 23.23), and specifies that the Law taught by Vardhamana forbids clothes, but that of the great sage Parsva allows an under and upper garment".! We learn from this that there were two. and perhaps only two differences between the teachings of Pariva and Mahavira: the followers of the former recognised four restraints and wore clothes, while the followers of the latter recognised five restraints and wore no clothes. The nakedness of Mahavira and his followers finds further contirmation in some other passages of their canon. The Acaranga Sutra describes how the Venerable Ascetic (samane bhagavim).i.e. presumably Mahāvīra, decided not to wear that piece of cloth". The lines concerned read:16 - I shall not cover myself with that robe in that winter". He had crossed the samsarul for the rest of his life. This | refusing of dress is in accordance with his doctrine... For a year and a month he did not leave off his robe. Since that time the Venerable One, giving up his robe, was a naked, world-relinquishing, houseless Isage)." And the so-called" Kalpa-Sutra states: "The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira for a year and a month wore clothes, after that time he walked about naked, and accepted the alms in the hollow of his hand."
The Jainas in the Buddhist canon are never presented as being naked." As a rule nothing is said about their outward appearance. but at least one passage contrasts them with naked Ajivikas. It occurs in the Anguttara Nikāya and reads..
Para Kassapa has made known six classes abhij of mankind a hlack n'a blue cleared one. il green one, il white said, and a supremely white one. The black class: butchers of sheep, butchers of mus fuwlers, deerstalkers, hunters, fishermen. thieves, cecutioners, prison-keepers, and others who follow a cruel excupation. The blue class: Buddhist monks who live as thieves, and helievers in karma and the clicity of works. The red class Jain niyan ) who wear a single yamten The green class householders who wear white cloths and are lay disciples of naked lascetics (anclaka). The white class: Ajivikas of both sexes. The supremely while class: Nanda Vaccha. Kisa Sunkicua. Makkhali Gasala.
