Sambodhi 1980 Vol 09

Author(s): Dalsukh Malvania, H C Bhayani, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 66

64
Suzuko Ohira
first type of action ārambha or karma, and the other type of action anārambha or akarma, the distinguishing factors of which are whether or not there is the presence of the later so-called kaşāyas, and whether the action is in accord with the prescribed ethical code of conduct.20 Akarma expressed in these early texts does not mean non-action, absence of action or cessation of action in its literary sense, but is upheld as the ideal action leading one to moksa which is exemplified by MV in the Acara I. 9. The term ārambha connotes committing violence and the term karma expresses the sense of action in general, both of which are invariably sinful and bind vaira. MV identified arambha with karma in this context, and propounded the doctrine of ārambha by adopting karma theory. And since ārambha and karma are equally sinful, MV did not approve the existence of heaven as the Upadişadic teachers and Buddha, did. The concept of heaven came to be developed by the Jainas in the later days 21 Since the term ārambha likely means undertaking action motivated for the worldly purpose as aforementioned, a crude distinction between sinful action and sinless action should have already existed in the pre-MV period. MV made this distinction lucid in the context of karma-rebirth-libtretion theory.
In this context, MV sought the causes of ārambha (=parigraha) and karma in the later so-called ka saya (krodha, māna, māyā and lobha) including rata, nata, śatha, kalpa, kāma, rāga, dveșa, vaira, etc. These are also called grantha and moha, and the agent who acts activated by them is called pramatta. MV's inquiry into the causes of sinful action is persistent inasmuch as Buddha's investigation into the causes of trsņā. The aforementioned usage of srotas in the sense of kaşāya must have been made under the influence of the Buddhist side. Atipāta srota and adāna srota therein should be understood that the current of ārambha and the current of parigraha are derived from the source of ka sāya.
Such being the case, it is quite natural to find the common methods taken for suppressing kasāya or klesa by MV and Buddha. Gupti, samiti, samvara, samyama, etc. are synonymously used to connote the ascetic conduct in controlling the senses and the self in the Acāra 1-Sūtsakrta I. The contents of samiti and gupti came to be rounded in the later days. The old Buddhist texts also teach gupti, samvara, samyama, damana, etc. in controlling the senses and the self. The early Jainas call a disciplined monk suvrata, and they use sila in the sense of conduct in general inasmuch as the Buddhist camp does. As aforestated, the then Pārsvan order is assumed to have been already practising something similar ethical conduct as such. MV as well as Buddha denounced the worldly life severely, and they adopted lonely wandering as the best method to get rid of kasaya