Sambodhi 2012 Vol 35

Author(s): J B Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 31

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Vol. XXXV, 2012
Early Jainism and Śaivism Cūrņi on Jītakalpa vs. 71: sāvekkhā gaccha-vāsi, niravekkhā Jiņakappiyādayao...: Leumann. Kl. Sch. pp. 265, 271).
(89) In short, the Saivas or Pāśupatas and Jaina monks possess the following similarities:
They (both of them) are called digambaras or dig-vāsā, sometimes they wear only one piece of cloth, eka-vāsā, avāsā vā (Pāśupata Sūtra 1. 10-11) and ... acelo sacelo vā (BKBh. 6369). Their liberated souls are called siddhas, They have a considerable number of tirthankaras. Their sacred scriptures are called āgamas, and early commentarial text is called cūrņi (and Vārttika) according to Schomerus (Der Çaiva Siddhānta; p. 26, noted by Schubring. Doctrine $43, p. 83, fn.4). In their traditions, there is a mention of 12 years' famine (cp. also the Nepalese Cronicles - Vamśāvali-s., and Jacobi's Parisistaparva pp.55 ff;). In their vratas of early period; the vrata of aparigraha is absent. They keep matted hair (cp. Utt.23. Kesi-Goyamīya; Keśin, Pārśva's follower, his name suggests, "one having hair."). E. Leumann (V1. Oriental Congress III.2. p. 258) sees also "a close relation of a small Saiva text” so far as the Parikamma / Parikarma (in Ditthivāya / Destivāda) of the Jainas is concerned. This is noted by Schubring (Doctrine 838, p.76, fn.1)13.
Probably among the early monks of Jainism, some monks like păsatthas, kuśīlas, avasannas, etc. might be originally Śaiva or having Pāśupatic characteristics. They might be as yet not mentally prepared to live strict rigorous ascetic life as the nirgranthas and Jinakalpikas of the time in Jainism.
($10) We have shown above ($81-9) some similarities including the ascetic behaviour of some early Jaina and the Saiva or Pāśupata monks of the period ranging from nearly 3rd cent. BCE onward. (The earliest text Ac.I in Jainism can not be placed before the 3rd cent. BCE.) It appears that such characteristic similarities among these monks might have derived from a common source to be traced somewhere from early Brahmanical texts. We therefore wish to discuss this particular aspect on the basis of a scholarly study of The Bharata Sage by Leumann (1894). From this study, three main topics come on the surface so far the early Jainism is concerned; namely, 1. the Bharata Sage is associated with the Rşabha legend, also in Jainism
(e.g. Āv. Nir. vss. 186 ff.). Rsabha is the tenth (the last) personali among the ten personalities of the tradition (see below). All the ten personalities of the tradition renounced the world and