Saptapadarthi

Author(s): Shivadityacharya, Jinvardhansuri, J S Jetly
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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This item of our tradition requires some close consideration. For this purpose it would be interesting to note the rise of Śramana sects in their early relation to Brāhmaṇical schools as well as the historical developments of their churches. I shall limit myself to Jainas though the general problem of the rise of Śramanas pertains to all the Śramana sects.
The Sūtrakṛtānga1 of Jainas and the Brahmajäla-Sutta2 of Bauddhas refer to a great number of sects other than their own. Some of these may be Vedic while the others are non-Vedic and Śramana. Of these sects the historicity of the three Śramana sects, viz. those of Jainas, Bauddhas and Ajivakas is generally accepted by the scholars.
There is however a controversy about the origin of these Śramana sects. The older view is that these Śramana sects were more or less so many protests against the orthodox Vedic cult. The strongest argument in favour of this view is that our oldest extant literature comprises Vedas including Brāhmaṇas and Upanisads. The canonical works of Jainas and Bauddhas are much later and assume the existence of the Vedas and Vedism. Naturally therefore one becomes inclined to regard these sects represented by later literature as in some way related to the older Vedism.
However, a more critical and thorough examination of the Vedic as well as of Śramana sacred texts has given birth to the hypothesis of the independent origin of these Śramana sects. Not only that, but this study has also suggested the possibility of some of the Vedic sects like Śaivism, schools like Sänkhya-Yoga and some of the Bhakti cults being non-Vedic in origin. The bases of this hypothesis are
(3)
1. Sut. refers to the creeds prevalent in the time of Mahavira. They are (1) fazi, (2) faig, and (4) far. The same Sut. states that these four great creeds comprise 363 schools. Vide Sut. I-xii-1 also cf. Sthänänga 4-4-35, Bhagavati 30-1-825, Uttaradhyayana 18-23 and Nandi 47.
2. BJS. in DN enumerates 62 schools under the chief eight heads, viz; (1), (2) एकच्चसस्सतिक, (3) अन्तानन्तिक, (4) अमराविक्खेपक, (5) अधिच्चसमुप्पन्निक, (6) उद्धमाघातनिक, (7) उच्छेदवादि and (8) fegf DN 1-12-39, also cf. Śvetāśvatara. 1-2. It enumerates (1) R, (2) स्वभाववाद, (3) नियतिवाद, (4) यदृच्छावाद, (5) भूतवाद, (6) पुरुषवाद, and (7) ईश्वरवाद. It should be noted that according to the works of the Jaina canon referred to all the five Vādas excepting यदृच्छावाद and भूतवाद come under the head of क्रियावाद while भूतवाद comes under the head of afasia. For detailed study vide, Schools and Sects in Jaina Literature by A. C. Sen.
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