Schools and Sects in Jaina Literature

Author(s): Amulyachandra Sen
Publisher: Vishwa Bharati Calcutta

Page 25

16
SCHOOLS AND SECTS IN JAINA LITERATURE
The attainment of perfection is possible, it has been maintained by some, 54 only by their method of religious life and not otherwise, and that even before the attainment of salvation they obtain power over others and possess everything to be wished for. Silāņka thinks that the Saivas and Ekadaņdins s are meant here. The possession even before emancipation is obtained, of everything to be wished for refers to the siddhis or supernatural powers with which we are familiar with in the later Yoga system of Patañjali. Perfection and freedom from disease are the aim of some who are taken to be Saivas by Sīlāņka. A sound mind in a sound body seems to be their aim in common with Patañjali.
According to one school, when a man acts or causes another to act it is not his soul which acts or causes to act." Harşakula and Silāņka ascribe this view to the adherents of the Sāmkhya philosophy according to whom praksti acts while the puruşa 'looks on, and because the puruşa or the soul has no form and it is all-pervading it has no responsibility or agency. The doctrine of Pūraņa Kassapa, as stated in the Samaññaphala Sutta of the Buddhists upholds this view. He taught that when one acts or causes another to act or commits sins no guilt follows. By doing virtuous acts, by generosity or truthfulness no increase of merit follows. There is neither merit nor demerit. Buddhaghoşa says that Pūraņa Kassapa was a naked mendicant, but he is probably confusing him with Acelaka Kassapa, a different person. Kassapa's idea is that the soul is passive and not affected by good or bad deeds. 58
SASVATAVADINS (ETERNALISTS). In the opinion of another philosopherthe world is boundless and eternal and it exists from eternity and does not perish. Harşakula and Silāņka say that the eternal aspect of the universe means, according to this view, that it has no destruction and that the natural order of things is immutably fixed-one who is a male now will ever be such hereafter, one who is a female will always continue to be such and so on.
34 Süt.S. I.i.3.14.
55 They hold that emancipation is obtained by a knowledge of the twenty-five principles, says Silāņka.
56 Süt.s. I.i.3.15. 57 Süt.S. I.i.1.13
58 See Barua : A History of Pre-Buddhistic Indian Philosophy. 1). 278. The Buddhist version is an exaggerated account of Kassapa's views. Although at first sight it appears like Nästika-vāda, it is not so as a perusal of Ajita Kesakambali's views wonld show-Ajita's being true Nāstikavāda.
69 Sūt.s. I.i.4.6.