Schools and Sects in Jaina Literature

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

Page 34

SCHOOLS AND SECTS IN JAINA LITERATURE
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to Särkhya, because according to it the puruşa does not act.86 We shall have to treat of Akriyāväda at greater length later on, but in connection with the present verse it has to be pointed out that although this verse and the one following have been commented upon by Silänka at great length as applying to the Buddhists, yet we must widen the limits of Akriyāvāda beyond Buddhist doctrines.
In the discussions of Adda one man appears and says that if one pierces a lump of oil-cake with a spit mistaking it for a man, or a gourd mistaking it for a baby, and roasts it one will be guilty of murder according to his views. If a savage puts a man on a spit and roasts him mistaking him for a lump of oil-cake, or a baby mistaking it for a gourd, he will not be guilty of murder. If anybody thrusts a spit through a man or a baby mistaking him or it for a lump of oil-cake, puts him or it on the fire and roasts, that will be a meal fit for the Buddhas to break fast upon.88 Those who always feed two thousand worthy monks, says this man to Adda, acquire great merit and become powerful gods in Arūpadhātu. This is an account, although exaggerated, of the Buddhist view that motive determines whether an act is sinful or not. If the state of mind was murderous it was a sin even though the act committed in execution of this intention did not actually result in the loss of life ; again, no sin is committed by the accidental killing of life when the act intended was not murder. It has to be taken as an echo of Buddha's statement that the state of mind accompanying an act was more important than the actual result of the act.89 The Arūpadhatu is the highest heaven of the Buddhists. The combination of all this is sufficient to establish its reference to the Buddhists.
Another verse credits some with holding that salvation which was a pleasant thing was produced by enjoying pleasures." Harşakula and Silānka take it to refer to the Buddhists and quote many passages in support of their identification :
sarvāṇi sattvāni sukhe ratāni, sarvāṇi duḥkhāc ca samudvijanti 1 tasmāt sukhārthi sukham eva dadyāt sukhapradātā labhate sukhāni 11
** SRE. xlv., p. 316, n.3. *7 Sät.S. II.6.26-29.
*Buddhana tam kaprati paranāya. Harsakula explains buddhanam as Säkyänām, while Silanka says Buddhānām api bhojanāya yogyam bhavati, which shows he took it to mean for the Buddhas.' 'Buddha' was used by Jainas and Buddhists alike to denote their master and in itself is not sufficient to indicate its applicability to the latter
"Cf. Buddha's conversation with Digha Tapassi a Nirgrantha ascetic and with Upāli, a lay disciple of Mahāvira and Upāli's conversion in Upali Sutta.
"Sūt.s. I.iii.4.6.