Schools and Sects in Jaina Literature

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

Page 55

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SCHOOLS AND SECTS IN JAINA LITERATURE
The Tajjivataccharītavādins are criticised as offering no solution to such problems as whether or not an action is good, whether or not there is a life after death or whether perfection is attainable.135
The Buddhists are criticised as placing unreasoning faith on the authority of Buddha. They have permission, they say, of doing this or that. Any one familiar with the rules of Vinaya of the Buddhists knows how frequently the necessity arose for Buddha to accord his permission to this act or that on the part of his disciples, and this has been criticised on the ground that Buddha's permission does not justify a wrong act.236
Kriyāvādins are criticised on the ground that they put all the emphasis on outward acts which is not correct for a sinful thought even though not carried out into execution is none the less sinful."37
Akriyāvādins are criticised for not believing that there is karnian and its transmission to future moments. 138
Brāhmaṇs, Ajñānavādins and Vinayavādins are criticised in general terms and the Jaina emphasis on non-injury, necessity of right thinking, and right knowledge come out prominently from these criticisms.135
The Sünyavādins who deny the existence of all visible world and all future are told in answer that as astrologers, dream-interpreters and other kinds of diviners are sometimes able to predict future events it cannot be said that there is no future."40
Those who believed in perfection to be attained by bath, abstention from some articles of food, or by tending a fire are criticised on the ground that if perfection was attainable by contact with water niany fishes, tortoises etc., would easily obtain perfection." If water washed off bad karman it would also wash off good karman, and if it washed off sin many people who killed living beings in water would be sinless. If perfection was attainable by tending a fire many inechanics would casily obtain it.143 By drinking liquor or eating meat and garlic people of course attain a state different from their normal state but that state is far from the state of perfection.144 Clothed in humour though these criticism are yet they reveal a strong common sense on the part of the Nirgrantha critic.
1** Sūt. S. II.i.17. 1** Ācār. S. I.i.3.7. 151 Sät. S. I.i.2.29. 11 Sūt. S. I.xii.4. 1** Ācãr. S. I.iv.2.4. Sät. S. I.xii.3; 1.1.2.17. 14 Sūt. S. I.xii.9. 101 Sät. S. I.vii. 14-15.
Sät. S. I.vii. 16-17. Sät. S. I.vii.18. Sät. S. I.vii.19.