________________
751
Minor Faiths, for which people showed great respect and for which the Brahmins offered great support.
Whatever it may be, it is certain that there are a number of beliefs and ideas in full current in the Maha Bharata which are not vis ble in the Védas. Besides, there were certain beliefs current among Aryan and semi-Aryan people and extremely prevalent among them which were not existing in Védic Literature
[Only recently Bhagavad Gita-a portion of Bhisma Parva of the Maha Bharata-has been found in its original form in an Island named Bali Island near Java See Modern Review of July 1914. It is quite clear that numerous changes have taken place in the text of the Maha Bharata
Thirdly Leaving aside the ideas of Jaina and Buddhist writers, there were numerous other Faiths current during those times which are described in Jaina and Buddhist Literature. These materials have not been collected but we shall content ourselves by giving a few very familiar instances.
(a) In relation to Sila ( chastity) Discourses of Buddha writes:-Some Sannyasins (mendicants with a triv'e staff and Brahmins living on the food supplies by Sravakas are cunning, believers of False Beliefs for the sake of wealth, conjurers, maintaining themselves on the Science of Augury and they are always maling efforts to hoarding wealth Gautama Sramaņa is free from such treacherous and false bondages
b The under-mentioned base arts and sciences were very prevalent among the Brahmins-viz 1. Sâ rudrika (the science of telling of events from the positions of planets a d constellations) 2. Augury (science of tellrig of oven fron omens) 3 Fore-telling of future events from the figures created on a piece of cloth by a mouse biting it 4. Sacrices of god Agni. 5 offerings to various gods 6. Vastu-tastra the science of constructing buildings. 7. Uttering of spells. 8. The art of subduing a cobra 9 The art of taming beasts and birds. 10. Jyotisa
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
