Some Aspects of Jainism in Eastern India

Author(s): Pranabananda Jash
Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal Publisher's Pvt Ltd New Delhi

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Some Aspects of Jainism in Eastern India
term remarks that this kind of wandering mendicant (Parivrājaka) was called Maskarin not so much because he carried a staff as because he professed to have renounced all activities.”10 The Arthaśāstrall speaks of the sect along with other heretical sects, like the sākyas (the Buddhists); but no mention is made of the Nirgranthas or Jainas showing that the Ajīvikas were more influential and powerful or worthy of support than those of the Jainas, at least, during the time of the Mauryas.
It is not easy to trace the entire course of history and its transformation since the inception of this school of thought with any great certainty. But it is possible to observe the moments of mutual impacts and consequent adjustments among the different heretical schools as reflected in the contemporary literatures, both heretical and Brāhmaṇical, as well as archaeological objects like epigraphy, icons, etc.
The Ājivikas emerged as an independent heretical sect in eastern India as early as the time of Buddha and Mahāvīra. The first Ājivika whom Buddha met and conversed was Upaka.It is stated that Buddha in course of his journey towards Sāranātha (near Benaras, U.P.) for expressing his experience of 'Release vis-a-vis preaching his Dharma to the Pañcavagīya ascctic had come into contact with the noted Ajīvika ascetic apparently near Gaya. Upaka is said to have encountered with the Buddha in connection with latter's enlightenment as well as Buddha's claim of Jinahood.13 "If the legend of U;aka be accepted” as agreed by A.L. Basham, “it must be taken to imply that Ajīvika mendicants roamed the roads of Magadha at least a generation before the commencement of Gośāla's ministry."!!
In fact, all these are in a conjectural stage. The history of the beginning of the Ājivikas like that of the Jainas is shrouded in many confusions and complications. Of course, a viable chronology of the history and development of the sect with considerable amount of certainty can be worked out after Gośāla; but the Pāli texts never depict Gośāla as the founder of the sect.15 Several teachers like Nanda Vaccha,16 Kisa Sankicca!? and Panduputta18 are mentioned in the Pāli canon and it appears that at least the first two were represented as important personalities in the field of contemporary religion and philosophy 19 Púraņa Kassapa, as mentioned earlier,20 had a great difference for these two teachers and also Gośäla, 21 as he includes them in the sixth or the purest type