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
tional stage not only in the field of political and socio-economic life but also in the religious thinking and ideas of the people. Brāhmanism which prevailed in the society prior to the rise of the Buddha, had developed into an elaborate ritual, and only learned Brāhmaṇas were competent to perform sacrifices, and even in domestic worship their services became indispensable. The trend of opinion was now growing against the rigidity of the Vedic sacrifices. The intellectual ferment of the age was responsible for this change. The religion of the Vedas, which was primarily and basically a sacrificial one, had lost its appeal with the masses. Again, in the philosophy of the Upanişads we find the quest of true knowledge, and here the mind of the thoughtful people was directed to the attainment of peace and salvation, by the knowledge of Ātman and Paramātman. Yet the ideas of the Upanişads a highly scholastic metaphysical doctrine of the direct realisation of God, could not in any way appease the spiritual needs of the people. The high position which the Brāhmaṇa priests had so far occupied could no longer be maintained.
The Kșatriyas had now gained predominance. Some of them were great philosophers. Even the learned Brāhmaṇas used to approach them for seeking higher learning. Mention may be made in this connection of the royal philosophers like Pravāhaņa Jaibāli, Janaka and Ajātaśatru.22
Moreover, it was not possible for the common folks to perform such a costly and complicated rituals and sacrifices of the VedicUpanişadic ages. Existing Brāhmaṇical religion, thus, gradually had lost all spontaneity, and it, as a rule, was considered the monopoly of the Brāhmaṇas and the affluent people in India at that time.
It is necdless to point out that the Vedic rituals were not totally ignored in this age of reason and higher learning, The theology,
ntained in the late Vedic literature was still current. Mystic significance was attached to the Vedic rituals and sacrifices. An elaborate description of the Vedic rituals can be found in the Srauta Sūtras and the Grhja Sūtras. Contemporary rulers, viz., king Prasenjit of Kośala and Udayana of Kauśāmbi, were believers in the efficacy of Vedic rituals. The two tendencies apparent in most religions, those of philosophical speculation and ritualism, had assumed great complexity. Vedic ritual still persisted, though the outer forms had been adjusted to contemporary needs. The