Sramana Tradation

Author(s): G C Pandey
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 17

Sramana Tradition
ethos of the earlier Vedic tradition and although they transmute the idea of the gods they do not adopt an atheistic point of view. With respect to ritualism, again, the Upanişads sometimes esoterically reinterpret them, occasionally reject them and more often ignore them in favour of a moral, contemplative and gnostic life. The Upanişadic point of view is thus a development of Vedicism and a half-turn towards śramanism, or rather, a position where further interaction between Brahmaņism and Sramaņism could take place, an interaction which did take place in the subsequent age and had the profoundest effects on the origin and development of Buddhism, Sankhya and Vedānta.
Let us consider the Upanişadic evidence to discover the earliest definite traces and echoes of the Sramanic Gedankenkreis. The Chändogya and the Brhadaranyaka are among the most ancient Upanişads. The Chándogya begins with a discussion of the mystery of the Udgītha which is identified with Prāna, Aditya and Ākāśa. This realization of the Udgitha leads to freedom from sin (påpman), fulfilment of desires and the attainment of spacious and exalted worlds. The second Adhyāya goes on to elaborate the esoteric meditations of Saman but mentions that there are three sections of Dharma, sacrifice, sacred study and liberality, and identifies sacrifice with Tapas, Adhyayana with Brahma. carya and liberality with a total gifting to the Preceptor. These virtues lead to immortality (amstatva ). While Tapas, Brahmacarya and Amộtatva are reminiscent of Śramaņism, it seems that these words here have a different meaning. Tapas stands for creative energizing rather than austerities while Brahmacarya stands for Vedic study with a preceptor. What the precise meaning of immortality would be, is not clear. The whole context repeatedly shows awareness of death and sin but seeks to avoid them with the help of ritualistic knowledge which simultaneously assures worldly fulfilment also. 'Devatānām salokatām särșțitām såyu jyam gacchati sarvamäyureti jyog jīvati mahan pra jaya paśubhirbhavati mahan kirtyä.' The great Ācārya Sankara. however, interprets this passage in a very different manner. He construes ‘Prathamaḥ' to refer to the enumeration ending with 'iti',
dvitiyaḥ' to refer to tapaḥ and trtīyaḥ to refer to 'brahmacārt etc.' The passage would then read thus : 'trayo dharmaskandhāh / yajño'dh