Sramana Tradation

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

Page 31

Sramaņa Tradition
is that of one supreme spirit that controls the universe and is the goal of all aspirations. This doctrine is quite irreconcilable with the essential point of view of Sänkhya, which posits many individual spirits seeking disengagement from the bondage of an alien Nature. * The second Adhyāya of the Katha mentions the Muni directly and goes on to clearly describe the processes of human bondage and liberation, yonim anye prapadyante sariratvåya dehinaḥ/ sthāņum anye. 'nusam yanti yathākarma yathāśrutam| Some souls incarnate in a womb, others even reach the plant life according to their deeds and learning.' Immortality is gained when one perceives the inner self and is freed from all desires in the heart — " tam åtmastham ye'nupaśyanti dhīrās tesäm sukham sāśvatam netaresäm” Those wise persons who see him in the soul, they alone attain everlasting happiness, not others'
teşam santiḥ śāśvatī netaresām'-their is everlasting peace ' yada sarve pramucyante kämā ye'sya hydi sthitäh / atha martyo'myto bhavaty atra brahma samaśnute || When all the desires in his heart are remov. ed, then the mortal becomes immortal and attains to Brahman here.' This even suggests the possibility of jivanmukti or Arhattva. Again, corresponding to kāma, the word 'granthi' also occurs here. There can be no doubt that the second half of the Katha belongs to an age when Šramanism was known as a full-fledged doctrine and some of its basic principles were being adopted into the Brāhmanical tradition.
The high watermark of such adoption is reached in the Mundaka, an Upanisad the very name of which suggests the Sramanas. The second section of the first Mundaka begins by recapitulating the older ritualistic formulae for gaining the Brahmaloka - Eșa vaḥ panthāḥ sukstasya loke’- This is your path for the world of righteousness'. But it goes on to condemn the sacrifices as 'frail boats' (plavă hy ete adȚdha yajñarü päh) and declares that those who, moved by desires (rägăttená. turäh) follow the ritualistic path or engage in charitable works, keep on revolving in the cycle of existence. The heaven they might gain is but a temporary respite. Here we find for the first time a clear rejection of Vedic ritualism on account of the doctrine of Samsara which holds the world of desires and actions to be coextensive with the world of transmigration. The relative lateness of this Upanişad clearly emerges from the fact that it adapts a passage from the Chándogya