Sramana Tradation

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

Page 49

Šramaņa Tradition
(nayam hanti na hanyate). 24 It is like the Sankhyan position where the soul is never involved in real action. The Ajīvikas deny only the freedom, not the reality of action. In any case they do not deny the the moral status or consequences of action.
Pakudha Kaccāyana is said to have questioned the possibility of interaction between the seven ultimate and immutable elements. Sattime... kāyā akață... van jha kūțatthā te na in janti na viparinamanti na aññamaññam vyábadhenti... katames atta parhavi-käyo, ápokāyo tejokayo vāyokāyo sukhe dukkhe jīvasattame ... 3 5 " There are these seven bodies, uncreated, sterile, unchangeable. They neither move nor undergo alteration nor do they interact. Which are the seven ? Earth, water, fire, air, pleasure, pain and the soul". This doctrine is somewhat peculiar because it separates experience from both matter as well as the soul. The one thing common to these three philosophers is 'Akriyāyāda' a denial of the spiritual efficacy of action.28
The Buddhists and the Jainas condemned Akriyāyāda as being morally subversive in its consequences. The Ayāramga defines the Niggantha as Kiriyāvāyi. The Sūyagadamga, criticizing the rival doctrines of Akriyāvāda, Vinayavāda and Ajñānavāda, explains “misery is produced by one's own works, not by those of somebody else, but right knowledge and conduct lead to liberation”.91 Śīlānka explains that action becomes sufficient for liberation only when it is combined with knowledge. The wise man avoids injury to living beings and restrain their actions. Only he “who knows the influx of sin and its stoppage; who knows misery and its annihilation - he is entitled to expound the Kriyāvāda ".28 This doctrine is criticized by the Buddhists who said - "abhavvo dithisampanno puggalo sayamkatam sukhadukkham paccāgantum abhavvo ditthisampanno puggalo paramkatam sukhadukk paccāgantum.29 Prof. Barua has shown on the basis of the Devadatta
24. Gita, II, 19. 25. Digha (Nal. ed.), I, p. 49. 26. For a detailed discussion on akri yāyāda see my Studies in the Origins of
Buddhism, pp. 341ff. 27. Jaina Sūtras, II, p. 317. 28. Ibid., p. 319. 29. Anguttara-Nikaya, quoted in Barua, op: cit., p. 386, fn. 1.