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Sramaņic Critique of Brähmanism
speak of the loss of caste. For example, " sadyaḥ patati māsena lākṣayā lavaṇena ca/ tryahācchūdrasca bhavati brāhmaṇaḥ kṣtravikrayıll” If a Brahmana can fall into śūdrahood, birth could not be the basis of Brāhmaṇahood. “Kim khalu duşğo 'pyaśvaḥ sükaro bhavet ?/” Can a bad horse become a pig ?
Nor can the body be Brāhmaṇa. Otherwise burning the dead Brā. hmana would cause brahma-hatyå ! It may be recalled here that this particular alternative has been supported by Kumarila.
Nor, again, can knowledge cause Brahmanahood, else all the learn. ed śūdras would be Brahmaņas. The same argument excludes conduct because we find low caste people engaged in austerities and having good conduct. As for profession it is found in a mixed state among the different castes. Vedic study was practised even by the rākṣasas.
The true source of Brahmaņahood is the purity of the heart. "Brāhmaṇatvam na śāstrena na samskārairna jātibhiḥ/ na kulena na vedena na karmanā bhavettatah | Kundendudhavalam hi brāhmanatvam nām sarvapāpasyāpākaranamiti!” Brāhmaṇahood is not by scriptures, or sacraments or birth or family, Vedic learning or profession. Brahmaņahood is avoidance of sins and is pure like the Kunda flower and the moon.' Moral and spiritual qualities make one Brāhmaṇa.
Ašvaghoșa then goes on to argue that all men belong to the same race. There is only one Varna which gets functionally divided into four.
“Kriyāvisesena khalu caturvarna-vyavastha kriyate / " Vaišampāyana is quoted to say —
“eka-varņamidam pūrvam visvamāsid Yudhisthira |
karmakriyā-viseșeņa cāturvarnyam pratisthitam // " One may recall here that Silanka in his commentary on the Ayāra says that there is only one human race where the rulers were called the Kșayattriyas, the rest through suffering and lamenting were the Sudras. Those who took to manufacture and trade when fire was discovered became Vaisyas while the Brāhmanas arose from the Srāvakas. (Comm. pp. 14-15.)
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