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latter was too easy-going in its regulations as to food, and did not favour asceticisin.
7. Deradhammikai.—“Those who follow the religion of the gods" or perhaps “ of the god." On neither interpretation do we know the exact meaning of the terın.
We find in this curious list several names, used technically as the designation of particular orders, or bodies of religieux, but in meaning applicable quite as much to most of the others. They all claimed to be pure as regards means of livelihood (like the Ajīvakās); to be unfettered (like the Niganţhas) ; to be friends (like the Aviruddhakās); they were all, except the Jațilakās, Wanderers, they were all mendicants (Bhikshus). The names can only gradually have come to have the special inean. ing of the member of one division or order, only. We find a similar state of things in the names of Christian sects in England to-day. And a considerable time must have elapsed before the names could thus have become specialised.
All this is very suggestive from more than one point of view. And as some of these points are of the first importance for a right understanding of the questions of language and literature, I may be allowed to enlarge a little on one or two of them. It is clear, in the first place, that there was no obstacle, arising from diversity of language, to intercourse – and that not merely as regards ordinary conversation about the ordinary necessities of daily life, but as regards philosophical and religious discussions of a subtle and earnest kind. The common language
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
