Studies in Jain Literature

Author(s): V M Kulkarni
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre

Page 98

80
legends bear testimony to the fact that the Jain dharma does not believe in untouchability nor in caste-superiority.
STUDIES IN JAIN LITERATURE
Finally, the Jain criticism of Vedic (animal) sacrifices: Jainism prescribes ahimsā (non-violence or non-injury to living beings) as the first and foremost of its five fundamental or basic vratas (vows). Every follower of Jainism must observe this vrata by abstaining from violence or injury to living beings, in thought, word or deed, together with its causal and permissive variations. With such a great emphasis on ahimsa, the attiude of Jainism towards sacrifices involving slaughter of animal is bound to be one of uncompromising dissent and bitter hostility. The Uttaradhyayana, the first müla-sūtra which is one of the most valuable portions of the Jain agama, on one occasion declares :
The binding of animals (to the sacrificial pole), all the Vedas, and sacrifices, being the causes of sin, cannot save the sinner; for his karmas are very powerful (XXV. 30).
In the Lecture on Harikeśa there is a passage interpreting a sacrifice spiritually which deserves special attention :
"He who is well fortified by the five samvaras (preventing by means of the samitis and guptis the asrava, the flowing in of the karma upon the soul), is not attached to this life, abandons his body (in the kayotsarga posture), who is pure and does not care for his body, in fact offers the best of sacrifices and as such wins the great victory.
Where is your fire, your fire-place, your sacrificial ladle? Where the dried cow-dung (used as fuel)? Without these things, what kind of priests can the monks be?
Penance is my fire; life my fire-place; right exertion is my sacrificial ladle; the body the dried cow-dung; karma is my fuel; self-control, right exertion and tranquility are the oblations, praised by sages, which I offer (XII. 42-44)."5 Taking a clue from these passages, many later Jain works dealing with dharma, mythology, philosophy and dharma kathas denounce bloody Vedic sacrifices at length using cogent arguments. Among such works Mallisena's Syādvadamañjarī is particularly noteworthy. Its discussion, however, lies outside the scope of the present paper. Some of these works including Syadvādamañjarī cite passages from Śruti, Śmrti, the Mahabharata, the Purānas, as well as the views of the Samkhyas, etc., in the course of their criticism of himsă, with approval. These passages leave no doubt that there was a strong body of opinion even in Brahmanism which revolted against himsā, even vaidha himsă (i. e. himsā