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CHAPTER I
THE NON-ABSOLUTISTIC ATTITUDE OF
THE JAINAS
Culture presupposes history. Thought presupposes culture. Literature presupposes thought. Language helps thought and thought converts language into literature. Literature is the record of history, culture and thought. Ancient Indian literature, however, is more a record of culture and thought than a record of history. This is why we are comparatively in historical darkness about India. But as regards records of culture and thought, our heritage is second to none. Our Vedic literature can be considered as one of the richest that the ancients of the world could produce. It is a record of the Brāhmanical culture and thought of India. Then there are the Buddhist Pitakas in Pāli and Jaina Āgamas in Prākrit, which are the records of quite a distinct current of culture which may be called Sramanic. These form the basis for the subsequent Brāhmaṇical, Buddhist and Jaina literature that developed in many forms and constitutes today our rich literary heritage. We shall limit our attention only to the study of the philosophical attitude of the ancient thinkers whose experiences have been recorded in the Vedic literature, the Buddhist Pitakas and the Jaina Āgamas.
THE BRAHMANA ATTITUDE
Speculation on the nature of the ultimate source of the universe is a common characteristic of human intellect. Kuta ajatā kuta iyar visystih?!_From whence did it spring forth, from whence was born this creation? This is the question that stirs the mind of the sage (rsi) of the Nāsadiya hymn. He starts with the assertion 'There was then neither what is not, nor what is',2 and then speculates whether there was deep abysmal water (ambhaḥ kim āsid gahanan gabhiram)? Philosophical misgivings overburden his heart and he says: 'There was no death, hence there was nothing immortal.'But he immediately reasserts 'That One breathed by Itself without breath, other than It there was nothing. There was absolute darkness and a sea without light. That One' was born by the power of austerity (tapas). “The sages (rșis), searching in their heart, discovered in non-existence
1 Řgveda, X. 129. 6. 2 nā 'sad āsīn no sad āsīt tadānim-Ibid., X. 129. I. 3 Ibid., X. 129. 2. 4ānid avātam svadhayā tad ekam
tasmad dha 'nyan na paraḥ kiñcanā "sa.-Ibid.
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