Studies in Jainism

Author(s): Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta
Publisher: Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture Culcutta

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ŚRAMAŅA OR NON-BRAHMAŅICAL SECTS
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and Markali in Tamil. Buddhaghosa, giving a fanciful etymology22 for Makkhali, viz. Tāta, ma khalih' (My dear man, take care lest you stumble), assumes that he was a servant in the household of a wealthy man, who warns him thus. The Jaina tradition derives Mańkhaliputta as 'son of a mankhali', a mendicant who carries about the picture (of a deity) for collecting alms. His father, Mankhali, once came to Saravana and, failing to obtain any other shelter, he took refuge for the rainy season in the cowshed (gośālā) of a wealthy Brāhmaṇa, Gobahula, where Mankhali's wife Bhaddā brought forth a son, who became known as Gosāla Mankhaliputta.23 Makkhali in Pali or Markali in Tamil is Maskarin in Sanskrit. Chinese tradition records his name as Maskari Gosāliputra and explains that Maskari is his gotra name and Gosāli is his mother's name. So he was Gosāliputra, son of Gosāli.24 According to Pāņini (VI. 1.154), maskarin was a wanderer who carried a maskara (bamboo staff about him.25
Hoernle remarks that the name 'Ajīvikas' was not taken by themselves, but was given to them by their opponents. Gosāla by his conduct laid himself open to the charge of insincerity, in that he practised religious mendicancy not as a means of gaining salvation (mokşa), but as a means of gaining livelihood. Rhys Davids thinks that Ājivikas are 'those who claimed to be especially strict in earning their means of livelihood'.26 It may not be improbable that they earned their livelihood by some profession such as fortunetelling, astrology, divination, etc.27 That astrology was almost a profession with the Ajivikas is confirmed by an old
22. Barua, Aji vikas (Calcutta University, 1920), p.11. 23. Ibid., p.9. 24. See Chinese Encyclopaedia, VI. pp.820-21 25. The historical significance of the word had already been lost sight
of by the time of the Mahabhāşya which interprets the term in a quite fanciful manner : Ma krta karmāņi, ma ksta karmaņi, santir
vaḥ śreyasi tyaha; ato maskari parivrājakaḥ. 26. Op.cit., I. p.221. 27. Vide Udana, VIII. 13.