Study in the Origins and Development of Jainism

Author(s): S N Shrivastava
Publisher: Rekha Publication Gorakhpur

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A Study in the Origins and Development of Jainism
In fact, muni is derived from the root 'mun=pratigvāne"45 and the Dhammapada explains it in this sense. 46 The absence of this root in the Vedic and classical Sanskrita literature is conspicuous excepting one in the Taittiriya Aranyaka.“7 But it has been profusely used in the Pāli and Prákarit literature. Piscel has cited a number of contexts in which various forms of this root have been used. 48 Agreeing with V. S. pathaka“, it can be safely concluded that the root 'mun' and the word muni derived from it belongs to the pre-Rigvedic Indo-European vocabulary, the legacy of which is to be found in the prâkrit languages.
Here it is to be noted that the 'muni' or the vãtarasanã muni of the Rigveda is no way connected with the samaņa tradition. V. S. Pathakaso has critically examined all the contexts of the Rigveda, Taittiriya Aranyaka Bhāgavata Purīna and has convincingly established that the vãtarasana munis of Rigveda are different from the vaturasanã sishi of the Taittirīya Aranyaka. The Vūtarasunã muni of the Rigveda is described as clad in ochrecoloured garment and engaged in meditation by the exercise of controlling the breath and remained in high state of ecstasy. The võtarsanā sages of the Taittiriya Aranyaka, on the otherhand, were associated with Rudra and performed fireworship and kuşmãnda rite. He has also pointed out the contradictions in the details of the life history of Risabha Nãths as described in the Bhāgavata Purāņa and the Jain Adi Purāņa. It is historically unintelligible to take Rişabha Nãtha, a progenitor of hundred sons and follower of grihastha dharma, so described in Bhāgavata Purasa as vãtarasanã ūdhwamanthi and śramaņa. In fact what appears to be true is that the Bhāgavata account of Rişabha Nãtha is an attempt to present Jain legend in the Bhāgavata fold. The terminology of vãturasanã ữrdhwamanthi must have been in circulation among the Vaikhãnasa and not in the Jain tradition. This contention is supported by Śridharaswami the commentator of Bhãgavata Purăņa who says that the term vãturasana has been used in the context of Risabhanātha in the Bhūgavata Purāņain order to distinguish him from Digambara Risabhadeo of Jain tradition.