Study of Jainism

Author(s): T G Kalghatgi
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 22

Jainism as a Pre-Aryan Religion
posture “These two rocks place before us the truth that we are perhaps recognising in the Harappa statue a full fledged Jain tirthank ara in the characteristic pose of physical abandon (Kayotsarga).
The statue under description is, therefore, a splendid representative specimen of this thought of Jainism at perhaps its very inception. 27
If we survey the Upanişudic literature, we find that in the earlier Upanişads the concepts of sanyasa and the protests against sacrifices were generally not to be found. Later Upanişads have made a mild protest against the performance of sacrifices. Dr. Radhakrishnan has suggested that the earlier Upanişads must have been formed about the 8th Century B.C. 28 Mundakopanişad · has mentioned that yajña is not the good means for the attainment of self-realisations. 28 In the Mandukyopanişad there is a distinction between parā-Vidyā (transendental knowledge) and AparaVidya which includes the knowledge of the Vedas and of other subjects, like the Grammar and Astronamy. 30 It is probable that Sramanic thoughts has influenced the later Upanişads and it must have been later than the Parsva period. Winternitz says that the later Upanişads have incarporated the Non-Vedic thought. 31
Considered from the point of view of the references to Jaina thought in the Buddhist literature, there is evidence to show t Buddhist canonical literature contains references to the Pāráva cult and there are clear references to Mahavira's thinking. Majjhima Nikaya, the Buddha describes that before he got enlightenment 32, he was a Sramana and practised rigorous practices like pulling one's hair (lochana) and fasting. This refers to the Practices of the desciples of Parsva in their assetic way of life. Dharmananda Kosambi holds the view that the Buddha did adopt the practices of the Paráva cult. 33 According to the historian, Radhakumuda Mukharjee, the Buddha developed his scheme of life after trying the Jaina and the Vedic practices. 84 This view has been endorsed by Mrs. Rhys Devids. 85 Pandit Sukhlalji says that the Buddha adopted the teachings of the desciples of Parsva before he developed his system of thought. Sa