Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 1

Author(s): Nathmal Tatia
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 157

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VAISHALI INSTITUTE RESEARCH BULLETIN NO. 1
perform action without attachment. The Mimāmsaka philosopher finally identified his heaven with unhindered and eternal bliss. The Jainas and Buddhists regarded heaven as the fruit of a discipline (consisting of austerity, meditation, etc.) which was impure and motivated, while their highest goal of salvation (moksa or nirvana) was achieved by the total eradication of passions through the selfless pursuit of the spiritual discipline which was pure and unmotivated. The Samkhya-Yoga philosopher's attitude towards the Vedic rituals and his summum bonum are expressed in the Samkhyakärika (verse 2) which runs as follows:
dịştavad anusravikaḥ sa hyavisuddhikṣayātisayayuktaḥ /
tadviparitaḥ śreyān vyaktāvyaktajñavijñānāt // That is, the result of the Vedic rituals is (as useless) as ( that of) the customary (remedy), because the former is attended by impurity (due to killing of animals), cessation (after the predetermined period) and gradation as high (and low); the contrary (that is, salvation) is better, which is achieved through the knowledge of the manifest and unmanifest (states of the prakrti) and the principle of conciousness (that is, purusa). The Vedāntin's position in this respect is represented by the following assertion of the Bhagavadgitā (II. 46):
yāván artha udapāne sarvataḥ samplutodake /
tāvän sarveşu vedeşu brāhmapasya vijanataḥ 11 That is, to the extent that a well is of use when there is a flood of water on all sides, to the same extent are all the Vedas of use to an enlightened Brāhmana, The Vedic rites are needless for a person who has realized the Brahman.
The foundation of the sacrificial cult was shaken by the relentless crusade by the Jainas (vide Uttaradhyayana, XII and XXV) against it. The Buddhists joined hands with the Jainas in this enterprise (Suttantpăta-Brahmanadhammikasutta) which was continued through the ages of our history. The tenth and eleventh pacittiyas (expiatory rules, vide Vinaya Pitaka, Pacittiyapali, pp. 52-56), which prohibit the digging of earth (pathavī-khanana) and selling of vegetation bhūtagamapa tavyata, bhūtagă ma being explained as five kinds of seeds, viz. mūla-bija, khandha-blja, phala-bija, agga-bija, and bija-bija) by a Buddhist monk were prescribed by the Buddha under pressure from the people who believed in earth and vegetation as one-sensed living beings (ekendriya-jiva) and were obviously none other than the followers of Nigantha Nataputta. The influence of Jaina ahimsa on the contemporary.religions is, therefore, a truth founded on adequate knowledge and not a mere opinion based on insufficient data.