Shraman Sanskruti Ka Virat Drushtikon

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Shraman Sanskruti ka Virat Drushtikon" (The Grand Vision of Shraman Culture), by Saubhagyamal Jain:

The book, authored by Saubhagyamal Jain Advocate from Shujalpur (Madhya Pradesh), explores the expansive perspective of Shraman (ascetic) culture. The author begins by establishing a close relationship between religion and culture, stating they are two sides of the same coin. He defines "religion" as timeless, universal, and beyond the confines of time and space. Culture, in his view, is the refinement and purification of the mind, conduct, and tastes, an internal illumination of civilization.

The text highlights the existence of two primary cultures in India since prehistoric times: Shraman culture and Brahmanical culture.

• Shraman Culture:

  • The word "Shraman" itself implies labor (shram), signifying a culture where the highest spiritual attainment is achievable through one's own effort, not through divine grace or begging.
  • The term "Shraman" also encompasses the sentiments of labor (shram), equanimity (sam), and devotion (ram).
  • This culture was led by Kshatriyas (warrior class), with its primary center in Eastern India.
  • It emphasized testing (pariksha) and rejected the self-validity of the Vedas, believing that an individual's liberation or downfall depends on their own actions.
  • It stressed renunciation (tyag) and austerity (tapas).
  • Crucially, Shraman culture was characterized by non-violence (ahimsa), tolerance (sahishnuta), non-absolutism (anekantavada), and a strong tradition of monks (muni parampara).

• Brahmanical Culture:

  • This culture was led by Vedic Brahmins.
  • It often involved performing Vedic rituals (yajna), some of which were violent (himsapoorn), to appease deities and gain favor from kings and the wealthy.
  • The Vedas were considered self-valid (swatah praman), and questioning their authority was considered atheistic.

The author notes that while efforts were made to harmonize these two cultures, the core differences persisted. He cites Acharya Narendra Dev, who indicated that a culture distinct from the Brahmanical one existed even before the Vedic period, characterized by non-violence, vegetarianism, tolerance, anekantavada, and the muni tradition.

The text then delves into the significant components of Shraman culture in the present era: Jainism and Buddhism. Both traditions trace their origins to Tirthankaras or Arhats born into the Kshatriya lineage. The author asserts that the Kshatriya-led culture of Eastern India was founded on non-violence and intellectual tolerance.

The Jain tradition marks the beginning of this lineage with Tirthankara Rishabhadeva in the current time cycle, followed by 23 other Tirthankaras, with Parshvanatha and Vardhamana Mahavira being the last in this important lineage. The author defends the historicity of Parshvanatha and Mahavira, stating that even if scholars haven't reached further back, the abundance of material in ancient literature supports the existence of earlier Tirthankaras.

Several points are raised to support the ancient origins and Vedic connections of Shraman figures and concepts:

1. Tirthankara Rishabhadeva: Mentioned with reverence in the Vedas and the Shrimad Bhagavata Purana as the son of "Nami," the last Kulankara or Manu. He is praised as a supreme yogi.
2. Rishabhadeva, Ajitanatha, and Arishtanemi: Mentioned in the Yajurveda.
3. Arishtanemi: Born into a Yadava branch, he renounced worldly life upon witnessing animal slaughter and achieved nirvana on Girnar Mountain, with the existence of cow shelters in Saurashtra reflecting the reason for his renunciation.
4. Arishtanemi and Krishna: Arishtanemi was Krishna's cousin. Sage Angiras, who instructed Krishna in the "self-sacrifice," is suggested to be another name for Arishtanemi, implying a Jain muni's teaching.
5. Vatarashana Munis: Mentioned in the Rigveda, these ascetics are described with characteristics of detachment and silence, and the term is familiar in Jain tradition.
6. Synonymy of Rishi and Muni: The text suggests that by the Taittiriya Aranyaka period, the terms "rishi" and "muni" were becoming interchangeable, reflecting a blending of traditions.
7. Upanishads: Seen as a product of intellectual discussions between Vedic and Shraman thinkers, where Vedic rituals were reinterpreted in an introspective, self-focused manner.
8. King Janaka: His assembly for self-knowledge, attended by sages and Brahmin youths, is highlighted. Janaka's identity is linked to the "Rajrishi" mentioned in the Jain text Uttardhyayana, possibly being Nami or from Nami's lineage.
9. Vishnu Sahasranama: Vinoba Bhave's interpretation includes "Vardhamana Mahavira" among Vishnu's thousand names, suggesting "Jin" might also be among them.
10. Yogavasishtha: A verse indicates a desire for peace in one's soul like a "Jin," signifying the aspiration for spiritual tranquility.

The author reiterates that Shraman tradition has existed since prehistoric times, with Tirthankaras appearing in various epochs. He emphasizes that Tirthankara Mahavira's approach was revolutionary:

• Language: While Vedic tradition favored Sanskrit, restricting its study to higher classes ("women and Shudras were not to study the Vedas"), Mahavira used Ardhamagadhi, a mixture of the vernaculars of Magadha and surrounding regions, to reach the common people, thus challenging the exclusivity of Sanskrit.
• Inclusivity: Mahavira's Sangha was open to all, from the elite to the lowest strata of society, including the outcaste Chandalas, who were accorded the same high status as anyone else.

The "Grand Vision" of Shraman culture is further elaborated through several key points:

1. Namaskar Mantra: This sacred Jain mantra salutes the virtues of the Arhat, Siddha, Acharya, Upadhyaya, and Sadhus, not specific individuals. The term "Sadhu" is interpreted to encompass all virtuous beings across all lokas (worlds), irrespective of gender, attire, caste, or country, with saintliness being the sole requirement.
2. Nihshreyas (Ultimate Liberation): Jainism holds that everyone can attain the state of Siddha, the ultimate goal, without necessarily adhering to a specific religion. Siddhas are categorized in fifteen ways, including those who follow their own tradition (svavarna), other traditions (anyavarna), those who followed Jainism (tirthasiddha), and those who did not (atirthasiddha). True liberation depends on the soul's detachment from passion and hatred, not bodily form.
3. Gautama Indrabhuti: Mahavira's chief disciple, Indrabhuti Gautama, was a renowned Vedic scholar who became enlightened after receiving Mahavira's teachings, becoming the first Ganadhara of Mahavira's Sangha.
4. Rishibhashit: This important text of the Shraman tradition contains spiritual teachings from Jain thinkers, Vedic sages, Parivrajakas (wandering ascetics), and Buddhist monks, serving as a message of harmony among Jain, Buddhist, and Vedic streams and breaking the shackles of sectarianism. It emphasizes that spiritual teachings, regardless of their origin, are valuable for soul advancement.

The author highlights the harmonious approach of Shraman culture through Anekanta (non-absolutism) and Nayavada (relativism). Anekanta, based on the principle of "Nayavada," strives for reconciliation among different viewpoints. The example of Acharya Haribhadrasuri's interpretation of Sankhya philosophy and its founder Kapila Muni illustrates this tolerance, showing how seemingly contradictory philosophies can be understood as having elements of truth from different perspectives. The author emphasizes that a pure and clear mind can see unity even in apparent contradictions.

However, the text expresses disappointment regarding the schism within the Jain Sangha, specifically the divergence between the sachel (clothed) and achel (unclothed) traditions, occurring a few centuries after Mahavira. Mahavira himself was strictly digambara (unclothed). While the Svetambara tradition (which accepts sachel monks) acknowledges the possibility of limited clothing in adverse situations, the insistence on achelata led to the denial of female liberation in the Digambara tradition. The author asserts that liberation is directly related to the soul's freedom from passions, not its physical form or gender. Even sanyog kevalis (omniscient beings with physical form) live detached lives.

The emergence of the Yapaniya Sangha in the second century CE is presented as an attempt to bridge these sectarian divides, incorporating aspects of both Svetambara and Digambara traditions. This Sangha existed until the 15th or 16th century CE. The author laments that after its disappearance, the Jain Sangha continued to fragment, with the rise of traditions like the Sthanakvasi and Terapanth within the Svetambara lineage, and the Taran Panth and the lineages of Taranswami, Kanji Swami, and Raichandbhai within the Digambara tradition.

The author concludes with a sorrowful observation from great yogi Anandhanji, who lamented the divisions within the gachchha (monastic order) driven by personal desires and sectarianism. He criticizes the current Jain society for being fragmented by caste, sect, and other divisions, becoming absolutist despite advocating for anekanta and syadvada. The author expresses a lack of a unifying, anekantik personality in the present day to bring about unity in the Jain community. However, he ends with a hopeful note, believing that in time, a great and timeless soul will emerge to accomplish this vital task, given the endless nature of time and the vastness of the earth.