Aspects of Brahmanical Influence On Jaina Mythology

SR No.: 011037
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Shaktidhar Jha
Publisher: Bharat Bharti Bhandar
Publication Year: 1978
Total Pages: 315
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 12 MB

Page 239

Institution of Class and Order
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conception of a Brāhmana as a perpetual fire-worshipper is one of the many non-Jaina elements introduced in Jainism under the unescapable influence of the Brahmanical religious practices. For, as is well known to us, Jainism as a rule was highly critical of the Brahmanical fire ritual 92 Still, amazingly enough, sometimes one and the same work prescribes, on the one hand, the fire ritual as an essential part of the Jaina system of worship®8 and, on the other, criticizes those "who believe that the gods are pleased by an oblation burnt in the fire "4 Thus, in view of the fact that the Jaina faith has adopted the same Brahmanical customs and practices which it has vehemently attacked, the latter aspect may logically be treated as forming part of the customary Jaina reaction against the Brahmanical faith
Now, coming to the other rights and responsibilities of the Brahmanas, we find that those as laid down in the MP and in some of the other Jaina Purānas have nothing uncommon with the rights and duties of their counterparts in the Brahmanıcal sources A Brāhmana, for example, is stated to be immune from capital punishment, for, "owing to the excel. lence of virtue a Brahmana is not liable to death from others "95 To prove himself a worthy one, a Brāhmana is required ten qualities which constitute his rights and duties both These ten characteristics are prescribed as incentives to him for the due discharge of other obligations devolved on him These
92 Uttarā 12 89 43, 44, UP 74 488-89, CMC pp 281-62 93 TSPC, 1 2 813-815, I 6 666-57, 3 1 157-58 94 agt ga aastuaTFAIR 11.
-Ibid 4 2 340b and f 95 ATEITIT FE Tuhafraipaat aangfa 11
-MP 40 194b of TSPC 4 1 316 which allows a Brāhmana to enjoy unqualified immunity from capital punishment It enjoins that "a Brahmana though he says something monstrous and acts perversely, cannot be lilled, because he is a Bråb. mana" Compare Manu VIII 380-81 The MBh (XIII 33 24b) states that the great sages declare the murder of a Brābmaņa to be a great ain” (FEETT FETT 19 916: 9H0 )