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मैं एक क़तरा हूँ मेरा अलग वजूद तो है हुआ करे जो समन्दर मेरी तलाश में है -कृष्ण बिहारी नूर

(Jnánávarṇiya karma Śvetambera ṝani Jnánávarṇiya karma Śvetambera ṝani Jnánávarṇiya karma Śvetambera ṝani Ahiṃsā-viśvakośa : ahiṃsā ke dārśanika, dhārmika va sāṃskr̥tika svarūpoṃ ko vyākhyāyita karane vāle prācīna śāstrīya viśiṣṭa sandarbhoṃ ka saṅkalana

Ḍ ḍ Ḥ ḥ Ḷ ḷ Ḹ ḹ Ṃ ṃ Ṇ ṇ Ṛ ṛ Ṝ ṝ Ṣ ṣ Ṭ ṭ   Ł ł

ṇ Ṇ)


==[edit]

(Ṇ Ṅ Ñ Ṝ) Pāṇini Aṣṭādhyāyī

Anish (talk) 06:03, 3 January 2008 (UTC): Experiment,Experiment,Experiment, Experiment,Experiment,Experiment,Experiment,Experiment, Experiment,Experiment,Experiment,Experiment,Experiment, Experiment,Experiment.
Anish (talk):Experiment,Experiment,Experiment, Experiment,Experiment,Experiment,Experiment,Experiment, Experiment,Experiment,Experiment,Experiment,Experiment, Experiment,Experiment --Anish (talk) 06:05, 3 January 2008 (UTC)

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Jain philosophy Jain philosophy Jain philosophy

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India



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House of GAAP[edit]

House of GAAP
Category (a)
(Most authoritative)
FASB Standards and Interpretations Accounting Principles Board (APB) Opinions AICPA Accounting Research Bulletins (ARBs)
Category (b) FASB Technical Bulletins AICPA Industry Audit and Accounting Guides AICPA Statements of Position (SOPs)
Category (c) FASB Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) AICPA AcSEC Practice Bulletins
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AICPA Accounting Interpretations FASB Implementation Guides (Q and A) Widely recognized and prevalent industry practices

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Sr. Nos.
Sr. Nos.
1 The instrumentality of our actions. We act by either through

body i.e. physical action,
speech i.e. verbal action, or
mind i.e. thoughts
2 The process of action. This includes whether we

a. only decide or plan to act,
b. make preparations for the act e.g. like collecting necessary materials, or
c. actually begin the action
Sr. Nos.

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Jain texts
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Jain Scriptures
Fourteen Purvas (The Prior Knowledge - considered totally lost)
Śvetāmbara (Canonical Texts) Digambara
Angāgama Ācāranga sūtra | Sūtrakrtanga | Sthānānga | Samavāyānga | Vyākhyāprajñapti or Bhagavati sūtra | Jnātrdhārmakathāh | Upāsakadaśāh | Antakrddaaśāh | Anuttaraupapātikadaśāh | Praśnavyākaranani | Vipākaśrutra | Drstivāda (Now Extinct) Āgamas Satkhandāgama | Kasāyaprabhrta
Upanga āgamas Aupapātika | Rājapraśnīya | Jīvājīvābhigama | Prajñāpana | Sūryaprajñapti | Jambūdvīpaprajñapti | Candraprajñapti | Nirayārvalī | Kalpāvatamsikāh | Puspikāh | Puspacūlikāh | Vrasnidaśāh Pratham -ānuyoga Padmapurāna | Harivamsapurāna | Ādipurāna | Uttarapurāna
Chedasūtra Ācāradaśāh | Brhatkalpa | Vyavahāra | Niśītha | Mahāniśītha | Jītakalpa Carnānuyoga Mulācāra | Trivarnācāra | Ratnakaranda śrāvakācāra
Mūlasūtra Daśavaikālika | Uttarādhyayana | Āvaśyaka | Pindaniryukyti Karana or Ganitānuyoga Sūryaprajñapti | Candraprajñapt | Jayadhavalātikā | Gommatasāra
Prakīrnaka sūtra Catuhśarana | Āturapratyākhyanā | Bhaktaparijñā | Samstāraka | Tandulavaicarika | Candravedhyāka | Devendrastava | Ganividyā | Mahāpratyākhyanā | Vīrastava Dravyānuyoga Niyamasāra | Pancastikayasāra | Pravacanasāra | Samayasāra | Tattvārthasūtra | Āptamīmamsa
Cūlikasūtra Nandī-sūtra | Anuyogadvāra-sūtra Commentary on Dravyānuyoga Commentary on Tattvarthasūtra and Aptmimamsa

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Compromise solution......... just a test

Revert/ Edit 1 Revert/ Edit 2 Suggested Consensus Edit Remarks
The other major class of religions is the Abrahamic religions or Semitic religions. Other lesser known classes grouped by geographic categories are Middle Eastern religions, Far Eastern religions, African religions, American religions, Oceanic religions and classical religions of ancient Greece and Rome.[1] "Indian religions" is thus an umbrella term in the classification of the world's major religious groups, besides the Abrahamic religions and the Far Eastern religions.[1]
The other major class of religions is the Abrahamic religions or Semitic religions. Other lesser known classes grouped by geographic categories are Middle Eastern religions, Far Eastern religions, African religions, American religions, Oceanic religions and classical religions of ancient Greece and Rome.[1] It is suggested that IAF's edit be kept as it is.
Hinduism has its direct foundation in the Historical Vedic religion of India, and thus has no known founder. It has various sects/denominations, primarily Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, Smartha besides much smaller groups like Shrauta, and more recent Hindu reform movements and Ayyavazhi. About 90% of Hindus reside in the Republic of India, accounting for 83% of its population.[2] NIL Hinduism has its direct foundation in the Historical Vedic religion of India, and thus has no known founder. It has various sects/denominations, primarily Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, Smartha besides much smaller groups like Shrauta, and more recent Hindu reform movements and Ayyavazhi. About 90% of Hindus reside in the Republic of India, accounting for 83% of its population.[3] It is suggested that IAF's edit be kept as it is.
Buddhism and Jainism, both of which originated around the fifth and sixth centuries B.C[4], though like those of Saivite ascetics, their typical shamanic and austere practices like roaming naked, standing motionless etc. are traceable to the early Vedic age and even the Indus Valley civilization. [5]. The term "shramana" is from the root shram, meaning "to exert oneself" or "to practice austerities," and refers to non-Indo-Brahmanical mendicant groups that began to appear in North India some time around the sixth century B.C.E., qualify as Shramana traditions, while Sikhism is of more recent foundation, originating in the 15th century. The Shramana faiths borrowed ideas from Vedic texts and Upanishads, but went on to emphasize ideas like non-violence, meditation, auesterity, etc. Buddhism was historically founded and spread from India, but suffered a decline in its homeland. It remains more widespread in East Asia.
Ancient India had two co-existent philosophical streams of thought, the Shramana religions and the (Brahmanical) Vedic religion. [6] [7] Both streams have existed side by side in Iron Age India, mutually influencing each other.[8] Buddhism and Jainism are a continuation of Shramana traditions.[9] Classical Hinduism arose in the course of the Middle Ages as a result of this syncretism or cross-pollination of the two traditions, divided into numerous denominations, primarily Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, Smartha besides much smaller groups like Shrauta, and more recent Hindu reform movements and Ayyavazhi. About 90% of Hindus reside in the Republic of India, accounting for 83% of its population.[10] Ancient India had two co-existent philosophical streams of thought, the Shramana religions and the (Brahmanical) Vedic religion. Buddhism and Jainism are a continuation of Shramana traditions. [11] Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara, is often considered as the founder of Jainism. However, now the scholars hold that Parsva, the 23rd Tirthankara, (9th Century BCE) to be a historical person and that Vardhamana Mahavira rather than being a “founder” per se was, rather, simply a primary spokesman for much older tradition. [12] Some scholars put Indo-Shramanical period at around 600 BCE to 300 BCE after the Indo-Brahamanical period. [13] This is the period when Mahavira (599527 BCE) and Buddha (563 BCE to 483 BCE) flourished and the Shramanical ideas were at their peak and found a wide acceptance in ancient India. Both streams have existed side by side in Iron Age India, mutually influencing each other. The vedic concepts of caste hierarchy, rituals, chants, worship of demi-gods etc. were assimilated by the later Sramanas in various forms. Similarly, the sramana concepts of renunciation, austerities, ahimsa, karma etc. were adopted by vedics in their beliefs in various forms. [14] [15]
This view tries to incorporate the both views and is properly supported by relevant references from the scholars. This view shows that there is a discord of views by Scholars. For Eg. Some Scholars portray Mahavira as the founder of Jainism and Shraman period from 600 BCE inspite of historical acceptance of Parsva and antiquity of Shramana. I have removed the references of IVC for Jainism (even though they were made by reputable scholars) to arrive at a more acceptable solution.
The Indus-Valley deity of Pashupatinath is very similar to the Hindu god, Shiva also known as the destroyer, which may also indicate the stretching of the Vedic origin to the IVC. NIL The Indus-Valley deity of Pashupatinath is very similar to the Hindu god, Shiva also known as the destroyer, which may also indicate the stretching of the Vedic origin to the IVC. Similarly, austere practices like roaming naked, standing motionless and some of the features of Jainism are traceable to the early Vedic age and even the Indus Valley civilization indicating some links of the Sramanas with the Indus Valley civilization. [16] It is suggested that IAF's edit be kept as it is. Additionally, comments on Jainism to be taken from IAF's previous edit.
  1. ^ a b c Adams, C. J., Classification of religions: Geographical, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2007. Accessed: September 5, 2007
  2. ^ "Major Religions of the World Ranked by Number of Adherents". Adherents.com. Retrieved 2007-07-10.
  3. ^ "Major Religions of the World Ranked by Number of Adherents". Adherents.com. Retrieved 2007-07-10.
  4. ^ (600 B.C.E. - 300 C.E.), Indiana university
  5. ^ Thomas McEvilley, The Shape of Ancient Thought : Comparitive studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies
  6. ^ Dr. Vilas Sangave (2001) In : Facets of Jainology: Selected Research Papers on Jain Society, Religion, and Culture . Popular Prakashan: Mumbai ISBN 8171548393 – “Now it is generally accepted that Jainism is a distinct religion and that it is as old as, if not older than, the Vedic religion of the Hindus.” Page 14”
  7. ^ Larson, Gerald James (1995) “India’s Agony over religion” SUNY Press, ISBN 079142412X “There is some evidence that Jain traditions may be even older than the Buddhist traditions, possibly going back to the time of the Indus valley civilization, and that Vardhamana rather tha being a “founder” per se was, rather, simply a primary spokesman for much older tradition. Page 27”
  8. ^ Govind Chandra Pande, (1994) Life and Thought of Sankaracarya, Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 8120811046 “Early Upanishad thinkers like Yajnavalkya were acquainted with the sramanic thinking and tried to incorporate their ideals of karma, Samsara and Moksa into the vedic thought implying a disparagement of the vedic ritualism and recognising the mendicancy as an ideal. The social origins of these mendicants called Sramana or muni are not clear. They could have been connected with Harappan civilization, which itself is enigmatic. Page 135”
  9. ^ Harry Oldmeadow (2007) Light from the East: Eastern Wisdom for the Modern West, World Wisdom, Inc. ISBN 1933316225 – “Over time, apparent misunderstandings have arisen over the origins of Jainism and relationship with its sister religions of Hinduism and Buddhism. [..] There has been an ongoing debate between Jainism and Vedic Hinduism as to which revelation preceded the other. What is historically known is that there was a tradition along with vedic Hinduism known as sramana dharma. Essentially, the sramana tradition included it its fold, the Jain and Buddhist traditions, which disagreed with the eternality of the Vedas, the needs for ritual sacrifices and the supremacy of the Brahmins. Page 141”
  10. ^ "Major Religions of the World Ranked by Number of Adherents". Adherents.com. Retrieved 2007-07-10.
  11. ^ Harry Oldmeadow (2007) Light from the East: Eastern Wisdom for the Modern West, World Wisdom, Inc. ISBN 1933316225 – “Over time, apparent misunderstandings have arisen over the origins of Jainism and relationship with its sister religions of Hinduism and Buddhism. [..] There has been an ongoing debate between Jainism and Vedic Hinduism as to which revelation preceded the other. What is historically known is that there was a tradition along with Vedic Hinduism known as Sramana dharma. Essentially, the Sramana tradition included it its fold, the Jain and Buddhist traditions, which disagreed with the eternality of the Vedas, the needs for ritual sacrifices and the supremacy of the Brahmins. Page 141”
  12. ^ Larson, Gerald James (1995) “India’s Agony over religion” SUNY Press, ISBN 079142412X
  13. ^ (600 B.C.E. - 300 C.E.), Indiana university
  14. ^ Govind Chandra Pande, (1994) Life and Thought of Sankaracarya, Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 8120811046 “Early Upanishad thinkers like Yajnavalkya were acquainted with the sramanic thinking and tried to incorporate their ideals of karma, Samsara and Moksa into the vedic thought implying a disparagement of the vedic ritualism and recognising the mendicancy as an ideal. Page 135”
  15. ^ An Introduction to Hinduism, by Gavin Flood : “The origin and doctrine of Karma and Samsara are obscure.These concepts were certainly circulating amongst sramanas, and Jainism and Buddhism developed specific and sophisticated ideas about the process of transmigration. It is very possible that the karmas and reincarnation entered the mainstream brahaminical thought from the sramana or the renouncer traditions.” Page 86
  16. ^ Thomas McEvilley, The Shape of Ancient Thought : Comparitive studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies

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Ahimsa[edit]

Temp Posting The Oldest Jain Cannon, Ācārāṅga Sūtra contains the following declaration on Ahiṃsā:-

I so pronounce that all the omniscient of all times, state, speak, propagate, and elaborate that nothing which breathes, which exists, which lives, or which has essence or potential of life, should be destroyed or ruled over, or subjugated, or harmed, or denied of its essence or potential.

This truth, propagated by the self-knowing omniscients, after understanding all there is in universe, is pure, un-defileable, and eternal.

In support of this Truth, I ask you a question - "Is sorrow or pain desirable to you ?" If you say "yes it is", it would be a lie. If you say, "No, It is not" you will be expressing the truth. What I want to add to the truth expressed by you is that, as sorrow or pain is not desirable to you, so it is to all which breathe, exist, live or have any essence of life. To you and all, sorrow or pain is undesirable, painful and repugnant.

That which you consider worth destroying is (like) yourself. That which you consider worth disciplining is (like) yourself. That which you consider worth subjugating is (like) yourself. That which you consider worth killing is (like) yourself. The result of actions by you has to be borne by you, so do not destroy anything.}}

Another beautiful quote on Ahimsa from an important Jain text, the Purusarthasiddhyupaya by Acarya Amrtacandra Suri:

aprAdurbhAvaH khalu rAgAdInAm bhavatyahimseti teShAmevotpattihimseti jinAgamasya samkShepaH Shloka 44

Meaning: The very existence of attachment and aversion in the soul is himsa. This is the essence of the Jain scriptures.

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Hello, Indian Chronicles/Sandbox! Welcome to Wikipedia! Thank you for your contributions. You may benefit from following some of the links below, which will help you get the most out of Wikipedia. If you have any questions you can ask me on my talk page, or place {{helpme}} on your talk page and ask your question there. Please remember to sign your name on talk pages by clicking or by typing four tildes "~~~~"; this will automatically produce your name and the date. If you are already loving Wikipedia you might want to consider being "adopted" by a more experienced editor or joining a WikiProject to collaborate with others in creating and improving articles of your interest. Click here for a directory of all the WikiProjects. Finally, please do your best to always fill in the edit summary field. Happy editing!
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Jain Philosophers[edit]

  • Kundakunda (2nd Century CE), exponent of Jain mysticism and Jain nayas dealing with the nature of the soul and its contamination by matter, author of Pañcāstikāyasāra (Essence of the Five Existents), the Pravacanasāra (Essence of the Scripture) and the Samayasāra (Essence of the Doctrine).
  • Umāsvāti or Umasvami (2nd Century CE), author of first Jain work in Sanskrit, Tattvārthasūtra, expounding the Jain philosophy in a most systematized form acceptable to all sects of Jainism.
  • Siddhasena Divākara (5th Century CE), Jain logician and author of important works in Sanskrit and Prakrit, such as, Nyāyāvatāra (on Logic) and Sanmatisūtra (dealing with the seven Jaina standpoints, knowledge and the objects of knowledge)
  • Haribhadra (8th Century CE) , a Jaina thinker, author and great proponent of anekāntavāda and classical yoga, as a soteriological system of meditation in Jaina context. His works include Ṣaḍdarśanasamuccaya and Yogabindu.
  • Hemacandra (1089–1172 CE) - a Jaina thinker, author, historian, grammarian and logician. His works include Yogaśāstra and Trishashthishalakapurushacharitra.
  • Lonkā (15th Century CE) – His opposition to idol worship and rituals eventually led to establishment of non-iconic sects of Sthanakvasi and Terapanthi.
  • Yaśovijaya (1624–88 CE) – Jain logician and considered last intellectual giant to contribute to Jaina philosophy.

निर्वाण

Philosophy Infobox[edit]

Part of a series on
Jain philosophy

Concepts

Anekāntavāda · Syādvāda · Jain Cosmology  · Ahimsa · Karma · Dharma · Nirvana  · Kevala Jñāna  · Mokṣa

Persons

Ancient
Kundakunda · Samantabhadra Umāsvāti or Umāsvāmi · Siddhasena Divākara ·
Medieval
Aklanka  · Haribhadra · Hemacandra · Mānikyanandi  · Vidyānandi  · Prabhācandra · Yaśovijaya ·
Modern
Pt. Sukhlāl  · Dr. Mahendrakumār Nyāyācārya


Images[edit]

PRE-ARYAN ROOTS A lmost all the scholars agree that Jainism has Pre-Aryan roots in the cultural history of India. As Dr. A. N. Upadhye remarked - "The origins of Jainism go back to the pre-historic times. They are to be sought in the fertile valley of Ganga, where they flourished in the past, even before the advent of Aryans with their priestly religion, a society of recluses who laid much stress on individual exertion, on practice of a code of morality and devotion to austerities, as means of attaining religious Summum Bonum." (Jainism by Colette Caillat, A.N. Upadhye & Bal Patil, Macmillan, 1974) The late Heinrich Zimmer, who is reputed to have been the greatest German Indologist of modern times, in his celebrated posthumous work, The Philosophies of India, conceded that there is truth in the Jain idea that their religion goes back to a remote antiquity, the antiquity in question being that of the pre-Aryan, so called Dravidian period, and that Jainism is the oldest of all Dravidian born philosophies and religions. He also psychologically demonstrated that Jain Yoga originated in pre-Aryan India, and has nothing to do with orthodox Brahmanism which simply appropriated it in later centuries. Noel Retting, another Indologist, writes, "only in Jainism, of all the living religions, do we see a fusion of the primitive with the profound. It has preserved elements from the first stage of man's religious awareness, animism. It affirms the separateness of spirit from matter, even though our modern philosophers and religionists regard neither form of dualism as untenable. Despite the opinion of these men, Jainism is fundamentally scientific. And, it may very well be, contrary to the opinions of many anthropologists and students of comparative religion, the oldest living faith." And, Professor L. P. Tessitory is of opinion that "Jainism is of a very high order. Its important teachings are based upon science. The more the scientific knowledge advances the more the Jain teachings will be proven". In fact, the Jain system of thought is so wonderfully consistent with modern realism and science that one may easily be tempted to question its antiquity, about which, however, there is now no doubt. As Dr. Walthur Schubring observes, "He who has a thorough knowledge of the structure of the world cannot but admire the inward logic and harmony of Jain ideas. Hand in hand with the refined cosmographical ideas goes a high standard of astronomy and mathematics." Dr. Herman Jacobi also believes that "Jainism goes back to a very early period, and to primitive currents of religious and metaphysical speculation, which gave rise to the oldest Indian philosophies. They (the Jains) seem to have worked out their system from the most primitive notions about matter." In the Buddhist scripture Majjhima Nikaya, Buddha himself tells us about his ascetic life and its ordinances which are in conformity with the Jain monk's code of conduct. He says, "Thus far, SariPutta, did I go in my penance. I went without clothes. I licked



my food from my hands. I took no food that was brought or meant especially for me. I accepted no invitation to a meal." Mrs. Rhys Davis has observed that Buddha found his two teachers Alara and Uddaka at Vaisali and started his religious life as a Jain. In Dighanikaya's Samanna Phal Sutta, the four vows of Lord Parshvanath (who flourished 250 years before Mahavira's liberation) have been mentioned. Attakatha of Anguttara Nikaya has reference to Boppa Sakya a resident of Kapilvastu who was the uncle of Buddha and who followed the religion of the Nigganathas i.e. Jains. Critical and comparative study has brought to light several words like ‘Asrava', "Samvara' etc., which have been used by Jains in the original sense but which have been mentioned in Buddhist Literature in figurative sense. On the basis of these words Dr. Jacobi has concluded that Jainism is much older than the religion of Buddha and therefore it is incorrect to imagine Jainism as the offshoot of Buddhism. MISLEADING STEREOTYPES ABOUT JAINISM Yet histories and encyclopaedias of world religions with a few exceptions fail to mention Jainism as a religion. There are pervasive misconceptions about the origin of Jainism, its relation with the Brahmanic, Vedic so-called- Hinduism, about Mahavira being the founder of Jainism, about its being an offshoot of Buddhism or Hinduism or its being a reformist sect of Hinduism. There are misrepresentations galore. It is overshadowed by Hinduism and Buddhism or if noticed at all it is mentioned in passing as one of the ancient IndiaN religious movements subsidiary to Buddhism. Such is the context of the pervasive impact of the misleading Indian historiography from the deleterious effects of which even the most eminent historians, both right and left are not immune. As noted pertinently by the Aims of the Conference "One of the consequences of this failure is the continuing hold of misleading stereotypes of the nature of Indic religious thought and practice." I think this has a vital bearing on the devastatingly damaging impact of the misconceived Indological and 'Oriental' stereotypes on the Indian ethno-religious historiography so as to necessitate a paradigmatic revaluation. This misinterpretation of history is compounded by what the doyen of Indian Indologists , Dr.R.G. Bhandarkar noted as to how "India has no written history. Nothing was known till within recent times of the political condition of the country, the dynasties that ruled over the different provisions which composed it, and the great religious and social revolutions it went through. The historical curiosity of the people was satiated by legends. What we find of a historical nature in the literature of the country before the arrival of the Mahomedans comes to very little." P.i-ii (Early History of the Dekkan Down to the Mahomedan Conquest, 2nd Ed. 1983) The date of the foundation of the Maurya dynasty by Chandragupta has been determined to be about 322 B.C. on the basis of the known dates of the corresponding Greek persons or events such as the invasion of Alexander the Great




which brought the Greeks in contact with India or such historical fragments as are left by Megasthenes's Ta Indika. Even Buddha or Buddhism is no exception for such misrepresentations. It is incredible but true that S. Radhakrishnan in his Foreword to the volume brought out on the occasion of 2500th Anniversary of the Mahaparinirvana of the Buddha in 1956: 2500 Years of Buddhism (published by the Ministry of Information, Government of India, 1956 states:"The Buddha did not feel that he was announcing a new religion. He was born, grew up, and died a Hindu. He was re-stating with a new emphasis the ancient ideals of the Indo-Aryan civilization." Such is the common strategy of the historians, philosophers and academicians in dealing with the Indic Sramanic religious traditions. Issues are obscured by introducing irrelevancies and thus an attitude of contemptuous prejudice is provoked by exciting ridicule. CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA AND JAINISM But such distortions are not confined to Orientalist interpreters of ancient Indian history. I am quoting below an excerpt from The Age of Mauryas by the eminent historian Romila Thapar: "Chandragupta is said to have accepted Jainism in his later years, and in fact to have abdicated the throne and become a wandering ascetic dying through slow starvation in the orthodox Jain manner. Considering the difficulties that he faced in making himself king and building an empire it is hardly likely that he would have abdicated at the end of his reign in order to become a wandering ascetic. It is possible though that he accepted the teachings of Mahavira and became a Jaina. This interest may be excused as originating in the fact that he was of low origin, a vaisya, and by accepting Jainism he eluded the contempt of the higher caste nobility. Since the teachings of Mahavira were at this period, regarded more as an offshoot of Hinduism, an extreme discipline, and the Jainas themselves as a sub-sect of the ealier religion, we can discoutenance the above idea. The interest it would seem was largely intellectual. Accepting Jainism did not raise one's social prestige in the eyes of high-caste Hindus whose social ethics were already being determined by caste rules." I am aware that this is an earlier historical reading by the eminent, liberal, progressive historian Romila Thapar. I am also aware that that her readings of Indian ancient history have progressed from her A History of India (Pelican 1966) to Early India :From the Origins toA.D. 1300 , Allen Lane, 2002) In her A History of India (Vol.I) Thapar has perceptively noted that "much of the early history of India was reconstructed almost entirely from Sanskrit sources i.e. from material preserved in the ancient classical language". (p. 18) In her latest version "substantial changes in the readings of early Indian history" are made. Mauryan India is Thapar's special field of historical study. That is why one is concerned to question her cavalier and even presumptuous remarks-so unhistorical in character- regarding Chandragupta.



I am quoting once again the particular sentence: "This interest may be excused as originating in the fact that he was of low origin, a vaisya, and by accepting Jainism he eluded the contempt of the higher caste nobility." I simply fail to understand this judgemental remark on what Chandragupta did making a totally unhistorical presumption on his alleged inferiority complex as a Vaisya and even more questionable presumption that he did so to elude the contempt of "higher caste nobility". One is almost led to wonder whether Chandragupta's soul materialised by some transmigratory power before Romila Thapar to make such a guilty confession stating: "Well, Madam, you know how embarrassing it was to be a Vaisya with such glittering nobility around me!"