essay
Ziyi Wu
HereticalTeachers1.pptxBuddhist Culture
Religious views contemporary the Buddha
Some of Them
By that time there had been number of religious practices and at least sixty two (62) of them were very prominent.
Wanderers (Parivajaka/ Paribbajaka)
Livelihood (Ajivika)
Ascetics (Sramana / Samana)
All renounced and lived isolated. They depended upon the people.
An Image of A Wanderer
Six Heretical Teachers
It is very interesting to study the social information and the religious background of the society where the Buddha lived; it is only by that comparative understanding we can know the value of Buddhist teachings and the greatness of the Buddha.
By that comparative understanding we can know the value of Buddhist teachings and the greatness of the Buddha
Brahmanism
By the time of Buddha the major religion in that society was Brahmanism; it had already a long history in India. By that time, Brahmanism had passed nearly fourteen centuries from its early beginning.
Brahmanism was not only the major religion but also the major cultural force. The vision of life, ideas of thought, ethics of daily and social life, aims and objectives of life and even the form of language they spoke were decided by the major concept of Brahmin teachings.
Supremacy
Brahmanism was the religion of the minority of upper class people. The majority poor and innocent masses including the women had to undergo serious difficulties.
Sacred fire in homes was continued.
Animal Sacrifice
The Brahmanic sacrifice was expensive, destructive, bring nothing to society and their social principles which were unjust provoked the people to think for alternatives.
Sometime 100/ 500/ 0r 1000 animals and bird were slaughtered.
In some occasions humans were sacrificed.
On the other hand animals were venerated.
Six Heretic Teachers
Nighantanathaputta
Sañjayabellattiputta
Ajitakesakambala
Makkhaligosala
PuraNakassapa
Pakudhakaccayana
Nighantanathaputta
He was the founder of Jainism; he also called by other two names JainamahāvIra and VardhamānamahāvIra. Before his enlightenment named he practiced austerities for twelve years from his attainment to perfect-ness (kevalatva) he preached the doctrine for forty-two years.
The austerity of self-mortification is recommended as its practice like in Buddhism the middle path is
Main Characteristics
1. The theory of extreme non-violence 2. The theory of efficacy of action including
(the theory that say everything depends on past deeds) 3. The Jainism theory of logic 4. The theory of soul 5. The theory of reality
Basic five precepts
1. Not killing 2. Not stealing 3. Avoidance of sensual pleasures 4. Telling truth 5. Avoidance of worldly pleasures
Livelihood
Followers are instructed not to harm any living thing in whatever way. Therefore occupations related to cleaning the environment such as farming livestock, development are discouraged by Jainism.
He preached on his past kamma that the present life of the man is the result of what he did in the past (pubbekatahetuvAda). According to Mahāvira all the accumulated kamma by the person should be done away with under going their results. There is no other way to be free from one’s past kamma other than experiencing the results of them. It also rejects pre-will into a certain extent
Three Actions
1. Bodily Action
2.Verbal Action
3. Mental Action
The minor and major action performed by body, speech and mind whether intentionally or not bear relevant results. Therefore, Jainism taught two religious practices
1. (self-mortification) for finishing past kammas
2. and the four fold restrains is to avoid the generation of new kamma. He did not accept that actions are reproducing results if they are intentionally done, but his view was all the actions even unintentional bear results.
four fold restrains
1. Avoiding all forms of water 2. Washing away sins 3. Prevention of sins 4. Destruction of all sins
The size of one’s body is the size of his soul. By giving much pain to the soul or the body one should make his soul or body thinner and thinner and by practicing the four fold restrains the birth of new kamma should be avoided.
1. Means to be away from all forms of using normal water for it is a vast source of life. Therefore minimum use of water is recommended in Jainism to avoid killing living things.
2.To live away from all forms of sins by body, speech and mind.
3. Means washing or clearing away sins to purify the soul.
4. Means washing or clearing away sins to purify the soul
Niganthanathaputta& Disciple
Sañjayabellattiputta
This teacher is known as agnostic and skeptic for he declares that the reality cannot be expressed definitely.
In sources, he is called (eel-wriggler) for he does not answer any philosophical questions directly. Whenever a philosophical question is put to him, he says the truth cannot be expressed clearly and therefore no answer could be given.
Five Ways of Rejecting
In this method of responding, there is a method of ways of rejecting a view). When a certain proposition is questioned the skeptics will reject it in the following five ways.
1. I have no idea that this is like this. 2. I have no idea that this is like that. 3. I have no idea that this is otherwise. 4. I don’t say it is not. 5. I don’t say that it is not, not so
Ajitakesakambala
This teacher presented a fanatic form of materialism. Buddhism recognizes him as a materialist, nihilist and an exponent of non-efficacy of kamma .
He rejects religious morality and general social morality. Because he is not believing in rebirth and efficacy of actions puts down spiritual morality when he rejects concepts like generosity
Ajitakesakambala held ten wrong views regarding the life being.
1. There is no meaning of charity 2. There is no meaning of sacrifice 3. There is no meaning of fire sacrifice 4. There is no result of good and bad deeds 5. There is no this world 6. There is no the other world 7. There is no mother 8. There is no father 9. There are no spontaneous beings 10. There are no in the world a recluse or a Brahmin who is well born, practiced well and who properly says having realized this world and the other worlds by himself
Makkhaligosala
The main theory of this teacher was determinism. Determinism means the theory that hold the idea that everything in the universe including everything related to human life is pre-determined, previously decided or already planned.
Therefore, whatever newly thought planned or arranged actions do not bear valid results.
Because of these concepts on human capacity his teaching is also a form of non-efficacy of action. His theory is also called the theory of causeless-ness the theory of natural purity.
With the rejection of free-will and personal activities, he introduces a theory called determinism (niyativada) to explain the function of being and the world.
According to that idea everything related to human life is already decided and therefore independent action of a being does not do anything to change or shape his future.
His teaching is also called Samsaric for he says entire samsaric life of being is previously decided.
This shows a definite end to the samsaric life at the end of the given number of lives.
The purity or the ending of samsāra is to be completed only by experiencing it. There is no by way of morality or another short-cut or quick path to end the suffering other than given numbers.
Accordingly, things are distinct to be born as a being 146600 times. The complete time of samsaric life is 84000 eons (kalpa).
All beings whether wise or not, virtuous or not, small or big have to go through this journey to find the end of this samsāra, that can never be achieved by morality, asceticism, austerity or any other things.
Puranakassapa
The main concept of his philosophy is the non-efficacy of action. He rejects the judgment of human actions in terms of good and bad.
According to him there are no different actions called good and bad actions, they are only mere actions. They don’t produce relevant results as good and bad, therefore refraining from some action or performing some action as recommended by religions does not serve any special purpose.
Human beings are free and autonomous to act at their will; limitations for encouragement of any particular form of actions have not any special use.
Pakudhakaccayana
This thinker too is a materialist, nihilist and an exponent of non-efficacy of kamma.
He preached that beings are made of seven elements. The seven elements are:
Seven Elements
1. Pathavi – solidity 2. Āpo – liquidity 3. Tejo – temperature 4. Vayo – motion 5. Sukha – happiness 6. Dukkha – suffering 7. Jiva – life principle
According to him, the everlasting and unchanging characteristics of seven great elements have been explained by him with the following terminology. The seven elements are
1. Not created (akaaa)
2. Not caused to create (akatavidha)
3. Not heavenly created (animmita)
4. Not created otherwise (animmit)
5. Barren (vaJjha)
6. Stubborn (kūtattha)
7. Solid (esikatthayitthita)
Then he explains the interrelationship among seven elements.
1. They don’t move
2. They don’t evolve
3. They don’t disturb each other
4. They are not suitable for the happiness or the suffering of each other.
The characteristic as given by him show that the seven elements are independently existing group of reality.
