The Contemporaries of the
Buddha
Lanka Daily
News Dr. Senarath TENNAKOON 2012-07-19
There were some famous female disciples
like Sundari and Jambu. Sundari was made use of by the Paribbajikas
to insult the Buddha and she was later murdered by them. Jambu was
a famous debater. There were naked saudus called Achelas or
Achelakas who too practiced extreme austerities
(Attakilamatanuyoga). They had very unpleasant eating habits. They
wore tree barks, slept on tree tops or on lawns. Some were like
animals though they had human forms. They bathed in dust and
sand.
The other group was the A:jeevakas. They
were wandering ascetics who were naked or half naked who carried a
pole and depended on food brought by their followers. They
practiced definite ways of living. They also bathed in dust. Some
lived in hermitages.
They opposed the Buddha's doctrine of
Causality (Dependent Origination). The next group was the Jatilas
or the Jatilakas, who were wondering ascetics distinguishable by
their matted hair. They worshipped the Fire God and they believed
in karmic action. They were fond of water sport and used to bathe
often and wet their hair as water purification (Udaks
Suddi).
The famous three Jatila teachers Uruwela,
Nadi and Gaya Kassapa and their followers became followers of the
Buddha by chopping off their matted hair and throwing them into a
nearby river. Then there were the Niganthas who were strict
believers in escaping from worldly bondage. They were the followers
of mahavira and they had favourable connections with the royal
families.
They practiced total non violence and some
were naked while some wore a white cloth. They practiced severe
fasting on a scheduled basis. Some were very intelligent and were
excellent debaters. After the great renunciation Prince Siddhartha
(the Bodhisattva) paid visits to some reputed hermits of the time
who were practicing austerities. He followed Bhargiva, Alra Kalama
and, Uddaka Rama Putta.
But He realized that they could not help in
his pursuit. Then He began to wonder around Uruvela and met the
five mendicants, Kondanna, Bhaddiya, Vappa, Mahanama and Assaji;
who were also trying hard to find emancipation by practicing
Attakilamatanuyoga. But was not satisfied with anyone of them. So
he left them and started on his own by following the Middle
Path.
The Samannaphala Sutta mentions of sixty
two such teachers (Sramanas) who were in the persistent search of
salvation (moksha) through practising austerities. Among them there
were six prominent teachers namely Purana Kassapa, Makkhali Gosala,
Ajitha Kesakambala, Pakuda Kachchayana, Sanjaya Bellattiputta and
Nigantha Nagaputta respectively. Each of them had some
followers.
Purana Kassapa primarily misbelieved in
Kamma and Kamma Vipaka as well as on good and bad deeds. His
doctrine of akariyavada namely that good and bad actions have no
consequences for the agent, was strongly rejected by the Buddha as
a counter concept to the concept of karma.
Makkhali Gosala was the founder of the
A:jevaka sect who practised extreme austerity. He was a determinist
and excessively believed in fate or destiny controlled everything
and that moral choice was an illusion. He was a fatalist. The
Buddha often criticized Ghosala for holding such perverse
beliefs.
Ajitha Kesakambala was a nihilist who held
the view that there was no such thing as good or evil and the
individual would annihilate at death. He used to wear a bad
smelling blanket of human hair. He was one of the earliest
materialists and he never believed in karma and its effects nor in
rebirth.
Pakudha Kachchayana taught a doctrine of
seven eternal and unchangeable principles, consisting of elements
like pleasure, pain and the soul (atman).
According to him these principles cannot be controlled by man. For
example, if ones head is split by a sword there is no guilt as all
that has happened is that certain atoms have rearranged (Keown,
2003). His seven elements were Pathavi (Solidity), Apokaya
(Liquidity), Tejokaya (Heat), Vayokaya (Air), Sukka (Happiness),
Dukka (Unhappiness) and Jiva (Life). These were silent,
unchangeable, not giving problems to others. He was neither a
materialist nor an activist.
Sanjaya Bellattiputta was a skeptic who
would not offer any opinion on any matter Sanjaya was said to be
the former teacher of Sariputta and Mahamaudgalyana before they
abandoned him and followed the Buddha.
He was considered as an 'eel wriggler' (amarawikkhepika) who
escaped from arguments without giving a definite solution or
answer. But Sanjaya was a reputed teacher among the several
religious people.
Nigantha Nathaputta practised Jainism and
he practised four methods of Sila known as Catuyama Samvara Sila.
This practice included the following;
1. Avoidance of using any kind of cold
water
2. Sabbam Cari Yutto-Practice of any kind
of virtue (si:a) moral practice.
3. Sabba Cari Danto-Avoidance of any kind
of misconduct (pa:pa) and
4. Sabba Cari Putto-Release practising any
kind of misconduct (pa:pa). He was known as Mahjavira and he was as
extremist who practised non violence to the letter. Mahavira was
more progressive than the other five teachers. Once Mahavira sent
his most intelligent disciple Upali to question the Buddha about
kamma. What happened was amazing as Upali became a follower of the
Buddha as he was so pleased with the Buddha's way of explaining
matters.