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JOUBNAL K. A. s. (ceylon). [Vol. VII., Pt. 111. 



and venerating it, these reformers did not violently denounce it. 

 A modesty* which earnest enquiry generates, and a love of 

 truth f which results from spiritual emancipation, characterized 

 the period. The Brahmavadins or Vedic teachers often explained 

 a four-fold salvation,— (i) dwelling in the same place with a god 

 like Indra, — (ii) dwelling near him, — (iii) obtaining his dignity 

 and form, — (iv) identity with him. J The last was only materially 

 understood by the Vedic teachers. These reformers or ascetics 

 gave a spiritual interpretation to it and insisted upon final 

 absorption into the spiritual essence as emancipation or salvation. 

 This is the back-ground of Buddhistic Nirvana. 



VII. The Jainas or conservative rationalists. — The Jainas 

 divided into two classes — the Svetambara and the Digambara, or 

 those wearing white clothes and those who go about naked — are to 

 be found in all parts of India. There are about 2,000 of them 

 in the city of Ahmadabad alone in Gujarat. In this place 

 I cannot discuss the chronology of the Jaina movement, and state 

 the grounds of my belief that the Jainas preceded the Buddhists. 

 The position of the Upanishad reformer" was formulated and 

 pressed on the attention of the V^dic A'ryas. The conservative 

 sacrificing A ryas attempted coercion. Anathemas were pro- 

 nounced : prayers, offered. The reformers, aspiring after deep 

 spirituality and communion with the all-pervading spirit, 

 were stigmatized as lethargic and their doctrine was declared 

 to be "the path of inactivity." The sacrificing A'rya publicly 

 prayed : — u Oh! let my lethargy, or rather my tendency to (moral) 

 sleep, depart to the natives of Vidhea or to contemplative 

 inactive men.§ In the Mahabhdrata the condition of society 

 is feelingly depicted. Bhishma despondingly observes : — "None 

 knows what the truth is. To advance their own interests, 

 selfish men preach to the people what they please." || The 

 Vaisyas, little accustomed to think for themselves and disposed 



* See the story of Nachiketas. See Katlia Yalli Upanishad. 



•j- Satyam Vaksi Jahalah. See Chhandogya Upauishad (IV. 4.) 



I (i). Salokata (ii). Samipata (iii). Sarupata (iv). Sayujya. 



§ See the Agnyadhana Prayoga, 



jj See the Santi Parva— the story of a vulture and a jackal. 



