The Formation of the Teaching of the Sramanas and its Background

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This study aims at investigating the various conditions surrounding the formation of Buddhism and Jainism, with the special emphasis on the actual situation of the gramapas (Pkt. samapa) or wandering monks who opposed Brahmanism which was the orthodox religion in 600-400 B.C. in India.The following were used as the basic text sources: Suttanipata, Dhamnapada; Ayaranga-sutta, Suyagadanga-sutta, Uttarajjhaya, Dasaveyaliya-sutta, Isibhasiyaim. I arrived at the following conclusions.1. The fact that common names and special names are given to the trainee monks in the oldest scriptures of both Buddhism and Jainism indicates that the sramapas arose from a common monastic basis in ancient India.2. The religious precepts and laws which the sramapas preached were based on the customary precepts and laws in ancient India, but they were gradually given a specific meaning.3. Having investigated the features of the parallel padas in the oldest Buddhist sutras and the primitive Jaina canon, it is clear that precepts and doctrines of Buddhism and Jainism originally possessed a common basis.