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Main Menu The Buddha & His Disciples Land of the Rose Apple
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Buddhist Studies: The Buddha and His Disciples - Land of the Rose Apple
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amalgamation of Brahminism, Buddhism and various folk cults which developed only many centuries after the Buddha. Brahminism believed in a
supreme creator god named Brahma and many lesser gods like Aggi, the god of fire, Indra, the king of gods, Yama, the king of the underworld,
Suriya, the god of the sun, and so on. These gods were propitiated with sacrifices (yaga) which were thrown into the ritual fire and were then believed
to be taken to heaven in the smoke. Ordinary folk might make small sacrifices of grain or ghee, but the wealthy or royalty would sometimes sacrifice
large numbers of animals, usually cows but occasionally even human beings. Sacrifices were very complex affairs and it was believed that they
would bring down the blessings from the gods only if they were performed absolutely correctly. Only the Brahmins, the hereditary priests knew how
to perform the sacrificial rituals correctly, a knowledge that they jealously guarded, and they expected to be well paid for their services. As a result of
this, Brahmins had a well-earned reputation for greed and avarice. Another important practice in Brahminism was ritual bathing. It was believed that if
a person did evil it could be cleansed or washed away by bathing in certain sacred rivers, the most popular of which was the Ganges.
8. By the Buddha's time, there was widespread dissatisfaction with Brahminism and many people, including many Brahmin intellectuals, were
becoming interested in new religious ideas. Parallel to Brahminism and much older was the tradition of unorthodox ascetic teachers (samana) who
were beginning to attract increasing interest. The most famous of these ascetics was Nataputta, known to his disciples by the title Mahavira Jain (the
Victorious Great Hero). His followers were known as the Bond-Free Ones (Nigantha) and the religion he founded came to be known as Jainism.
Nataputta was an older contemporary of the Buddha and already had many disciples by the time Buddhism began. Another important group of
ascetics were the Ajivikas, founded by Makkhali Gossala. Ajivika ascetics went naked and taught that being good by refraining from evil was useless
because everyone would eventually find salvation through the process of transmigration just as a ball of twine rolling along the ground will eventually
unwind. The Ajivikas had many influential followers and supporters but the Buddha criticised them as the worst of all ascetics. Some of the other well
known teachers of the time were Ajita of the hair blanket, Purana Kassapa, Pakudha Kaccayana and Sanjaya Belatthiputta, all of whose religions
lasted only a few centuries and then petered out.
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