Removing The Sheen From Buddhism

[Husky]

And the actual stuff I wished to point out begins here.



3/n





en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shramana (contents as at sometime early March, when I saved the page to show it to a relative)

Shramana



The Shramana (also spelled Sramana) movement was a non-Vedic movement parallel to Vedic Hinduism in ancient India. The Shramana tradition gave rise to Jainism,[1] Buddhism,[2] Yoga,[3] and was responsible for the related concepts of the cycle of birth and death, samsara, and liberation.[4]

[...]



The Pāli samaṇa and the Sanskrit Śramaṇa' refer to renunciate ascetic traditions from the middle of the first millenium before the common era.[5] They were individual, experiential and free-form traditions, independent of society; and in religious competition with brahmin priests, who as opposed to Shramanas, stressed on mastery of texts and performing rituals.[5]

[...]



A Sanskrit definition of Shramana is śramati tapasyatīti śramaṇaḥ ("a śramaṇa is he who exerts himself and performs religious austerities").[citation needed] However, Indian grammarians use the terms 'Sharamana' and 'Brahmin' to illustrate bitter opponents whose differences came from varying religious models.[5] Part of the Shramana tradition remained outside the Hindu fold by rejecting the authority of the Vedas; with the Jains, Buddhists, Ajivikas, and other religious groups developing as a result of this rejection.[5] Part of the Shramana tradition was absorbed into Hindu dharma literature with a place for a renunciate sanyasi in it, in the four stages (ashramas) of life.[5]



(And yet it admits that the word already occurred in Taittiriya Aranyaka. Aranyakas are part of the Vedam <= Oooh, more stuff they need to encroach on

One of the earliest uses of the word is in the Hindu text Taittiriya Aranyaka (2-7-1) with the meaning of 'performer of austerities'.[citation needed] Buddhist commentaries associate the word's etymology with the quieting (samita) of evil (pāpa) as in the following phrase from the Dhammapada, verse 265: samitattā pāpānaŋ ʻsamaṇoʼ ti pavuccati ("someone who has pacified evil is called samaṇa").[3]

I could well be wrong, but I think shramana in the general sense also occurs in Valmiki's Ramayanam (?), with no mention of any specific religion - especially not as referring to anyone of some "other" religion. (But rather in the context by implication it was the same Vedic religion: IIRC "shramanas" were mentioned as part of all those who were visiting and fed by Dasaratha during some great Vedic event.) But I wouldn't rely on my memory or its accuracy and will need to confirm.



Great. I'm not wrong - plus looking up the net rather than plaguing my mind in what part of a book I saw something is clearly the way to go, as there are footnotes in the following that are specifically relevant to this very topic: it even bothers to explain in what sense the word is and isn't used in the text. Moreover it makes especial mention of how Buddhism (etc) is not implied, to pre-empt eager claimants:



valmikiramayan.net/bala/sarga14/bala_14_prose.htm

Some scholars tend to conclude that Ramayana might have been written in post Buddhist period by finding the words like shramaNa etc., the famous wandering Buddhist monk sect. The word shramaNa in Sanskrit means only a pilgrim, and pilgrimage is an ordained aspect of salvation as per Indra is the friend of traveller. Therefore wander - aitareya brahmaNa [VII.33.3] The Buddhist shramaNa -s are the wandering monks in search of converts whereas Hindu shramana-s are pure sanyasi-s wandering for their own salvation.

Apparently, both Balakanda AND Kishkinda kanda of the Ramayanam use the word shramana (and both in the general meaning). In this context: the other Hindu itihasa on Vedic religion and society - the MBh - IIRC mentioned a great sacred Tree's divine beauty as attracting both Brahmanas and other ascetics of the implicit Vedic religion to do tapas under it. Any Hindu Yogi/Siddha can fall under that category.



It's true that many seem keen on claiming words like Shramana and Vrat(y)a and anything "ascetic" sounding for Jainism or even Buddhism in general. Even when mentioned in Vedic literature. Most especially when such words take specific meaning in the other Indic religions and are considered important for them to claim (as proof of their early existence). But IIRC Vratapati is one of the names of Rudra in the Vedam. (Makes perfect sense then that Mahavratas turned out to specifically be another name for the Pashupatas.) In the context: likewise, Arhanta has the general meaning of "worthy" <- again, makes sense that it is one of the names of Shiva. These words do not imply Buddhism and Jainism, especially not when used in Hindu texts about Hindu matters including society.