Nigaṇṭhā untranslated

Nigaṇṭhā, Nigaṇṭḥas, Jainas, Jains. The name given to the Jains, the followers of Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta. Unlike the Acelakas, they wore one garment, a covering in front. But when praised for their modesty, they answered that their reason for wearing a garment was to prevent dust and dirt from falling into their alms dishes. For even dust and dirt are actual individuals and endowed with the principle of life (Dhp­a.iii.489).

The chief precepts of the Nigaṇṭhā are included in the cātuyāma saṁvara – the fourfold restraint (for their beliefs and practices see Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta). The chief centres of the Nigaṇṭhas, in the time of the Buddha, seem to have been Vesālī (e.g., Ja.iii.1; MN.i.228) and Nālandā (MN.i.371), though they had settlements in other important towns, such as Rājagaha (e.g., at Kāḷasilā, on the slopes of Isigili, MN.i.92).

The chief patrons of the Buddha’s time were:

• Sīha senāpati in Vesālī,
• Upāli gahapati in Nālandā and
• Vappa the Sākyan in Kapilavatthu (AN­a.ii.751).

The books contain several names besides that of Nātaputta of distinguished members of the Nigaṇṭha Saṅgha – e.g., Dīgha Tapassī, and Saccaka, and also of several women, Saccā, Lolā, Avavādakā and Paṭācārā (Ja.iii.1).

The lay followers of the Nigaṇṭhas wore white garments (MN.ii.244).

In the Chaḷabhijāti classification of Pūraṇa Kassapa, the Ekasāṭaka Nigaṇṭhas occupied the third rank, the red (AN.iii.384). The Buddha condemned the Nigaṇṭhas as unworthy in ten respects:

• (1) They were without faith,
• (2) Unrighteous,
• (3) Without fear and shame,
• (4) They chose wicked men as friends,
• (5) Extolled themselves and disparaged others,
• (6) Were greedy of present gain,
• (7) Obstinate,
• (8) Untrustworthy,
• (9) Sinful in their thoughts, and
• (10) Held wrong views (AN.v.150).

Their fast resembled a herdsman looking after the kine by day, which were restored to their owners at eventide (AN.i.205f). The Nigaṇṭhas were so-called because they claimed to be free from all bonds (amhākaṁ ganthanakileso palibujjhanakileso natthi, kilesaganthirahitā mayan-ti evaṁ vāditāya laddhanāmavasena Nigaṇṭho) (e.g., MN­a.i.423).

The Buddhist books record that there was great dissension among the Nigaṇṭhas after the death of Nātaputta at Pāvā (MN.ii.243f.; DN.iii.117, 210). The Commentaries state that Nātaputta, realizing on his death bed the folly and futility of his teaching, wished his followers to accept the Buddha’s teaching (DN­a.iii.906; MN­a.ii.831). In order to bring this about, he taught his doctrine in two different ways to two different pupils, just before his death. To the one he said that his teaching was Nihilism (uccheda), and to the other that it was Eternalism (sassata). As a result, they quarrelled violently among themselves, and the Saṅgha broke up.

That the Nigaṇṭhas lasted till, at least, the time of Nāgasena, is admitted by the fact that Milinda, was asked to consult a teacher called Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta, who, if at all historical, was probably the direct successor to the teacher of the same name, contemporary with the Buddha (Mil.p.4).

There is evidence in the Jātakas to show that the Nigaṇṭha Saṅgha was in existence prior to the life of the Buddha. Saccatapāvī, mentioned in the Kuṇālajātaka (Ja 536, Ja.v.427), is described as a setasamaṇī, and may well have belonged to the Saṅgha of the Svetambaras, while in the Mahā Bodhijātaka (Ja.v.246) mention is made of a teacher who is identified with Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta himself.

There seems to have been a settlement of Nigaṇṭhas in Ceylon from very early times. When Paṇḍukābhaya laid out the city of Anurādhapura, he built also hermitages for several Nigaṇṭhas – Jotiya, Giri and Kumbhaṇḍa (Mhv.x.97f). These continued to be inhabited even after the establishment of Buddhism in the Island, for we hear of them in the reign of Vaṭṭagāmaṇī (circa 44 CE.). When Vaṭṭagāmaṇī pulled down the residence of the Nigaṇṭha Giri, because of his disloyalty to the king, he built on its site the Abhayagirivihāra (Mhv.xxxiii.42f.)