Introductory - Global Sikh Studies

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must confine himself to the simple domestic offerings, pakayajna. 35
According to Rhys-Devids, the Brahmins in the pre-Buddhist
period did not even pose as authorities on Dhamma used in the sense
of moral conduct or code, as distinguished from all questions either
of ritual or theology. 36 Garbe has expressed the view that on moral
side ‘there is dreadfully too little in the Brahmanical religion and
philosophy. 37 “Keith ‘too who has made an exhaustive study of the
Brahmanical scriptures, comes to the dismal conclusion that there is
not much of the ethical in them. 38 The authors of Vedic India are also
disgusted with the ethics of the Brahmanas. ‘It is very vharacteristic
of the Brahmana authors that sin is generally regarded by them as a
physical defilement. ’39 Max Weber, too, is of the opinion that the Vedas
‘do not contain a rational ethics’. The theory that Brahmanas are above
all social and moral law sapped the foundation of morality. 40 - 41 As
against this, the religion of Lord Krishna, in its unalloyed form, laid
special stress on the ethical requirements. Even Manu’s Dharma Sastra
says: ‘Only a man’s virtue accompanies his soul… The essence of
conduct is the motive which prompts it… Truthfulness, devotion and
purity of thought, word and deed, transcend all ceremonial cleaning
or washing of water… Vice is worse than death… A true believer can
extract good out of evil… By forgiveness of injuries the learned (in
the scriptures) are purified. ’42
These apparent contradictions were not incidental but were a
significant feature of the earlier socio-religious literature. From the
very early times, there has been a current of spiritual and moral longing
in the Indian tradition. In the form of the Buddhist movement, it
even overflowed the boundaries of India. The country had many orders
of Sadhus and mendicants. Rishis and ascetics used to retire to the
jungle for meditation and contemplation. But, they were not concerned
with the affairs of the world, much less with the ethical issues of class
or caste. This way of the recluse was open to all, even to Sudras and
women. To this class, ‘the most perfect freedom, both of thought and
expression, was permitted’. 43 Many of these mendicants had no special
philosophy of their own. They were primarily interested in Acara
(personal conduct), 44 and lived ‘in pursuit of what they thought to be
truth’. 45