The Vedic Literature | The Buddhist Literature | The Jain Literature

Vedic Literature

The word Veda is derived from Sanskrit word vid, meaning 'to signifying knowledge par excellence'. The Vedic text are shruti i.e. directly revealed to authors by God. 

• Smritis are remembered and collected parts of literature of latter period. They are also called samhitas in the sens that they represent oral tradition of the time.
• Four Vedas and their samhitas, the Brahmans, the Aranyakas and the Upanishads form a class of literature known as Shruti.
  

The Rig Veda

• It divided into 10 books de mandalas. Mandalas II to VII are considered the oldest and known as Family Mandalas. Book I, VIII and X seem to be added latter.

It dated 1500-1000 BC. It has 1023 hymns written by number of priestly families. The Rig Veda was written when Aryans were still in Punjab

The 10th mandala contain the famous Purushasukta hymns that explains the origin of four varnas (Chatur-Varna theory) The hymns of Rig Veda were recited by Hotri.

The Yajur Veda

• It is ritualistic Vedas. It is devided into Shukla Yajur Veda (Poetry) (included Vajasneyi samhita) and Krishna Yajur Veda (Prose and Poetry) (Kathak, Matriyani and Taittiriya, Vapisthal which mantras and Brahmans part are not separated).
• Written in prose, deals with procedure for performance sacrifice, and contains rituals as well as hymns.
• The hymns of Yajur Veda were recited by Adhvaryu.
  

The Sama Veda

• Word Sama is derived from the root word saman that means 'melody/music'.
• It has 1875 verses, but except 75, the rest of the hymns have been borrowed from the Rig Veda. It contains Dhrupada Rag.
• The Sama Veda shows that the Aryan loved music and were not merely puritans.
• The Hymns of Sama Veda were recited by Udgatri.
  

The Atharva Veda

• The Atharva Veda is entirely different from the other three Vedas and is chronology the last of four Vedas.
• The Satapatha Brahman used the term trayi i.e. the Rig Veda Yajur Veda and Sama Veda.
• Atharva Veda mention beliefs and practices of non-Aryans. It contain magical mantra etc. 
• The sabha and samiti are describe as sisters and the two daughter of Prajapati.
• The Vedas is also known as Brahma Veda
  

The Upavedas

These are subsidiary Vedas dealing with secular subjects, Important Upavedas are as follow

1. Ayur Veda Pertains to Medicine
2. Dhanur Veda Pertains to art of warfare
3. Gandharav Veda Pertains to music
4. Shipla Veda Pertains to art and literature
   

The Upanishads

• The term Upanishads indicate knowledge acquire by sitting close to the teacher. 
• Under in many metaphysical topics such as the origin of the universe, the nature of God, the origin and death of mankind etc. were discussed.
• They do believe in orothodix rituals and sacrifices. On the country they are the followers of Karma (Action), Atma (Soul) and God (Brahma).
• They are spiritual and philosophical in nature.
• They are also knows Vedanta or the end of Vedas They always preach the Jana Marga (knowledge path)
• Upanishads are 108 in number (800-500 BC) .
• Satyamev Jayate is a from Mundaka Upanishad.
  

Vedangas (Limbs at Vedas)

• The Vedangas are treaties of science and arts.
• The six, Vedangas are Siksha (Phonetics), kalpa (rituals), Vyakaran (grammar), Chanda (Matrices), Nirukta (etymology) and Joytisha (astronomy).
• Yaska's Nirukta (5th century BC) is the oldest linguistic text.

Buddhist Literature

In Buddha texts, the most famous is 'Tripitaka, as mentioned below

Vinaya Pitaka  It contains the rules and regulations of monastic discipline for monks. An account of the life and teaching of the Buddha is also given.

Sutta Pitaka Few discourses delivered by many Buddhist scholars like Sariputta, Ananda and others are given in it. It lays down the principles of Buddhism. It is a collection of Buddha's sermon and is divided into five groups.

Abhidhamma Pitaka Having the philosophy of Buddha's teachings, it investigates mind and matter to help the understanding of things as they truly are.

 

Jain Literature

The sacred books of the Jainas are known as Siddhanta or Agama.

The six sacred books of Jainas include 

1.Twelve Angas        2.Twelve Upangas

3.Ten Prikarnas         4.Six Chheda Sutras

5.Four Mulasutras     6.Two Sutra Granthas

It is written in Prakrit language or form of Prakrit called Ardhamagadhi. Svetambaras believed in the first five literatures.

Among the Jaina writers, the most important were Bhadrabahu (Kalpa-sutra), Siddhasena, Divakara, Manibhadra, Siddha, Hemachandra (Parisista Parvan), Nayachandra and Mallinath. The Jainas wrote narrative literature, poems, novels, dramas and hymns.