A Shramana (Sanskrit) is a wandering monk in India's shramana traditions, including

• Jainism
• Buddhism
• Ajivikas, now extinct

Mahavira, the 24th Jina, and Gautam Buddha were leaders of their shramana orders. According to Buddhist and Jain literature, there were other shramana leaders at that time. They are referred to as Titthiyas of Tirthakas in the Buddhist Pali literature. Mahavira is referred to as Niggantha Nataputta, one of the Titthiyas.

For the six Tirthikas see

Siddhartha (Gautam Buddha) regarded rigorous asceticism extreme and decided to give it up, and thus adapted the "middle way," while the followers of Mahavira continued to practice asceticism. Devadatta, the cousin of Siddhartha, caused a split in the Buddhist sangh by demanding more rigorous practices.

A Sramana (Sramati tapasyatiti Sramanah) is one who performs acts of mortification or austerity. According to the definition, a being is himself responsible for his own deeds. Salvation, therefore, can be achieved by anybody irrespective of caste, creed, color or culture. The cycle of rebirth to which every individual is subject is viewed as the cause and substratum of misery. The goal of every person is to evolve a way to escape from the cycle of rebirth, namely by discounting ritual as a means of an emancipation and establishing from the misery of Samsara, through pious religious activities.

Etymology

Sramana is derived from "Srama" --- to exert, effort, labor or to perform austerity. It is mixed in with the meaning "Sama" --- equal, evenly distributed, to emancipate from Karma. Sramana is a Sanskrit term. Sramana thus

Sramana Movement

Several sramana movements are known to have existed in the 6th century BC. These were people who strived for an alternate path to achieve salvation other than by the means of rituals.

The shramana ideal of wandering was compromised early in Buddhism, when the bhikkhus started living in viharas. In mediaeval Jainism also, the tradition of wandering nearly became extinct, but was revived in the 19th century. Similar reforms have also occurred in Buddhism.

Some of the terms are common between Jainism and Buddhism, including

• Symbols: chaitya, stupa, dharma-chakra
• Terms: arhat, nirvana, sangha, acharya, Jina etc.

The term pudgala is used by both but with completely different meanings.

Because both Jainism and Buddhism represent closely related traditions, they are often mistaken for each other.

References

• A L Basham, History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas, 1951

Sramanas in Western litterature

Nicolaus of Damascus (c.10 CE)

Nicolaus of Damascus is famous for his account of an embassy sent by an Indian king "named Pandion (Pandyan kingdom?) or, according to others, Porus" to Caesar Augustus around 13 CE. He met with the embassy at Antioch. The embassy was bearing a diplomatic letter in Greek, and one of its members was a sramana ("Σαρμανο") who burnt himself alive in Athens to demonstrate his faith. The event made a sensation and was quoted by Strabo and Dio Cassius. A tomb was made to the sramana, still visible in the time of Plutarch, which bore the mention "ΖΑΡΜΑΝΟΧΗΓΑΣ ΙΝΔΟΣ ΑΠΟ ΒΑΡΓΟΣΗΣ" ("The sramana master from Barygaza in India").

Clement of Alexandria (150-211)

Clement of Alexandria makes several mentions of the Sramanas, both in the context of the Bactrians and the Indians:

"Thus philosophy, a thing of the highest utility, flourished in antiquity among the barbarians, shedding its light over the nations. And afterwards it came to Greece. First in its ranks were

To Clement of Alexandria, "Bactrians" apparently means "Oriental Greek", as in a passage of the Stromata:

"It was after many successive periods of years that men worshipped images of human shape, this practice being introduced by Artaxerxes, the son of Darius, and father of Ochus, who first set up the image of Aphrodité Anaitis at Babylon and Susa; and Ecbatana set the example of worshipping it to the Persians; the Bactrians, to Damascus and Sardis." The Stromata, or Miscellanies, Book I, Clement of Alexandria.

Porphyry (233-305)

Porphyry extensively describes the habits of the Sramanas (whom he calls Samanaeans) in his "On abstinence from animal food" Book IV . He says his information was obtained from "the Babylonian Bardesanes, who lived in the times of our fathers, and was familiar with those Indians who, together with Damadamis, were sent to Caesar":

"For the polity of the Indians being distributed into many parts, there is one tribe among them of men divinely wise, whom the Greeks are accustomed to call Gymnosophists. But of these there are two sects, over one of which the Bramins preside, but over the other the Samanaeans. The race of the Bramins, however, receive divine wisdom of this kind by succession, in the same manner as the priesthood. But the Samanaeans are elected, and consist of those who wish to possess divine knowledge." Porphyry "On abstinence from animal food" Book IV

"All the Bramins originate from one stock; for all of them are derived from one father and one mother. But the Samanaeans are not the offspring of one family, being, as we have said, collected from every nation of Indians.."Porphyry "On abstinence from animal food" Book IV

On entering the order:"The Samanaeans are, as we have said, elected. When, however, any one is desirous of being enrolled in their order, he proceeds to the rulers of the city; but abandons the city or village that he inhabited, and the wealth and all the other property that he possessed. Having likewise the superfluities of his body cut off, he receives a garment, and departs to the Samanaeans, but does not return either to his wife or children, if he happens to have any, nor does he pay any attention to them, or think that they at all pertain to him. And, with respect to his children indeed, the king provides what is necessary for them, and the relatives provide for the wife. And such is the life of the Samanaeans. But they live out of the city, and spend the whole day in conversation pertaining to divinity. They have also houses and temples, built by the king". Porphyry "On abstinence from animal food" Book IV

On life and death:"They are so disposed with respect to death, that they unwillingly endure the whole time of the present life, as a certain servitude to nature, and therefore they hasten to liberate their souls from the bodies . Hence, frequently, when they are seen to be well, and are neither oppressed, nor driven to desperation by any evil, they depart from life." Porphyry "On abstinence from animal food" Book IV

Footnotes

1.   Strabo, xv, 1,
2.   Dio Cassius, liv, 9.
3.  
4.  
5.   Šramana