Sanjaya Belatthaputta

IAST|Sañjaya Belaṭṭhaputta (literally, "Sanjaya of the Belattha clan") was an Indian ascetic teacher who lived around the 5th or 4th c. BCE, contemporaneous with Mahavira and the Buddha.

In the Pali literature, Sanjaya's teachings have been characterized as "evasive" [Thanissaro (1997)] or "agnostic." [Bhaskar (1972).] Hecker (1994) contextualizes it as "a kind of dialectical existentialism" in juxtaposition to the popular materialist views of the day (for instance, typified by the ascetic teacher Ajita Kesakambalī.) [Hecker (1994). Particularly regarding IAST|Sañjaya Belaṭṭhaputta, see [http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel263.html#ch2 Chapter 2, "The Years of Wandering and Spiritual Search."] ] For example, in the Samannaphala Sutta (DN 2), Sanjaya is recorded as saying::'If you ask me if there exists another world [after death] , if I thought that there exists another world, would I declare that to you? I don't think so. I don't think in that way. I don't think otherwise. I don't think not. I don't think not not. If you asked me if there isn't another world... both is and isn't... neither is nor isn't... if there are beings who transmigrate... if there aren't... both are and aren't... neither are nor aren't... if the Tathagata exists after death... doesn't... both... neither exists nor exists after death, would I declare that to you? I don't think so. I don't think in that way. I don't think otherwise. I don't think not. I don't think not not.' [Thanissaro (1997).]

In the Brahmajala Sutta (DN 1), Sanjaya's views are deemed to be "amaravikkhepavad", "a theory of eel-wrigglers." [Cited in Bhaskar (1972).]

Sanjaya was the first teacher of the future Buddha's future two great disciples, Maha-Moggallana and Sariputta. These two future arahants ultimately left Sanjaya's tutelage as it did not address their unresolved desire to end ultimate suffering. [Hecker (1994).]

In Jaina literature, Sanjaya is identified as a Jaina sage (Skt., "muni"). It is believed that he was influenced by Jaina doctrine although Jaina philosophers were critical of Sanjaya. [Bhaskar (1972).]

See also

* Shramana
* Samannaphala Sutta
* Brahmajala Sutta

Notes

Sources

* Bhaskar, Bhagchandra Jain (1972). "Jainism in Buddhist Literature". Alok Prakashan: Nagpur. Available on-line at http://jainfriends.tripod.com/books/jiblcontents.html.
* Hecker, Hellmuth (1994). "Maha-Moggallana" (BPS Wheel 263). Available on-line at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel263.html.
* Ñāṇamoli, Bhikkhu (trans.) and Bodhi, Bhikkhu (ed.) (2001). "The Middle-Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikāya". Boston: Wisdom Publications. ISBN 0-86171-072-X.
* Thanissaro Bhikkhu (trans.) (1997). "Samaññaphala Sutta: The Fruits of the Contemplative Life" (DN 2). Available on-line at http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.02.0.than.html.
* Walshe, Maurice O'Connell (trans.) (1995). "The Long Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Dīgha Nikāya". Somerville: Wisdom Publications. ISBN: 0-86171-103-3.