bhautika (-brahmacaarin)

[Patrick Olivelle]

There are two identical passage in the Kurma Purana (1.2.74-84) and
the Garuda Purana (1.49.6-19) that uses the term bhautika, but here
with reference to yogins. Of the four asramas, that of the mendicant
is divided into paarameSThika and yogin. The yogin is further
classified into Bhautika, Samkhya, and Atyaazramin. The meaning of
Bhautika here also is uncertain, but coming with Samkhya, it may
indicate some sort of philosophical background of these ascetics.
This appears to be a hierarchical arrangement, probably with some
Advaita infuence, where the atyasramin is placed at the head, Samkhya
in the middle, and Bhautika at the bottom.


Patrick




>Many thanks to Joerg Gengnagel and D.N. Lielukhine for their
>suggestions.
>I haven't checked the Mahabharata passages yet, but in general,
>bhautika seems to be derived from, and refer to, the 5 gross
>elements of the material world (mahaa-bhuutas; somtimes also
>tanmaatras), occasionally to the bhuutas ("ghosts, spirits of the
>deceased"). But how do we get from there to bhautika = "a kind of
>monk"? Is "bhautika" to be understood as "worldly" = temporary,
>returning to a worldly existence? Do the Sastras say anything about
>that, I wonder? Are these bhautikas described anywhere?
>
>Anyway, it is reassuring to know that at least one other Saiva text
>uses the term in exactly this sense.
>
>
>Best regards
>
>Reinhold Gruenendahl
>
>********************************************************************
>
>Dr. Reinhold Gruenendahl
>Niedersaechsische Staats- und Universitaetsbibliothek
>Fachreferat sued- und suedostasiatische Philologien
>(Dept. of Indology)
>
>37070 Goettingen, Germany
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>gruenen at mail.sub.uni-goettingen.de
>
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