Shramana

Shramana ( Skt. श्रमण śramaṇa ^IAST , Pali शमण samaṇa ^IAST ) is a wandering monk , ascetic , religious ascetic in ancient India. An important distinguishing feature of shramans was the denial of the authority of the Vedas . An example of a shraman is Mahavira or Siddhartha Gautama .

Shramans refused family ties, traveled, lived alms. Many shramans practiced the killing of the flesh.

According to a typical Shraman point of view, a person is responsible for his actions. Therefore, salvation can be achieved by everyone, regardless of caste or skin color. Samsara was seen as a cause and basis for suffering. The main goal of any living being is to break out of the circle of births and deaths, which can be achieved not through rituals rejected by the shramans, but through various kinds of spiritual practices, yoga in the broad sense of the word.