The
Evolution of Jainism & Buddhism
CAUSE OF ORIGIN
·
In the post vedic times the condition of the
shudras further deteriorated. The shudras were meant for serving the higher
three varnas, and along with the women were barred from taking to vedic
studies.
·
Shudras were called cruel, greedy and thieving
in habits and some of them were treated as untouchables.
·
The Kshatriya reaction against the domination of
priestly class was one of the causes of origin of new religions.
·
Vardhamana Mahavira and Gautam Buddha belonged
to the kshatriya clan and both disputed the authority of the Brahmanas.
·
The spread of a new agricultural economy in
north-eastern India is said to be the real cause of the rise of new religions.
The agricultural economy based on iron ploughshare required the use of
bullocks, and it could not flourish without animal husbandry.
·
But the vedic practice of killing cattle
indiscriminately in sacrifices stood in the way of progress of agriculture. Now
if the new agrarian economy had to be stable, this killing had to be stopped.
·
Vaishyas were the third in the varna hierarchy,
so naturally they looked for some religion which would improve their position.
·
Newer doctrines started propagating the idea of
Moksha as the main aim of life in place of materialistic religion of the Vedas.
This led to the religious transformation of the whole area and as many as 62
heterodox sects rose to the occasion.
·
Some of the important sects were Buddhism,
Jainism, Ajivaka and Charvaka.
BUDDHISM
1. Life of Buddha
·
Siddhartha was born in 563 BC in a Shakya
Kshatriya family in Lumbini near kapilavastu (Nepal).
·
His father’s name was Shuddhodhana who was the
chief of the Shakya clan
·
His mother’s name was Mahamaya or Mahadevi who
was a prioncess of koshalan dynasty. She died after seven days of his birth
·
He belonged to Shakya clan, hence called Shakya
Muni.
·
He was raised by his foster mother Gautami
Prajapati. Hence, he was known as Gautama also.
·
He was married to Yashodhara and Rahul was born
to them.
·
Despite having all luxuries at his command,
Siddhartha did not keep happy. He was in search of complete bliss.
·
Once, while travelling he witnessed four
eventsviz. An old man, a sick man, a dead body and an ascetic who helped him
taking the path of ascetisim as the ascetic appeared to him the happier one.
·
At the age of 29, he left his home on his horse
Kantaka. He wandered in the region of Magadha for six years and practiced
meditation during this time he learned meditation from Alara Kalma.
·
He got enlightenment at the age of 35 at Bodh
Gaya under a papal tree on the bank of river Nilanjana. Hence, he was called
Buddha- one who has got Enlightenment.
·
He delivered his first sermon to his five
desciples at deer Park in Sarnath. This is known as ‘setting in motion the
wheel of law’
·
The five disciples were Assaji, Mogallana,
Upali, Sariputta and Ananda.
·
Most of the semons were given at shravasti.
·
Four important events in the life of Buddha were
Mahabhimisikram, Nirvana, Chakra Pravarthan and Mahaparinivana.
·
He passed away at the age of 80 in 483 BC at
Kusinagar. He died of food poisoning after eating pork at the house of Chunda.
·
After cremation, the ashes of Buddha were
distributed among eight tribes. These ashes were kept in caskets and stupas
were built over them e.g. Sanchi Stupa.
·
Last words of Buddha were “All composite things,
decay so strive diligently to work out your salvation”.
2. Teachings of
Buddhism
·
The fundamental principles of Buddha’s Teachings
are represented by the four Noble Truths (arya-satyas) viz.
(i)Dukkha (that
the world is full of sorrow)
(ii) Dukkha
samuddaya (that there are causes of sorrow)
(iii) Dukkha
Nirodha (that this sorrow can be stopped)
(iv) Dukkha
nirodha-gamini pratipada (path leading to cessation of sorrow)
·
According to Buddha, root of all human misery
was ‘desire’ and its annihilation was the surest way of ending unhappiness.
·
One could get out of this chain of suffering and
achieve the final salvation (nirvana) by following the Eight Fold Path (Ashtangika
Marga).
·
These Eight Fold Paths are:
(i) Right speech
(ii) Right
action
(iii) Right
means of livelihood
(iv) Right
exertion
(v) Right
mindfulness
(vi) Right
meditation
(vii) Right
resolution
(viii) Right
view
·
Buddha summarized the whole process in three
words viz. Sila (right conduct), Samadhi (right concentration) and Prajna
(right knowledge).
·
Buddha advocated “The Middle Path” in which
extremes are avoided.
·
He rejected varna system and caste restrictions.
·
Initially, he did not allow ‘women’ in Sangha
but agreed later, on the advice of his chief disciple Ananda. His foster mother
became the first woman to join Sangha.
·
The followers of Buddha fell into two categories
viz. the upasakas (lay followers) and the bhikshus (monks).
·
Buddha was agnostic and non-committal to
existence of god.
·
The followers of Buddhism enjoyed equal rights
irrespective of their varna and jati.
·
Three vows of Buddhism are Buddha, Dhamma and
Sangha.
3. Buddhist Literature
·
It is also called pali literature.
·
Sutta Pitaka, Vinay Pitaka and Abhidhamma pitaka
are known of the tripitakas of Buddhism.
·
Tripitakas are the most important holy books of
Buddhism.
·
Sutta pitaka consists of sermons and teachings
of Buddha.
·
Vinay pitaka is the collection of the rules
governing the sangha and monks.
·
Abhidhamma Pitaka deals with philosophy of
Buddhism.
·
A small part of Sutta Pitaka is Jataka Stories.
These are 550 stories related to the birth of Buddha which are meant to give
moral teachins to the people.
·
Dipavamsa and mahavamsa are known as Ceylonese
books. Ashoka sent his daughter and son to propagate Buddhismin sri lanka
(Ceylon) where these books were compiled.
·
Milindapanho is also an important book related
to Buddhism. It is a collection of discussions between indo-Greek king Mahander
(Milinda) and Monk Nagasena. Milinda posed several questions to Nagasena about
Buddhism.
·
Buddha Charita, a book written in Sanskrit is
the biography of Buddha compiled by Ashvaghosh.
4. Sects of Buddhism
·
There are three sects of Buddhism viz. Hinayana,
Mahayana and Vajrayana.
(i) Hinayana (lesser vehicle): it was an
orthodox group. The teaching of Buddha shall be obeyed strictly. Hinayana
emphasised individual Salvation.they worshipped Buddha through symbols. No idol
worship was allowed. This sect was mainly popular in Magadha, Sri Lanka and
Burma.
(ii) Mahayana (greater vehicle): it was a
sect with broader outlook. It followed the spirit of teachings of Buddha. They
believed in semi-divine identity called Bodhisattva. They started worshipping
Buddha through idols. They wrote scriptures in Sanskrit called Vaipulyasutras.
Kanishka was the patron of Mahayana sect of Buddhism.
(iii) Vajrayana (vehicle of thunderbolt): it
believed in super human powers. They had faith in miracles and tantra. It
became popular in eastern India by 10th centuary AD. Palas
patronized the VAjrayana sect of Buddhism.
5. Buddhist
Architecture
·
Stupa:
it is a semi-domical structure. Ashoka constructed the most important stupa at
Sanchi in MP.
·
Chaityas:
these are Buddhist temple constructed in cave e.g. chaityas at karle near
Nasik.
·
Viharas:
These are the building constructed for the residence of monks. The first Vihara
was erected by Kumaragupta-I at Nalanda which was called Nalanda Mahavihara.
Buddhist Councils
|
SL.
|
Year/Place
|
Ruler/ Patorn
|
President
|
Importance
|
|
First
|
483 BC/ Rajgriha
|
Ajatashatru
|
Mahakassapa
|
Compilation of Vinaya Pitaka and Sutta Pitaka
|
|
Second
|
383 BC/ Pataliputra
|
Kalashoka
|
Saba KAmi
|
Buddhists split into Sthaviravadins and
Mahasanghikas
|
|
Third
|
250 BC/Pataliputra
|
Ashoka
|
Mogaliputta Tissa
|
Abhidhamma pitaka compiled
|
|
Fourth
|
100 AD/Kundala Van (Kashmir)
|
Kanishka
|
Vasumitra
|
Division into Hinayana and Mahayana sect
|
JAINISM
·
Jainas believe that origin of janism goes back
to very ancient times.
·
Jainas believe in 24 tirthankaras or great
teachers or leaders their religion.
·
Rishabhdeva is believed to be the first
tirthankara by the jainas. He was also known as Adinath.
·
The twenty third Tirthankara, Parshvanath was
the son of lkshvaku king Ashvasena of kasi.
·
Rishabhdeva and Arishtanemi are mentioned in the
Rigveda.
·
Vayu Purana and Bhagwat Purana mention
Rishabhdeva as the incarnation of Narayana.
·
The twenty- fourth tirthankara was Vardhmana
Mahavira.
1. Life of Mahavira
·
Vardhmana Mahavira, was born in the village of
Kundagrama near Vaishali in about 540 BC>
·
His father Siddhartha was the chief of Jnatrika
clan.
·
His mother Trisala was the sister of Chetaka, an
eminent Lichchhavi nobel of VAishali. Chetaka’s daughter in later times was
married to Bimbisara the king of Magadha.
·
He was married to Yashoda and lived a life of
householder.
·
His daughter’s name was Annoja and his son in
law was Jameli.
·
He became an ascetic at the age of 30.
·
During the next 12 years, he practiced most
rigorous asceticism.
·
In the thirteenth year, at the age of 42, he
attained kaivalya i.e. the supreme knowledge and final deliverance from the
bonds of pleasure and pain. Hence he was called kevalin.
·
He sat under a sal tree on the bank of river
Riju Palik or Riju Kala in Jambhika gram near Vaishali for the attainment of
KAivalya.
·
He was also known JIna which means conqueror of
senses and his followers were called jainas.
·
He founded a jain Sangha at Pawapuri to
propagate his faith.
·
He died in 468 BC at the age of 72 at Pawapuri.
2. Teachings of Jainism
·
Five Cardinal Truths of Jainism are:
(i) Ahimsa
(non-injury to living beings)
(ii) Satya
(speaking the truth)
(iii) Asteya
(non-stealing)
(iv) Aparigraha
(non-possession of property)
(v) Brahmacharya
(continence or celibacy)
·
First four of the above Cardinal Truths were
original given by Parshvanath. The fifth was added by Mahavira.
·
Five Cardinal Truths are called as Panch
Mahavratas for monks and Panch Anuvratas for common people respectively.
·
The triratnas of Jainism are:
(i) Samyaka
Jnana (Right knowledge)
(ii) Samyaka
Vichara (Right thought)
(iii) Samyaka
Karma (Right action)
·
Philosophy of Jainism is called Syadvada which
literally means ‘theory of may be’. It says that there is no absolute answer to
a question.
·
Jainism says that soul are everywhere even in
stones, rocks, water, etc.
·
Jainism says salvation is possible only by
abandoning all possessions, a long course of fasting, self mortification, study
and meditation. Therefore, the monastic life essential for salvation.
·
According to Jainism the eternal world is full
of sorrow and pain.
·
Jainism says that the universe is comprised of
jiva (spirit/soul), ajiva (physical matter), dharma, adharma, kala and akash.
·
According to Jainism it is not god’s but man’s
deeds (karma) and the fruits there of (karmaphala) that shape the destiny of a
man.
·
Jainism has given much wider definition to
non-violence which includes non-violence of thought, speech and action.
·
Jainism has given much wider definition to
non-violence which includes no-violence of thoughts, speech and action.
·
Jainism did not recognize caste system and Aryan
religion.
·
Jainism advocated simple and austere life.
·
Jainism did not believe in god.
·
Sallekhna is an orthodox Jaina tradition in
which a person accepts voluntary death by fasting.
·
According to Jainism there are three sources of
knowledge viz. pratyaksha, anuman and sayings of the tirthankaras.
3. Sects in Jainism
·
It is believed that about two hundred years
after the death of Mahavira a terrible famine broke out in Magadha.
·
Chandragupta Maurya was the king and Bhadrabahu
was the chief of Jaina community at that time.
·
Chandragupta and Bhadrabahu, along with their
followers went to Karnataka leaving Sthulabahu incharge of the Jainas that
remained in Magadha.
·
The Jainas who went to Karnataka were called
Digambaras (those who were stark naked) and Magadhan Jainas were called
Shvetambaras (those who put on white robes).
·
Digambaras observed the tenets of Jainism very
strictly while the Shvetambaras were liberal in approach.
·
Some of the patrons of Jainism are Chandragupta
Maurya, Kharvelas of Kalinga, Rashtrakutas of Deccan, Chamundraya, Solanki
rulers of Gujarat and Indira-IV (Rashtrakuta king).
4. Jaina Literature
·
Jaina literature was first written in Prakrit.
And later in Sanskrit.
·
Purvas literature is almost lost. Later
literature consists of 12 angas, 12 upangas, 10 prakirnas, 6 chhedsutras and 4
mulasutras.
·
Purvas were 14 in number.
·
Kalpasutra was written by Bhadrabahu.
Jaina Councils
|
Sl.
|
Date/Place
|
Headed by
|
Result
|
|
1st
|
300 BC Pataliputra
|
Sthulabhadra
|
Jains divided into Shvetambara & Digambara
|
|
11nd
|
6th Century AD/Vallabhi
|
Devardhi Kshamashraman
|
12 angas and 12 upangas were compiled
|
Jaina Architecture
Hathigumpha Cave…………………………………………
Kharvela
Dilwara Temples……………………………………………
Mt. Abu (Rajasthan)
Rock cut caves………………………………………………
Badami & Aihole
Ø Difference between Buddhism
& Jainism
Jainism
·
Stressed extreme path for attaining salvation.
·
Great stress upon asceticism and practiced it in
a very rigorous manner.
·
Digambaras did not wear any cloths.
Buddhism
·
Moderate or middle path for attaining salvation
·
Asked to choose between a life of care &
luxury and rigorous asceticism.
·
Buddha denounced the practice of going out
nacked.
