JAINISM & BUDDHISM
in which Mahavira was also a part
CAUSES OF ORIGIN
• The complex rituals and sacrifices, the
sacrificial ceremonies were too expensive and
the superstitious beliefs and mantras confused
the people.
• The teachings of Upanishads, an alternative to
the system of sacrifices, were highly
philosophical in nature and therefore not easily
understood by all.
• Simple, short and intelligible way to salvation
for all people. Such religious teaching should
also be in a language known to them.
• Social and economic factors also contributed to
the rise of these two religions.
• The rigid caste system prevalent in India
generated tensions in the society. Higher
classes enjoyed certain privileges which were
denied to the lower classes.
• Kshatriyas had resented the domination of the
priestly class. The growth of trade led to the
improvement in the economic conditions of the
Vaisyas.
• As a result, they wanted to enhance their social
status but the orthodox Varna system did not
allow this. Therefore, they began to extend
support to Buddhism and Jainism. It was this
merchant class that extended the chief support
to these new religions.
JAINISM
VARDHAMANA MAHAVIRA
• They believe in 24 Tirthankaras or great
teachers or leaders of their religion
• First tirthankara – Rishbha, born in Ayodhya
• Last or 24th Tirthankara was Vardhaman
Mahavira
• He was contemporary of buddha
• According to Jaina traditions, most of the early
tirthankaras were born in middle Gangetic
basin and attained nirvana in Bihar
• 23rd Tirthankara was Parshvanath:
o He was born in Varanasi
o Gave up royal life and became an ascetic
o Many teachings of Jainism are attributed to
him
o Founded an ascetic group called Nigranthas
o He lived 200 years before Mahavira
• Mahavira was born in around 540 BC in a
village called Kundagrama near Vaishali
(Bihar)
• His father Siddhartha was the head of the
famous kshatriya clan called Jnatrika
• Mother was Trishala, sister of Lichchhavi chief
Chetaka, whose daughter was married to king
Bimbi Sara
• Thus, connected to royal family of Magadha
• Beginning he led a life of a householder.
• He married Yasoda and gave birth to a daughter
Priyadarshana, also called Anojja
• Abandoned the world at the age of 30 and
became an ascetic
• Next 12 years he meditated and practiced
austerities
• During which he met Maskariputra Gosala
with whom he spent almost 6 years.
• Later they both quarrelled and Gosala went
on to establish the Ajivika sect
• 13th year when he was 42, he attained
Kaivalya (Juan)
• Through kaivalya he conquered misery and
happiness.
• Because of this conquest he is known as
Mahavira or great hero or Jina, conqueror and
his followers are known as jainas
• The Jain texts state that Mahavira's first
disciples were 11 Brahmins, who
traditionally are called the 11 Gandharas.
• He propagated for 30 years
• Travelled through Koshala, Magadha,
Mithila, Champa, etc.
• Passed away at the age of 72
• Mahavira is usually depicted in a sitting or
standing meditative posture with the symbol of
a lion beneath him.
• Jains remained as a small community for
almost 200 years after the death of Mahavira
and saw a rise in their stature during the
Mauryan age
DOCTRINE OF JAINISM
• 5 doctrines:
1. Do not commit violence
 2. Do not speak a lie
3. Do not steal
4. Do not acquire property
5. Observe continence (Brahmacharya)
• Only fifth doctrine was added by Mahavira
• Nyayavada – describing reality from different
point of view
• Utmost importance to Ahimsa or non-injury
to living beings
• Both the clergy and laymen had to strictly
follow the Ancient History doctrine of ahimsa.
• Recognized the existence of God but placed
them lower than the Jina
• According to Jainism world is not created,
maintained or destroyed by any god, but
functions only according to the universal law
• Entire world is animated: even stones, rocks
and water have life, have souls and various
degrees of consciousness. They possess life and
feel pain when they are injured.
• Non-injury to living beings, especially to
humans, animals, plants and insects, is central
to Jaina philosophy.
• Cycle of birth and rebirth is shaped through
karma. Asceticism and penance are required to
free oneself from the cycle of karma.
• Jainism considered Universe as eternal
existence of which is divided into an infinite
number of cycles. Each cycle will have a
period of improvement called Utsarpini and
a period of decline called Avasarpini.
• Anekantavada: “Doctrine of many sidedness of
reality”: The Jain metaphysics of realistic and
relativistic pluralism. Matter and Sprit are
regarded as separate and independent realities.
It states that the ultimate truth and reality is
complex, has multiple aspects.
• Parshvanath – asked his followers to cover
upper and lower body
• Mahavira asked them to discard clothes
altogether – he wanted them to lead a more
austere life
• Mahavira rejected the authority of the Vedas
and objected to the Vedic rituals
• Did not condemn the varna system
• According to Mahavira, a person is born in a
high or in a lower varna in consequence of sins
or the virtues acquired by him in the previous
birth
• Through pure and meritorious life members of
lower varna can attain liberation.
• Jainism mainly aims at the attainment of
freedom from worldly bonds.
• No ritual is required for attaining such
liberation
• Can be obtained through Triratna or three
jewels
1. Right knowledge
2. Right faith
3. Right action
• Jainism prohibited the practice of war and
even agriculture because it involves killing of
living being
• Meat-eating was forbidden for monks and
layman alike
• Jainas mainly confined themselves to trade
and mercantile activities.
SPREAD OF JAINISM
• Though a successful sect it never spread
beyond India
• Mahavira organized an order called Sangha
of his followers which admitted both men
and women to spread his ideas
• Since Jainism did not very clearly mark itself
out from the Brahmanical religion, it failed
to attract masses
• Despite this, it spread to south and west India
where Brahmanical religion was weak
• 2 reasons for its spread in south:
1. Emperor Chandragupta Maurya became a
Jain, gave up his throne and spend his last
years in Karnataka as a Jaina ascetic
2. Great famine in Magadha – Jainas under
Bhadra bahu went to Karnataka (Digambaras)
– under sthalabahu stayed back (Svetambara)
DIGAMABRAS
• Space clad
• Leader: Bhadra Bahu
• Insistent on keeping the tradition of
nudity as established by Mahavira
• Believed women incapable of attaining
moksha
• Believed Mahavira never married
• 19th Tirthankara as mallinatha
• Hold genuine and original texts
 • Only had 2 possessions – Rajo Harana
(peacock feather) and kamandala (water
pot)
• enjoyed the patronage of many south
Indian Kings such as Pallavas and
Chalukya of Badami
SVETAMBARAS
• White clad
• Leader: Sthala Bahu
• allowed the monks to wear white
garments
• 19th Tirthankara as Malli
• Accepted women attaining liberation
• Believed that Mahavira was married
• 14 possessions
• Enjoyed the patronage of Chalukya King
Kumarapala who ruled Gujarat in the
12th century.
• Sthanakvasi sect is a part of this
• Jaina monastic establishments called basadis
sprang up in Karnataka and were granted land
by the king for their support
• Jainism spread to Kalinga – got patronage of
king Kharavela
• Reached southern districts of Tamil Nadu
• Though it did not spread like Buddhism, it still
exists in the areas where it spread.
CONTRIBUTION OF JAINISM
• Mallinatha – Jain monk who wrote
commentaries on the poems of Kalidasa
LITERATURE
1. Canonical (Siddhanta/agama)
• Sacred texts
• Language: Prakrit – Ardhamagadhi
• Gandharas compiled 12 main texts called
sutras/Angas
• 12 upangas
• 10 prakirnas
• 6 Cheda sutras
• Mula sutras for monks and nuns
• Individual canonical texts: Nandi sutra,
Anyogadwara and Tatvavartha sutra (got
jainas most important teaching)
2. Non-canonical
• Harivamsha purana
• Parishishtaparva by Hemchandra –
political history at the time of Jaina teachers
• Adi purana – hagiography of Rishab deva
• Written in Prakrit, Apabhramsa, Sanskrit
and Kannada
ARCHITECTURE
1. Layana or Gumphas (caves)
• Ellora caves – Maharashtra

• Early jainas discarded Sanskrit mainly

patronized by Brahmans
• Adopted Prakrit language of the common
people to preach
• Their religious literature was written in
Ardhamagadhi – got compiled at Gujarat at
a place called Vallabhi (Centre of education)
• Many regional languages developed out of it,
particularly shauraseni, out of which grew
Marathi • Mangi-Tungi caves – Maharashtra
• Janinas composed earliest important works
in Apabhramsa and prepared its first
Grammer.
• Early medieval time they made good use of
Sanskrit
• Contributed to the growth of Kannada
• Naya Chandra one of the last great poets in
Sanskrit was a Jain monk who lived in the 14th
century.
 • Gajpantha caves – Maharashtra

• Udayagiri Khandagiri caves– Odisha • Statue of Ahimsa – Rishab Nath – mangi-

tungi hills, Maharashtra
3. Jiya Laya or temples
• Dilwara temple – mount Abu, Rajasthan

• Sittanavasal caves – Tamil Nadu

• Girnar palitana – Gujarat

2. Statues
• Gommateshwara / Bahubali – • Mukta Giri temple – Maharashtra
sravanabelgola, Karnataka

2nd Jain Council:
• SANTHARA
• Santhara (also, Sallekhana, Samadhi-
Marana, SanyasanaMarana) is the last vow
prescribed by the Jain ethical code of
conduct.
• The vow of Santhara is observed by the Jain
ascetics and lay votaries at the end of their
life by gradually reducing the intake of
food and liquids.
• Santhara is allowed when normal life
according to religion is not possible due to
old age, incurable disease or when a
person is nearing his end.
• It is a highly respected practice among the
members of the Jain community.
• In 2015, the Rajasthan High Court banned
the practice, calling it suicide. On 31 August
2015, the Supreme Court of India stayed
the decision of the Rajasthan High Court
and lifted the ban on Sallekhana
(Santhara).
• Remaining jainas in Magadha with
Sthulabhadra as their leader, summoned a
council at Pataliputra at about 300 B.C.
• In the first Council at Pataliputra,
Sthulabhadra divided the Jaina canon
into 12 'Angas' or sections.
• This was accepted by Svetambaras.
• However, the Digambaras refused to
accept this claiming that all the old
scriptures were lost.
• The second Jain Council was held at
Vallabhi (Gujarat) in 512 A.D. and was
presided over by Devardhi
Kshemasarmana.
• The purpose of this Council was to collect
the Sacred texts and write them down
systematically.
• However, this time the 12th Anga drawn
at the first Council was lost.
• All the remaining Angas were written in
Ardhamagadhi

JAIN COUNCILS
• The teachings of the Tirthankaras before
Mahavira are known as Purva. There were
total of 14 Purvas which were memorized and
passed on through the ages.
• These Oral Sacred Literature have passed down
from the days of Mahavira.
• Bhadra bahu was the last person to know it
perfectly
1st Jain Council:
BUDDHISM Bodh Gaya (bank of Place of enlightenment
river Niranjana or
LIFE OF BUDDHA uruwela)
Sarnath (UP) Dharmachakra
• Born in Lumbini near Kapilavastu in Nepal Parivartan sutra – 1st
– 6th century BC sermon
• Son of Suddodhana a chief of the Sakyas, a Sravasti Monastic life – spend
small tribe of the Himalayan foothills 24 years
• He was brought up by his aunt Prajapati Rajagriha Buddha begged for
alms after getting
Gautami.
enlightenment
• At the age of sixteen he married Yasodhara and Kushinagar Mahaparinivana -
gave birth to a son, Rahula death
• He died at the age of eighty at some time
between the years 486 and 473 BC
• The sight of an old man, a sick man, a corpse DOCTRINE OF BUDDHISM
and an ascetic turned him away from worldly • Buddha said that the world is full of sorrows
life and people suffer on account of desires.
• Siddhartha performed his Great Going • The fundamental; teaching of Buddhism
Forth (Mahabhaniskramana) and became a contains the ‘The Four Noble Truths’ and the
wandering ascetic (for 7 years) ‘Eight-Fold Path’
• He meditated under The Tree of Wisdom • The Four Noble Truths of Buddha are:
(pipal tree) at the age of 35 at Bodh Gaya to 1. The world is full of suffering.
find the truth about why the world is full of 2. The cause of suffering is desire.
suffering and unhappiness. 3. If desires are got rid of, suffering can be
• From this time onwards he began to be called removed.
as Buddha or the enlightened 4. This can be done by following the
• Buddha preached his first sermon to a group Eightfold Path.
of five ascetics, i.e., he set in motion the • If desires are conquered nirvana (extinction of
Wheel of the Law at Sarnath flame of desire) will be attained – that is man
• He gathered together a disciplined body of will be free from the cycle of birth and death
monks (called bhikkhus or in Pali bhikkhus, • Buddha recommended 8-fold path
literally beggars) (Ashtangikamarga) for the elimination of
• Over the years his reputation grew and the human misery
Sangha (literally society, the Buddhist order) 1. Right observation
increased in numbers and influence. 2. Right determination
• visited places like Benares, Rajagriha 3. Right speech
(Magadha), Sravasti (Kosala), Vaisali 4. Right action
(Vajji), Nalanda and Pataligrama. 5. Right livelihood
• Other mahajanpadas like Avanti and 6. Right exercise
Gandhara 7. Right memory
• He spent his last days at Kushinagar. 8. Right meditation
• his last words were: “all composite things • Buddha taught a person should avoid excess
decay. Strive diligently!” this was his final of both luxury and austerity – he prescribed
blowing out (Parinirvana) middle path
• Code of conduct laid by buddha
IMPORTANT PLACES
1. Do not covet property of others
Lumbini (Nepal) Birthplace of buddha 2. Do not commit violence
3. Do not use intoxicants
4. Do not speak a lie
 5. Do not indulge in corrupt practices
• Buddhism does not recognize the existence of
God and soul
• Particularly got the support of lower orders as
it attacked varna system
• Use of Pali the language of common people
• Three main elements in Buddhism:
1. Buddha
2. Sangha
3. Dhamma
• SANGHA:
o Buddha organized Sangha or religious order
o Door was kept open to all
o People were taken into Buddhist order
without any consideration of castes.
o Women also were admitted to Sanghas
(Possible through the mediation of Ananda)
o Prajapathi Gautami – first women to be
ordained as Bhikkhuni
o Only condition was to strictly observe the
rules and regulations
o They should take vow of continence, poverty
and faith
o Debtors were not allowed to be members
o Slaves could not be members without the
permission of their owners
FOLLOWERS OF BUDDHA
• The most important disciples of Buddha were
Sariputta, Moggallanna, Ananda, Kassapa
and Upali.
• Kings like Prasenajit of Kosala and Bimbi
Sara and Ajatasatru of Magadha accepted
his doctrines and became his disciples.
IMPORTANCE OF BUDDHISM
• Asked people not to accumulate wealth
• Non slaughter of cattle and other animals –
improved cattle wealth
• Buddhists monasteries became great centre
of learning – Nalanda and Vikramshila in
Bihar and Vallabhi in Gujarat
• First human statues worshipped in India were
probably those of buddha
• Greek and Indian sculptors worked together to
form new kind of art in north west frontier
known as Gandhara art
Buddhist literature:
• The Pali canon of the Sthaviravadins consists
of three sections called baskets (Pitaka).
• These three are known as
1. Vinaya Pitaka (rules of monastic discipline)
2. Sutta Pitaka (religious discourses and
sayings of Buddha)
o largest and most important of the three
baskets
o Divided into five groups (Nikaya):
a) Digha (long) Nikaya: collection of long
sermons attributed to Buddha
b) Majjhima (medium) Nikaya: shorter
sermons
c) Samyukta (connected) Nikaya:
collections of brief pronouncements on
kindred topics
d) Anguttara (graduated) Nikaya:
collection of over 2000 brief statements
e) Khuddaka (minor) Nikaya:
miscellaneous works in prose and verse.
Among the contents of the Khuddaka are
the Dhammapada (verses on virtue), the
Thera Gatha and Therigatha (hymns of
the elder monks and nuns) and the
Jataka
3. Abhidhamma Pitaka (philosophical ideas of
teachings of Buddha) - Written later than
other two Pitaka
• There are also semi canonical works.
• Chief of these is the ‘Questions of Menander’
(Milinda panha), an account of the
discussions of the Greco Bactrian king and
the monk Naga Sena.
• Then there are verse chronicles that tell the
history of Buddhism in Ceylon. Of these the
earliest Dipavamsa (the island chronicle)
dates from the 4th century and Mahavamsa
(Great chronicle) dates from the 5th century.
• Nettipakarana – connected account of buddhas
teaching
• Vishuddi magga by Buddha Gosh
• Nidhanakatha – connected life story of buddha
• Mahavatsu – hagiography
DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OF BUDDHISM
1. Mahayana
• Greater path
• Heterodox school
• Teaching was codified in Sanskrit
• Considered buddha as God and started • Distinctive feature is meditation
worshipping the idols of buddha and • Zen is rooted in tradition.
bodhisattvas
CULTURALLY IMPORTANT PALCES
• Main was spiritual upliftment
• Japan, China and other Asian countries 1. Amaravathi
• Kanishka patronised and Harshavardhan • Guntur, Andhra Pradesh
supported it • 6th century Buddhist stupa – built in pre
Mauryan period
BODHISATVAS:
2. Nagarjuna Konda
• Enlightened beings who have put of entering
paradise in order to help others get • Andhra Pradesh
enlightenment • 30 viharas
• Basically teachers • Named after Nagarjuna a Buddhist scholar
1. Avalokiteshvara ("The Lord who Looks 3. Ajanta caves
Down"), also called Padmapani ("The Lotus- • Aurangabad, Maharashtra
Bearer") also called Lokesvara in Sanskrit ( • Chaityas – created during Satavahana
The Lord of the World). His special attribute dynasty
is compassion
• Cave no:1 – paintings of Padmapani and
2. Manjusri, whose special activity is to
stimulate the understanding, and who is Vajrapani
depicted with a naked sword in one hand, • Painted narratives of jataka tales on walls
to destroy error and falsehood, and a book 4. Angkor wat
in the other, describing the ten paramitas, or • Cambodia
great spiritual perfections, which are the • Surya Varman II
cardinal virtues developed by Bodhisattvas
• Temple complex – 1st devoted to Vishnu later
3. Maitreya, the future Buddha, is worshipped
to Buddhist
as a Bodhisattva

4. Hinayana
• Lesser path
• Doctrine of elder
• Orthodox school
• Salvation through self-discipline and
meditation
• Main aim was nirvana or nibbana
• Written in Pali
• Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand
• Ashoka patronised
5. Borobudur
5. Vajrayana
• Indonesia
• In eastern India
• 3 Buddhist temples
• Established in Tibet
6. Bahmani caves
• Conational aim was common sense
• Afghanistan
• Ultimate aim enlightenment
• Largest examples of standing buddha
• Salvation can be achieved by magical
statues – Gandhara art
powers
• Now destroyed by Taliban
• Bengal, Bihar and Mongolia
7. Ellora caves
6. Zen
• Rock cut temple – bult by Rashtrakuta king
• From Mahayana Buddhism
Krishna I
• Originated in China
• Spread to Japan
 •
Chaitya hall – also known as Chandra Abhidhamma Pitaka, dealing with
Shala or Vishwakarma caves psychology and metaphysics
8. Pushpa Giri university
Fourth Buddhist Council
9. Vikramshila, Odantapuri and Somapuri
• Viharas • At the 4th council held under the patronage of
10.Tabo monastery and temple complex – Spiti Kanishka at kundela Vana, Kashmir
valley, Himachal Pradesh. • The president of this council was Vasumitra,
11.Lhotsava Lhakhang temple – Nako village, with Ashvaghosa as his deputy.
Himachal Pradesh. SECTS IN BUDDHISM
12.Alchi temple complex – Ladakh
• 2nd Buddhist council split into
Vihars – dwelling place of monks Mahasanghikas and Sthaviravadins
Chaityas – place of worship • 4th council Mahasanghikas formed to
Mahayana sect and Sthaviravadins became
Hinayana sect
BUDDHIST COUNCILS
• Sautrantika and Sammitya were the the
First Buddhist Council sects of Buddhism
• Soon after Buddha’s death a great gathering DECLINE OF BUDDHISM
of monks met at Rajagriha (Magadha capital)
• King Ajatashatru of Magadha convened the • The revival of Brahmanism and the rise of
council. Bhagavatism led to the fall of popularity of
• Mahakasyapa presided over the assembly. Buddhism.
• At this council Upali, one of the chief • The use of Pali, the language of the masses as
disciples, recited the Vinaya Pitaka (rules of the language of Buddhism was given up from
the order) the 1st century A.D.
• Another disciple Ananda recited the Sutta • The Buddhists began to adopt Sanskrit, the
Pitaka (collection of buddhas sermons on language of the elite.
matters of doctrine and ethics) • After the birth of Mahayana Buddhism, the
practice of idol worship and making offerings
Second Buddhist Council led to the deterioration of moral standards.
• Next council was held at Vaisali (100 years • Brahmana ruler Pushyamitra Sunga
after Buddha s death) persecuted Buddhists
• King Kal Asoka convened the council. • Mihirakula, the Huna king also killed many
Buddhists
• Sabakami presided over the assembly.
• The Saivite Shashanka of Gauda cut the
• Here they divided into two sects:
bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya
1. the orthodox Sthaviravadins (Pali
Theravada) or believers in the teaching of
elders - followed strict monastic life and rigid
disciplinary laws as originally prescribed
2. the Mahasanghikas or members of the great
community - modified disciplinary rules
Third Buddhist Council
• 3rd council was held under the patronage of
Asoka at Pataliputra.
• Chairmanship of Moggaliputta Tissa
• At this council the last section was added to the
Pali scriptures, the Kathavatthu of the