Buddhism and Jainism
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to:
navigation,
search
This article
has been nominated to be checked for its neutrality. Discussion of this nomination can be found on the
talk page.
(May 2008)
This article
needs additional citations for verification.
Please help
improve this article by adding
reliable references. Unsourced material may be
challenged and
removed.
(December 2008)Buddhism and Jainism are the two branches of the
Shramana tradition that still exist today. Jainism has been largely confined to
India, while Buddhism eventually all but died out in India, and has flourished in countries outside of India. However the two traditions share notable similarities.
Buddhism separates itself from the Jain tradition by teaching an alternative to "extreme asceticism". Buddhist scriptures record that during Prince Siddhartha's ascetic life (before the great enlightenment) he undertook many fasts, penances and austerities, the descriptions of which are elsewhere found only in the Jain tradition (for example, the penance by five fires, plucking of hair, and the consumption of food using only one's cupped hands). Ultimately, Buddha abandoned reliance upon these methods on his discovery of the
Middle Way (
Majjhima-Magga in Pali; Madhyamaka in Sanskrit). However, it is interesting to note that even under the Jain tradition, there exists a non-extreme pathway, which is the path of the
laymen with minor vows. Some Buddhist teachings, principles, and terms used in Buddhism are identical to those of Jainism, but they may hold different or variant meanings for each.
Although both Buddhists and Jains had nuns orders, Buddhist Pali texts record Buddha saying that a woman has the ability to obtain
Nirvana in the Buddha Dhamma and Vinaya. Jain traditions differ on the issue of female enlightenment, with the
Digambara sect stating that women are capable of spiritual progress but must be reborn male in order to attain final spiritual liberation; and the
Shvetambara sect maintaining that liberation (Moksha) is attainable by both males and females.
[1] The issue of female enlightenment is, however, an academic one in the Jain context since in the current universal age of corruption, Moksha is nearly impossible for any soul to attain.
While the Jain Sadhu and Sadhvi are referred to as the Sramans and Sramanis, the Shravak and Shravika are the lay men and women (
Grihastha), respectively, who have not abandoned worldly affairs, i.e., not having obtained "Diksha", but are still following the religious guidelines, in the given constraints. There are separate norms that have been prescribed for the Shravak and Shravika under the Jain tradition.
Whether or not it was an influence of Jain culture and philosophy in ancient
Bihar that gave rise to
Buddhism is unclear, but there are some striking similarities between the two traditions, and Buddhism may have adopted many of its ideas and traditions from pre-existing ones held by the Jains. The Buddha Nirvana calendar (with a zero point in 544 BCE) may actually be significantly older than the Kaliyuga calendar. And so, quite possibly, is the Mahavira Nirvana calendar of the Jains (with a zero point in 527 BCE).
[2]
Mahāvīra and
Buddha were contemporaries. The Pali Canon does not record that the two teachers ever met, though instances of Mahavira's disciples questioning Gautama Buddha are to be found in various suttas. The Buddhists have always maintained that by the time
Buddha and
Mahavira were alive,
Jainism was already an entrenched faith and culture in the region. Buddhist scriptures record philosophical dialogues between the wandering seeker Siddartha Gautama (who was to become the Buddha) and
Udaka Ramaputta, and the first of several teachers that young Siddartha Gautama studied with before his enlightenment. Buddhist scriptures attest that some of the first Buddhists were in fact Jains (
Nirgranthas as they were then called, meaning "the unbonded ones") who "converted", but were encouraged by Buddha to maintain their Jain identity and practises such as giving alms to Jain monks and nuns.
Buddhists recorded that Mahavira preached the "fourfold restraint" of the
Nirgrantha tradition—a clear reference to the teachings of Mahavira's predecessor Lord Parshva (877-777 BCE), traditionally the 23rd Tirthankara of Jainism—who propounded the four vows of Ahinsa (Ahimsa), Satya (truth), Aparigraha (non-possessiveness), and Asteya (non-stealing), which may have been the template for the Five Precepts of Buddhism. Additionally, the Buddhist
Anguttara Nikaya scripture quotes the independent philosopher Purana Kashyapa (the sixth century BCE founder of a now extinct order) as listing the Nirgranthas as one of the six major classifications of humanity. The Pali texts mention the Buddha referring to the liberation of
Mahavira (referred to as Niggantha Nataputta) at Pava.[
citation needed]
Contents
[hide]
[edit] Similarities and differences in Jain and Buddhist terminology
The common terms in Buddhism and Jainism:
- Shramana
- Samsara
- Arhat/arhant: the term is used somewhat similarly.
- Dhamma/dharma
- sangha
- Jina
- Buddha(all Jain Jinas/Tirthankars are also called Buddha)
- samyaksambuddha/sayamsammbuddha :attaining enlightenment without a teacher(guru)
- pratyekbuddha :getting the feeling of dispassion or deattachment by seeing an object
- Acharya (chief of the orders)
- Karma
- Sutra/sutta (scriptures)
- Indra/Shamkra (chief of the gods)
The terms that are used with different meanings:
- Nirvana: (the definition is somewhat different in the two traditions)
- Pudgala
- Siddha
Common symbols:
Vegetarianism is required for both monks and laity in Jainism. In Buddhism, the monks in China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam are vegetarian; however strict vegetarianism is not required. By monastic tradition, a monk should eat whatever is placed in his bowl when begging food. The exceptions to not eat given meat were if the monk knew an animal was killed especially for him or he heard the animal being killed.
Sculpture of the two
Jain tirthankaras
Rishabhadeva (left) and
Mahavira (right). Photographed at the British Museum
Buddhist writings reflect that Jains had followers by the time Buddha lived. Suggesting close correlations between the teachings of the Jains and Buddha, the
Majjhima Nikaya relates dialogues between Buddha and several members of the
Nigantha (Jain) community, sometimes resulting in the latter's acceptance of Buddha as a teacher.
In many instances, both philosophies continue to share similar Prakrit terminology for important themes even though meaning may differ a bit, for example the term nirvana where its meaning is same in both the traditions but the state of nirvana described is somewhat different.The teachings may differ significantly in the interpretation .This method of teaching adopted by the Buddha points to the pragmatic aspect of Buddha's style of teaching wherein the Buddha uses words and terms that are familiar to the audience instead of introducing new and complex technical jargon. In this way, Buddhism sought to appeal to a broad audience.
Jains consider
Jainism to be an ancient religion and school of thought that predates Buddhism since they have records of other Jinas. Buddhism too can claim great antiquity as it records several Buddhas predating Sakyamuni Buddha in the "Buddhavamsa". Sakyamuni also clearly states that he is following the "tradition of the Buddhas",
"But it is the custom of my Buddha lineage. Several thousands of Buddhas have gone by seeking alms"The names of previous Buddhas mentioned Buddhist scriptures has striking similarities with the names of Tirthankars or Jain Arhants,which arises many unanswered questions of both religions being one and the same previously which latter resulted in the division.
The Pali Canon refers to Nigantha Nataputta as an elder heretical teacher. and is also familiar with some characteristics of Parsvanatha tradition. Besides, Buddhist literature mentions Rsabhadeva, Padma, Canda, Puspadanta, Vimala, Dharma and Aristanemi, the Jaina Tirthankaras.
Rsabhadeva is called one of the Jaina Tirthankaras in Chinese Buddhist literature. The Manjusrimulakalpa refers to him as Rsabha-nirgrantharupin, and the Dharmottarapradipa mentions him along with the name of Vardhamana or Mahavira. It may by noted here that the names and numbers of Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas in Buddhism appear to have been influenced by those of the Jaina Tirthankaras. For instance, Ajita, the name of the second Tirthankara, has been given to the paccekabudha who lived ninety-one kappas ago. The Vepulla-pavvata in the time of Kassapa Buddha appears to have been named after Supassa (Pali) or Suparsva, the seventh Tirthankara of Jainas. The people of Rajagaha were called Suppiya or the follower of Supassa at that time. Padma or Paduma, the sixth Tirthankara, is the name of the eighth of the twenty-four Buddhas. It is also the name of a Pacceka-Buddha to whom Anupama Thera offered some akuli flowers. Paduma is also referred to by the name of Cakkavatti of eight kappas ago.chandra or Canda, the eighth Tirthankara, is the name of a chief lay supporter of Sikhi Buddha.Pupphavati is the name of Benaras in the Jataka.It would have been named after puspadanta, the ninth Tirthankara of Jainas. Vimala, a Paccekabuddha, has been named after the thirteenth Tirthankara. A king who lived sixty-one kappas ago, has also been called Vimala. Likewise, Dhamma is the name of the fifteenth Tirthankara of Jainas. A Bodhisatva who was born as Devaputta in a Kamavacara Deva-world has also been referred to by this name. In the Milinda Panha,he is called a Yakkha. Aristanemi or Nemi the twenty-second Tirthankara of Jainas, is also referred to in Pali literature. The Dhammikasutta of the Anguttara Nikaya speaks of Aranemi as one of the six Tirthankaras (Satthare tithakare). The Majjhima Nikaya refers to Arittha as one of the twenty-four Pratyekabuddhas who inhabited the Rsigiri mountain. The Digha Nikaya draws our attention to the name of "Drdhanemi" as a Cakkavatti. In the same work there is a reference to king Aritthanemi who is called a Yakkha. All these past references probably are to the Aritthanemi of Jaina Tirthankara. As we shall see later, Jainism had been a prominent religion in Ceylon before Buddhism was brought there. It is therefore not unnatural if we find some places named after the Jain Tirthankaras. For instance, Aritthapavvata is a mountain which is identified with modern Ritigala near Habarane in the North Central Province. Pandukabhaya lived there for seven years, awaiting an opportunity to make war on his uncles and it was near this place that he ultimately defeated them.
The last Tirthankara
Mahāvīra (
599 -
527 BC) was possibly a senior contemporary of the Buddha whose philosophy, sometimes described as
dynamism or
vitalism, was a blend of the earlier Jain teacher
Pārśvanātha's (877-777 BC) order and the reforms instituted by Mahavira himself. Debates between Buddhists and Jains are recorded in Jain texts, and dialogues between Jains and the Buddha are included in Buddhist texts. (See also the "Origins" section, above.).
Indian Buddhist tradition categorized all non-buddhist schools of thought as "Pasanda" (
pasanda means to throw a noose or
pasha -- stemming from the doctrine that schools labelled as
Pasanda foster views perceived as wrong because they are seen as having a tendency towards binding and ensnaring rather than freeing the mind). The difference between the schools of thought are outlined in the Samaññaphala Sutta
[3] of the
Digha Nikaya.
