80 A1 Jainism and Buddhism 6Mar

 Jainism and Buddhism

Mahavira (540-468 В.С.) :

• Born at Kundgram (Vaishali), was the son of Siddartha, the head of the Jnatrika clan Lichchhavis), and Trishala.

• Became an ascetic at the age of 30, attained Enlightenment on the bank of river Rijupalika near the village Jrimbhikgrama, and moksha (Kaivalya) at Pawapuri near Rajgir.

• Advocated the threefold path - right faith, right knowledge and right conduct - and five abstinences - non-injury (ahimsa), not to lie (satya), not to steal (asteya), non-possession (aparigrha) and chastity (brahmcharya, only teaching added by Mahavira). The first four were given by Parsva, the 23rd Tirthankara.

• Mahavira put forward the doctrine of Anektavada, that is, many-sidedness - Truth must be discovered by taking into account all aspects and giving them due weight.

• The teachings of the Tirthankaras were compiled in 12 Angas at Vallabhi (5th c. AD).

Eleven close disciples or apostles of Mahavira are known asGandharas (heads of schools). Arya Sudharman survived Mahavira and became 'Thera' (pontiff) of Jaina church.

Mahavira was supposed to be completely atheist (do not believe in god). While Buddha was agnostic (do not worry whether god exists or not).

Jainism did not condemn the varna system as Buddhism did. However, it prohibited the practice of war and agriculture as it involved the killing of living beings.

Jaina philosophy shows a close affinity with Samkhya school. It is called the Syadvada, theory of 'may be'. Related terms are:

Syadavada - theory of 'May Be'.

Nayavada - doctrine of viewpoints.

Saptabhanginaya - logic of 7 forms. Reality too complex to be explained.

Important Tirthankaras and their symbols:

1st Rishabh

Bull

mentioned in Rig Veda.

2nd Adinath

Elephant

18th Shantinath

22nd Neminath

Conchshell

maternal uncle of Krishna.

23rd Parsva

Snake

son of king Asvasena of Kosi.

24th

Mahavira

Lion

Parsvanath's birth place - Varanasi.

In Jaina tradition -

Nirjara - to wash away old sins by doing good.

Samvara to stop coming of new sins by restraint on mind and body.

Kaivalya-highest knowledge (salvation)

After kaivalya, the body attains the highest place - Siddha

Shila.

Mahavira is also known as 'Kevlin'/'Jina' after attaining salvation.

Jaina monasteries were called 'Basadis'.

During the first Council at Patliputra, Jainism got divided in two sects

Shvetambara white clad - Sthulabhadra - Gujarat and Rajasthan.

• Digambara - space clad - Bhadrabahu - Peninsular India and Mysore.

There is no fundamental doctrinal difference between the two.

➤ Bhadrabahu wrote Kalpasutra.

Chandragupta Maurya embraced Jainism during his last days. He went to Mysore and contributed to the spread of Jainism in Karnataka. He died fasting in the Jaina tradition of Sannata Sallekhana at Sravana Belgola (Hassan district near Mysore).

Kharvela of Kalinga (Cheta dynasty, Hastigumpha inscription) professed Jainism. Later the Gangas (who built the Gomateswara statue at Sravana Belgola), Kadambas, Chalukyas and Rastrakutas patronised Jainism.

Jinasena and Gunabhadra composed Adipurana during the time of the Rastrakuta king Amoghvarsha. Amoghvarsha himself wrote great Jaina work Ratnamalika (apart from Kavirajmarga in Kannada).

Kumarapala - the Chalukyan king of Gujarat in the 12th C. was a great patron of Svetambara Jainism. Hemchandra lived in his court.

Hemchandra wrote 'Parisistha Parvan', (which throws light on the Mauryan period) in 12th-C. AD.

Jaina temples were destroyed twice :

First under Ajayapa (Brahmana) in 1174-76 AD.

Second under Alauddin Khilji in Gujarat in 1297-98 AD.

Jaina Literature:

Earliest religious literature were Purvas (14 in no.). They were lost, so Angas (12 in no.) were written during the First Jaina Council at Patliputra).

• Important Angas are:

Acharanta Sutra (Disciplines of Monastery)

Mula Sutra

Cheta Sutra (Punishment for Mistakes)

Mahavira taught in Ardha-Magadhi. He discarded Sanskrit language and adopted Prakrit. The Prakrit language gave birth tomany languages like Sauraseni out of which grew the Marathi language.

The earliest Jaina works were written in Apabhramsa and the first Jaina grammar was prepared in it.

Jainism also contributed to the growth of Kannada.

The first images of the Tirthankaras were found near Mathura (at Kankali Tila).

The tallest Jaina statue is of Gomateshvara/Bahubali, built by the

Ganga King Chamunda Rai in 973 AD at Sravana Belgola (Karnataka).

Marble Jaina temples found in Mt. Abu, Palitana and Girnar in Gujarat.

Monolithic Jaina images found in South India.

Diwali is also the New Year for Jains.

BUDDHISM 

Buddha (563 -483BC)

Born as Siddhartha to Suddodhana, the ruler of the Sakyan republic, and his wife Maya, in the Lumbini gardens, near Kapilvastu in Nepal, on Vaishakh Poornima.

He was brought up by his foster mother Maha Prajapati Gautami.

He left home in search of cause of misery with his charioteer Channa and his horse Kanthaka at the age of 29.

• Attained Nirvana (Enlightenment) at Uruvela (Bodh Gaya) at the age of 35 years on the bank of the river Niranjana (modern Phalgu).

Attained Mahaparinirvana, on Vaishakh Poornima, at Kushinagar.

The sage from whom Buddha learnt the technique of meditation

Alara Kalama.

Described the four noble truths

The world is full of sorrows.

Cause of sorrow is desire.

Sorrow can be removed by conquering desires.

This can be done by following the eight-fold path.

• And the eight-fold path to Nirvana - right action, right livelihood, right effort, right speech, right mindfulness, right concentration, right thought and right understanding.

Buddha differed from Mahavira with regard to the soul theory of Jainism and its severe adherence to asceticism.

Buddha is said to have attained Enlightenment on - 49th day.

Five important events in the life of Buddha and their symbols:

Birth-Lotus and Bull.

Great Renunciation - Horse.

Nirvana - Bodhi tree.

• First Sermon - Dharmachakra or 8-spoked wheel.

⚫ Mahaparinirvana - Stupa.

The 1st, 3rd and 5th events - Birth, Nirvana and Death - took place on full moon days and fall on the same day of a year Vaishakh Poornima. -

Triratnas (Three Jewels) of Buddhism:

Buddha (enlightened)

Dhamma (doctrine)

Sangha (order)

The Tripitakas - Vinay Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka and Abhidhamma Pitaka written in Pali.

Vinay Pitaka - deals with monastic discipline, system of recruit- ment, duties and uposatta (confession). It comprises of:

Suttavibhanga.

Khandhakas.

Parivara or Parivarpatha.

Sutta Pitaka- largest and most important. Divided into 5 groups:

Digha Nikaya (story of last journey of Buddha)

Majjhima Nikaya

Samyukta Nikaya - mentions the existence if 16 mahajanpadas.

Anguttara Nikaya

⚫ Khuddaka Nikaya - contains the Jataka stories (stories of 500 previous births of Buddha) and Dhammapada (423 sayings of Buddha).

Abhidhamma Pitaka deals with - Buddhist psychology and metaphysics.

Milind Panho - discussions between Meander (Greco-Roman king) and Buddhist monk Nagsena.

Buddhist texts from Ceylon - Dipavamsa, Mahavamsa and Chulavamsa. The last throws light on the relation between the Cholas and Ceylon.

Suttanipatta - is the earliest Buddhist text; declares the cattle to be Annada, Vanada, Sukhada.

Buddhist brahmacharis of two types:

Upakurvana - student for a certain period of time.

Naisthika student for life.

➤ Buddhist and Jaina monks were called Shramanas/Bhikkhus.

➤ Buddhist texts refer to the Jains as - Nirgranthas.

The ceremony of confession among the Buddhists was called

Uposatta.

Buddhism split into Hinayana and Mahayana sects at the fourth council held during the reign of Kanishka.

The Hinayana sect considered Buddha as a man and guide and gave his teachings an ethical value. They worshipped Buddha as signs/symbols and adopted the original Pali language. Their Theravada doctrine emphasised the salvation of the individual.

The Mahayana sect considered Buddha as god and worshipped him in the form of images/idols. They laid emphasis on the Bodhisattva concept and also subscribed to the concept of Eternal Buddha and Maitreya (future Buddha). They also adopted Sanskrit. The Mahayana sect became important in later period.

➤

The Bodhisattva was a suffering saviour, who suffered for the sake of others. Important Bodhisattvas are:

Manjushri - God of learning, most important. Has book in one hand and sword in another.

Avalokiteshvara - also called Padampani, Amitabha. Lotus in hand. Full of compassion.

Vajrapani - has vajra in his hand. Foes of sins and evils. Kshitigarbha - guardian of purgatories. Virochana and Sumantabhadra.

Hinayana-the Lesser Wheel - orthodox school. Spread to Ceylon, Burma, Siam and SE Asia.

Mahayana - the Greater Wheel - spread to China and Japan.

Vajrayana the Vehicle of Thunderbolt. Evolved during 8th C. under the patronage of Pala kings. Tantric Buddhism. They believed that salvation would be best attained by acquiring magical powers. Spread to Sikkim, Bhutan and Tibet (main centre). Padmavamsa of Nalanda University and Santarakshita and Dipankara of Vikramshila university went to Tibet to spread Buddhism.

➤ Vikramshila University was the seat of - Vajrayana school.

Lalitvistara- Important text of Mahayana sect. Biography of Buddha, particularly his conquest upon 'Maya'.

Mahavatsu - Hinayana sect.

Manjusrimulakalpa - Vajrayana sect.

Dohakosha on Tantric Buddhism. Written by Saraha. The last Buddhist work produced in India.

The Mahayana school of philosophy had two strands:

Madhyamika or the middle way, whose greatest exponent was Nagarjuna, a contemporary of Kaniska. He wrote Madhyamika Karika.

Preached nihilism - the concept of 'Emptiness',

He ascribed to the theory of Sunyavada.

He wrote Rasaratnakara, Dvadasha Shastra and Sata Shastra

⚫ Yogachara or the way of union, propounded by Maitryanatha, Asanga and Vashubandhu.

Followed strict idealism. Less influential than Madhyamika.

Asanka wrote Sutralankara.

Lankavatara Sutra Yogachara. most important writing of

Yogachara paved the way for the Tantric form of medieval Buddhism, Vajrayana.

❖Two important philosophies of Vajrayana school are:

Dhyani Buddha

Adi Buddha

➤ The Vajrayana school also introduced the concept of Tara - the spouse of Buddha and the Bodhisattvas.

Meditation /Dhyana aspect of Vajrayana spread from Bengal to China to Japan where it became the 'Zen' Buddhism.

In Sthaviravadin school, Arhant means - perfect beings.

The first Buddhist sangha was founded at Sarnath. Ashoka built the Dhamekh stupa and the Dharmarajika stupa here to contain the relics of Buddha.

Sarnath was a centre of Hinayana Buddhism during the Kushana rule.

The 11th Jain Tirthankara Shreyam Sanatha died here at the Deer park.

Buddhist caves of two types:

Chaityagriha - temples.

Layanas - the residential quarters for the bhikshus.

The first human statue worshipped in India was that of Buddha.

The first images of Buddha were made during the time of Kanishka at Mathura.

The earliest stupas were found at Sanchi and Bharhut. The Sanchi stupa is known as the Great stupa or the Stupa No. 1.

The latest stupas were found in South India at Nagarjunikonda and Amravati.

Nalanda University was a centre of study for humanities, religion philosophy and also for arts and crafts including medicine.

The schools of Varanasi and Takshasila were the study centres of medicine.

⚫ Varanasi - specialised in surgery. Susruta Samhita was compiled here in 4th C. AD.

Takshasila - Teaching of Aitreya collected by his pupil Agnivesa and compiled by Charaka in 1st C. AD as Charaka Samhita.

The age of Buddha (6th C. B.C.) marks the beginning of NBWP phase and of metal money. Coins made of silver - Niska and Satamana - found in eastern U.P. and Magadha. -

❖ Specialisation in crafts developed on account of guild system as well as localisation.

❖ Transplantation of paddy began in this period.

Causes of Decline of Buddhism - by 12th C. AD Buddhism became practically extinct in India. The chief reasons are:

• The Brahmana king Pushyamitra Sunga and the Huna king Mihirkula persecuted Buddhist monks. The Shaivite king Sasanka of Gaud (Bengal) - cut off the Bodhi tree.

The monks gave up Pali language and took to Sanskrit.

The monasteries became centres of corrupt practices.

• The monasteries were plundered by the Turkish invaders for their riches.