Jainism, Buddhism and Hinduism

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There are certain similarities and distinction between Brahmanism and Jainism and Buddhism.

Buddha did not give a new divine book to his followers; nor did he condemn any fundamental belief of the Brahmanical religion. The principle of Karma on which Buddhist laid great emphasis was not new.

In the latter Vedic period, the Karma philosophy was explained in DharmaShastra and Sutra literature. ‘Pari Nirvana’ of Buddhists was also not something new. The highest ideal of a follower of the Vedas was to attain Moksha-freedom from birth and death; and this is the highest goal of the Buddhists also.

The eight fold path of the Buddhists contained only those great principle of mortality which were taught by the Vedic Rishis.

Buddhists and Hindus both, in the beginning, had no faith in idol worship.

There were a number of points on which Brahmanism and Buddhism differed radically. In the first instance, Brahmanism believed in and worshipped a number of nature-Gods. Buddhists denied the existence of a personal God. Buddha held that there was a universal law-Dharma which controlled the universe, and this Force of Power could not be bribed by prayers of the votary. It is good deeds and not prayers, and chanting of mantras, performing of sacrifices that can lead to Moksha.

The Buddhist also condemned the cast system, and the Sanskrit language held no sanctity for them. They held that all were born equal and no person could claim any superiority in the sphere of religion, simply by virtue of birth. Good deeds and not birth determine one’s position in the society.

Besides, Buddhism was a missionary religion. It had its Sangha-an organization whose special duty was to carry the message of Buddha to every home. Bhikshus and Bhikshunis devoted all their life to the spreading of the faith.

On the other hand, the Brahmanas had no such organization. They had Sanyasis who were to uplift the people in the sphere of religion; but those Sanyasis were not as organized.

The Buddhists believed in non-violence or Ahimsa. Injury to animals was a great sin.

But Hinduism had no faith in non-violence. The Brahmans performed animal sacrifices to please their Gods. They were materialistic and did not look down upon war. Even their God Indra used to fight against the God of evil, Vratra, who was with holding rain from the people.

Brahmanism and Jainism, too, are fundamentally not different. Both believed in Karma and Moksha. Both lay emphasis on morality. But in matters of detail they have wide differences. The Jains, unlike the Buddhists, do not deny the existence of God altogether. They carry the principle of Ahimsa to extreme. According to Mahavira, even the plants, stones and fire have life and non life is to be destroyed or injured. Brahmanism has no faith in such things.

The Jains hold that death by gradual starvation is a noble thing. The Brahmans consider it a sin. The Jains consider wearing of cloths as something irreligious, but Brahmans do not go to such an extreme.

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Tags: buddha, buddhism, hinduism, indra, jainism, moksha

Teachings of Buddha

Buddha had realized the Truth by following a life of purity and discipline and asked his followers to follow the same path. His teaching were simple and he explained them in the language of the people, illustrating them with homely parables. Buddha condemned offering of prayers to God to win His favour.

Four great truths

Buddha’s teachings begin with the Four Great Truths.

Truth of Pain.

There is suffering and sorrow in the world. There is sorrow when one’s near or dear dies. There is sorrow when one falls ill. To be separated from things which we like, that also is sorrow. Not to get what one wants, that too is sorrow.

Truth of the Cause of Pain.

Everything has a cause. The cause of all types of sorrow is Trishna i.e., desire and cravings. Man is a bundle of cravings and desires and so long as he is a slave to these desire, he cannot escape from pain and sorrow.

Truth of Cessation of Pain

This pain of sorrow can be removed by suppressing desires and cravings.

Truth To Conquer Desires

It requires a disciplined life which Buddha called the Middle path or the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Noble Eightfold Path

In order to attain supreme bliss,every Buddhist is to follow the noble eightfold path.

• Right views: Every one must realize from his own experience that sorrow is the basis of life and that sorrow can end only by controlling desires.
• Right Aspirations: One must resolve to have nothing to do with material pleasures; and also resolve not to have malice against any other being.
• Right Speech: One must abstain from telling lies, slander, abuse, harsh words and gossips.
• Right Action: One is to be very vigilant when acting in life. No one should be injured mentally or physically by our actions.
• Right Living: One is not to follow the professions of a butcher’s, a slavedealer’s or a poison-seller’s.
• Right Efforts: One is to control evil thoughts and actions, and in their place try to have good thoughts and to do good by deliberate effort.
• Right Mindfulness i.e.Vigilances: Sometimes one’s mind misleads one. Through self-examination and self-study, self-mastery is to be acquired.
• Right Contemplation or Meditation: But still one cannot attain salvation without meditation. T

Nirvana

Nirvana is when a person attains freedom from the Wheel of Life or from the cycle of birth and death.

Ahimsa

Buddha held that no one should kill or injure animate beings.One of his ten commandments was “refrain from killing”. He said that one should cultivate life for all beings.

He, however, was opposed to all types of violence, because violence was against the principle of love. Love for humanity and love for all beings was essential for a good Buddhist.

Anatta or Non-self

Buddha also asked his followers to rise above “Anatta”, which means they should practise complete self-abnegation. He held that the “Anatta” consisted of five elements which were perishable; and the worldly people were running after those elements. Those five elements are: bodily form, perception, feeling, disposition and intellect. The seeker after truth should not run after these nor be a slave to them.

Karma

Buddha held that one of the chief features of the Universal law of Dharma is, “As man acts, so shall he be”. We make or mar our future. Thoughts, actions and feelings of the past have fashioned our present, and our present deeds will determine our future when we are reborn. No person can escape the consequences of his or her deeds.

Different teaching of Buddha centered round one point-Do good deeds and lead a highly moral and disciplined life.

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Tags: buddha, buddhism, great truth, karma, moksha, morality, nirvana, noble eightfold path, personal god, selfishness, teaching