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Buddhism
Founder-Gautam Buddha, Original Name-Siddhartha
BUDDHA-Also known as Sakyamuni or Tathagata, Also called light of Asia
Before birth of Buddha his mother winessed a white elephant in her dream. he is also called “White Elephant”
Born in 563 BC on the Vaishakha Purnima Day at Lumbini (near Kapilavastu) in Nepal
Father-Suddhodana, (Saka ruler)
Mother – Mahamaya, of Kosala dynasty died after 7 days of his birth.
Brought up by (step mother)- Prajapati Gautami
Wife- Yashodhara (Married at 16 years old & enjoyed 13 years of marriage)
Son-Rahul
Clan-Sakya
After seeing an old man, sick man, corpse and ascetic he decided to become a wanderer
Left his home-At the age of 29- with Channa (charioteer) and his favorite horse Kanthaka for search of truth
and wandered for 6 years
Incident of relinquishing home/Search of truth by Buddha called The Great Renunciation &
Mahabhinishkramana
First Teacher-Alara Kalama (not satisfied by him) & Second teacher - Udarka Romputra (again not satisfied)
Attained ‘Nirvana’ or Enlightenment at 35 yr at Gaya under a Pipal Tree on the banks of Niranjana River
First sermon – at the Deear park Sarnath to five disciples (Assaji, Mogallana, Upali, Sariputta, Aanad)
First sermon is called Dharma Chakrapravartan/ Turning of the wheel of Law
Guru Purnima -This day the Lord Buddha gave his first sermon to his disciples at Sarnath
Most No. of Sermon- Given at Sravasti in UP
Attained Mahaparinivana at Kushinagar (because of food poisoning after eating pork the house of chunda) in
483 BC at the age of 80 years in the Malla republic
Amrapali” is dancing girl who is join Buddhism after the meet Buddha. Ambapali in Pali Language.
Buddha + Dhamma + Sangha = Triratna
Bimbisara was contemporary of Buddha
Jatak tales deals with the stories of Buddha’s Life
Symbol of Five Great events of Buddha’s life
1. Birth – Lotus and Bull
2. Great Renunciation – Horse
3. Nirvana – Bodhi tree
4. First sermon – Dharmachakra or wheel
5. Parinirvana or death – stupa
Dhamma
Dhamma: His teachings (Monk/Nun)
Four Great Truths
1. Dukha-The world is full of sorrow and misery.
2. Dukha Samuddaya-The cause of all pain and misery is desire.
3. Dukha Nirodha- Pain and misery can be ended by killing or con- trolling desire.
4. Dukha Nirodhagamini- Path leading to cessation of sorrow
Desire can be controlled by Eight Fold- Ashath Marg/Ashtang Marg/ Maadhmik Marg which are:
1. Right Faith 5. Right Efforts
2. Right Thought 6. Right Speech
3. Right Action 7. Right Remembrance
4. Right Livelihood 8. Right Concentration
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THE SANGHA
1. Consists of Monk/Nuns-Monks means Bhikshs or shramanas
2. Shramanas means Hetrodox sects (Except Vedic Religion)
3. Bhikshus acted as a torch bearer (Publicity) of Dhamma
4. Apart from Sangha, the worshippers were called upasakes
THREE WHEELS/SECTS OF BUDDHISM
1. Mahayana – Idol worship is practiced-became popular in China, Japan, Korea, Afghanistan, Turkey etc
2. Hinayana – Became popular in Magadha and Sri- Lanka, Believe in individual salvation not worship
3. Vajrayana –Became popular in Bihar and Bengal. They did not consume meat, fish, wine etc. This is also called
Thunderbolt, Diamond Path/ Tantrik Buddhism
Theravada Buddhism is the oldest and most conservative school of Buddhism
BUDDHIST LITERATURE
Language- Pali - referred to as Triptiakas (Three Basket)
1. Vinaya Pitaka – Rules of discipline Buddhist
2. Sutta Pitaka – Largest contains collection of Buddha’s sermons
3. Abhidhamma Pitaka – Explanation of the Philo- sophical Principle of the Buddhist religion
Mahavamsa and Deepvamsa: In Pali language and provide information about Shri Lanka and king Ashoka
Ashokavandana: These are tables about the different births of Buddha.
Mention of 16 Mahajanapadas - Buddhist Book “Angutra Nikaya”.
When Buddhism and Jainism were found 32 new religions were found. One of them became famous.
Ajivika sect
1. Ajivika sect founded by Makhal Gosala-According to this religion life leads according to nature
2. God depicts everything before a birth of a person
3. God writes what a person is in present birth & what will be in next birth period
Buddhist Councils
YEAR COUNCIL PLACE PRESIDENT KING PURPOSE
483 BC 1st Rajgriha Mehakassapa Ajatshatru For Collection of Buddha sermon
(suttapitaka), Monastic Rules (Vinaypitaka)
383 BC 2nd Vaishali Sabakami Kalashoka To solve the disputes of Mo- nastic
250 BC 3rd Patliputra Mogliputra Tissa Ashoka To establishment of Sthavirvadin
72 AD 4th Kundalvan Vasumitra Kanishka Mahayana & Hinyana
(Kashmir) Ashwagosh (Vice
President)
Bodhisattva – any person who is one on his path to enlightenment. But delays achieving his own salvation
to help other and relieving them from pain.
NAME OF BODHISATTVA
1. Avlokiteshwar (also called Padampani)-Lotus bearer
2. Manjushree (called Buddhi Prasnna)
3. Vajarpani (one who bears thunder)
4. Amitabh (Father of heaven)
5. Kshitigarbha (The guardian of Purgatories)
6. Maitreya – (a future Buddha of this world). He is also known as Ajita Boddhisattva
Buddhist philosphy
BELIEF IN NIRVANA-When desire ceases, rebirth ceases and Nirvana is atteand means. Soul is myth because
till when our desire is continue. We are not free from cycle of death and re-birth. Our soul is made from desire
inside.
BELIEF IN AHIMSA-One should not cause injury to any living being, animal or man.
LAW OF KARMA- According to Buddha, man reaps the fruits of his past deeds
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Jainism
Jainism emerged in sixth century BC
Jainism is a sramanic religion (Sanskrit word that denotes an ascetic or monk)
The word ‘Jain’ is derived from jina or jaina-means the ‘Conqueror’
24 Tirthankaras were responsible for the origin and development of Jaina religion
Adinath/Rishabhdev: The first Tirthankara (supreme preacher) and establisher of the Ikshvaku dynasty- Born in
Aayodha-attained nirvana on Mount Ashtapad, also known as Mount Kailash
Ajita: The second Tirthankara
Neminatha: 22 Tirthankara
Parsvanatha: 23-Tirthankara, Parsvanatha, was son of King Asvasena of Varanasi and Queen Vama- Born in
Kashi
Parsvanatha believed in the eternity of ‘matter’ & followers of Parsvanatha wore white garments.
Mahavira: 24 Tirthankara was Vardhamana Mahavira
First Jain Council (300 BC) Second Jain Council (512 AD)
Place Pataliputra (Bihar) Vallabhi (Gujarat)
Presided by Sthulbhadra Devardhigani Kshemasarmana.
Patronage Chandragupta Maurya -
Result Sthulabhadra divided the Jaina can into 12 Final Compilations of 12 Angas and 12
‘angas’, and they were compiled. Upangas
Vardhamana Mahavira
Birth-24th Tirthankara was born in 540 B.C. in Kundagrama near Vaishali.
Belonged to Jnatrika clan
Father Siddharta was the head of the Jnathrika Kshatriya clan
Mother Trishala was a sister of Chetaka, the king of Vaishali.
Wife- Yasoda, Daughter-Anojja/Priyadarshani
Renounced his home -30 years
Practised austerity for 12 years & got enlightment called Kaivalya - age of 42 (he was known as
Jin/Vijeta/Kevalin)
First sermon at Pava to his 11 disciples (known as Gandharvas)
Mahavira's teachings were compiled by Indrabhuti Gautama (his chief disciple)
Mahavira’s symbol was a lion
He often visited the courts of Bimbisara and Ajatasatru
Died- at the age of 72 in 468 B.C. at the Pavapuri in Bihar-Mahavira attained nirvana- on the banks of
the Rijupalika river
Son in law- Jamali
Pancha Mahavratas in Jainism
The five doctrines of Jainism (five vows), known as Panchamahavratas, are for the monks
4 doctrines advocated by Parsvanath 5th Doctrine added by Mahavira
1. Ahimsa: do not commit violence 5. Brahmacharya: observe continence
2. Satya: do not tell a lie
3. Asteya: do not steal
4. Aparigraha: do not hoard
Chaturyama-Composed teachings of Parshwanath
Anuvratas: are the five fundamental vows of Jainism- Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, Aparigraha
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Ratnatraya/three jewels (three principles required - Moksha/Nirvana)
1. Samyak Darshan: Right belief
2. Samyak Gyan: Right knowledge
3. Samyak Charitra: Right action
Digambaras Svetambaras
Founder -Bhadrabahu Founder-Sthulbhadra
Do not wear clothes, Female monks wear unstitched, They wear simple white clothes
plain white sarees - called Aryikas (Sadhvi)
Women could not be Tirthankaras and Malli was a man Tirthankaras can be men or women.
Follow Mahavira’s- “Pancha Mahavratas”, to attain Follow Preachings of Parshvanatha-(not to take
Kaivalya (not to take life, steal, lie or own property and life, steal, lie or own property)
vow of celibacy)
Books-
Jain literature is called ‘Aagam- Lord Mahavir's preaching was, compiled by his followers
14 Purvas- teachings of the Tirthankaras before Mahavir are known as Purva
Kalpa Sutra-Bhadrabahu
Language- Prakrit
Jain architecture -
Ellora Caves (Cave No. 30-34)- Maharashtra ( Total caves- 34, 1-12 Hindu, 13-29-Buddhist)
Mangi Tungi Cave- Maharashtra- the tallest Jain statue in the world. The statue depicts the first
Jain Tirthankara, Rishabhanatha
Gajapantha Cave- Maharashtra
Udayagiri-Khandagiri Caves- Odisha
Hathi-gumpha Cave- Odisha
Sittanavasal Cave- Tamil Nadu
Gometeshwara/Bahubali Statue- Shravanabelagola, Karnataka
Dilwara Temple- Mount Abu, Rajasthan- built by the Chalukyas
Girnar and Palitana Temple- Gujarat
Jain temple at Pattadakal- built by Rashtrakutas
The Jal Mandir, or Water Temple, in Pawapuri, Bihar was built by King Nandivardhan, the elder brother of
Mahavira
Navkar mantra is the most profound mantra that is universal and the most powerful in Jainism
Parasnath Parasnath Hill- named after Lord Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara is located in the Giridih district of
Jharkhand
Jain temples. Notes: Jain temples are called 'Basadis' in Karnataka region
Sallekhana is a Jain religious practice of fasting to death as a way to cleanse the soul and break the cycle of
rebirth
Destruction, or removal of karmas from the soul-called nirjara (Process of purification of the soul)
Festivals of Jainism
Paryushana- Month of Bhadrapada by the Swetambara sect
Mahavir Jayanti month of Chaitra,
Mahamastak Abhishek-once in every 12 years
Gyan Panchami" is also known as Laabh paacham and Jnan Panchami
