🌍 Introduction – Why did New Religions Arise?

By the 6th century BCE, Brahmanical religion had become highly ritualistic and priest-dominated. Expensive yajnas were beyond the reach of ordinary people. The rigid caste system and untouchability caused social discontent. Two great reform movements arose: Jainism and Buddhism.

⚡ PART 1: Sources

• Angas: The sacred texts of Jainism. There are 12 Angas. They record the teachings of Mahavira as preserved by his disciples.
• Tripitikas (Tipitakas): The three "baskets" of Buddhist scriptures — Vinaya Pitika (monastic rules), Sutta Pitika (discourses of the Buddha), and Abhidhamma Pitika (philosophical analysis). Written in Pali.
• Jatakas: Stories of the Buddha's previous lives (brief mention in syllabus). They are part of the Pali canon and contain moral tales about the Bodhisattva (the soul on its way to Buddhahood).

☸️ PART 2: Jainism

Causes for the Rise of Jainism

• Reaction against the domination of Brahmanical rituals and the Sanskrit-based religious system inaccessible to ordinary people.
• Opposition to the caste system — Jainism taught that birth did not determine spiritual worth.
• Protest against animal sacrifices in Vedic yajnas — Jainism was strictly non-violent (ahimsa).
• The 6th century BCE was a period of economic growth (trade, iron tool use) — the mercantile class (Vaishyas) found Jainism appealing as it rejected the Brahmanical authority over ritual.

Mahavira – The Founder

• Full name: Vardhamana Mahavira (meaning "Great Hero").
• Born: 540 BCE at Vaishali (Bihar) into a Kshatriya (warrior) family. His father was Siddhartha, a chieftain; mother was Trishala.
• At age 30, he renounced all worldly life — abandoned his home, wife, and daughter.
• After 12 years of intense asceticism and meditation (including pulling out his hair in five handfuls as a mark of renunciation), he attained Kevala Jnana (omniscience/complete knowledge) at the age of 42 under a Sal tree at Jrimbhikagrama.
• He was the 24th and last Tirthankara (ford-maker — one who has crossed the ocean of rebirth). The 23rd Tirthankara was Parshvanatha.
• He died (attained nirvana) at Pavapuri, Bihar in 468 BCE at age 72.

Doctrines of Jainism

The Five Main Principles (Pancha Mahavrata)

• Ahimsa (Non-violence) — The most fundamental principle. Not harming any living being (including insects). Jain monks sweep the ground before walking and wear masks to avoid inhaling insects.
• Satya (Truth) — Speaking only truth.
• Asteya (Non-stealing) — Not taking what is not given.
• Brahmacharya (Celibacy) — Added by Mahavira (Parshvanatha had only four vows).
• Aparigraha (Non-possession) — Giving up all worldly possessions.

Karma and Equality

• Jainism believes the soul (jiva) is bound by karma (accumulated matter from past actions). Liberation (moksha) is achieved by shedding karma through the Tri-Ratnas.
• Jainism rejected caste distinctions — all souls are equal. However, it still supported existing social structures in practice.
• Jainism rejected the authority of the Vedas and did not believe in a creator God.

Digambara and Shvetambara Sects

Aspect	Digambara ("Sky-clad")	Shvetambara ("White-clad")
Clothing	Monks go naked — total renunciation	Monks wear white robes
Women	Women cannot attain liberation in their current body	Women can attain liberation
Mahavira's life	He never married	He was married with a daughter
Main region	South India (Karnataka)	North India (Gujarat, Rajasthan)

🌸 PART 3: Buddhism

Causes for the Rise of Buddhism

• Same socio-economic conditions as Jainism — discontent with expensive Vedic rituals and caste oppression.
• The Buddha offered a practical, middle-path approach accessible to all castes and both genders.
• Royal patronage — Emperor Ashoka's conversion in c. 261 BCE spread Buddhism across Asia.

The Buddha – His Life

• Born: Siddhartha Gautama, c. 563 BCE at Lumbini (present-day Nepal) to King Suddhodana (Shakya clan) and Queen Mahamaya.
• He was a Kshatriya prince. Married Yashodhara; had a son Rahula. Lived in luxury in the palace.
• The Four Sights: An old man, a sick man, a corpse, and a monk — these shocked Siddhartha and led him to renounce the world at age 29 (Mahabhinishkramana — Great Departure).
• After 6 years of fierce asceticism (with five Brahmin ascetics), he rejected extreme self-mortification.
• At Bodh Gaya (Bihar), meditating under a Pipal (Bodhi) tree, he attained Enlightenment (Bodhi) at age 35. He became the Buddha (the Awakened One).
• He gave his first sermon at Sarnath (near Varanasi) — this is called the Dhammachakkapavattana (Turning of the Wheel of the Law). His five former ascetic companions became his first disciples.
• He preached for 45 years across the Ganges plain.
• He died at Kushinagar (UP) in 483 BCE at age 80. This is called Parinirvana (final liberation).

The Four Noble Truths (Arya Satya)

• Dukkha: Life is full of suffering (physical and mental pain, old age, death, unfulfilled desire).
• Samudaya: Suffering has a cause — tanha (craving/desire/attachment).
• Nirodha: Suffering can be ended — by eliminating desire.
• Magga: There is a path to end suffering — the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Noble Eightfold Path (Atthangika Magga)

• Right View → Right Intention → Right Speech → Right Action → Right Livelihood → Right Effort → Right Mindfulness → Right Concentration.
• The Eightfold Path is the Middle Way between extreme indulgence and extreme self-mortification.

Key Buddhist Concepts

• Karma: The law of cause and effect — actions have consequences that shape future lives.
• Rebirth (Samsara): The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth driven by karma and desire.
• Ahimsa: Non-violence to all living beings — a cornerstone shared with Jainism.
• No caste distinction: Buddhism rejected the caste system — anyone (man or woman, from any caste) could join the Sangha (monastic order). Women were admitted to the Sangha by the Buddha (though reluctantly) at the request of his aunt Mahapajapati.
• The Middle Path: Rejected both extreme luxury (his former life) and extreme asceticism. A balanced, moderate lifestyle.
• No God: Buddhism in its original form was non-theistic — neither affirmed nor denied a creator God.

Hinayana and Mahayana Sects

Aspect	Hinayana ("Lesser Vehicle")	Mahayana ("Greater Vehicle")
Goal	Individual salvation (Arhat)	Universal salvation — help all beings attain nirvana (Bodhisattva ideal)
Buddha's status	A great teacher, a human being	A divine saviour, worshipped as God
Language of texts	Pali	Sanskrit
Spread to	Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand	China, Japan, Tibet, Korea
Attitude to images	No Buddha images (early)	Buddha worshipped through images

⚖️ PART 4: Comparison – Jainism vs Buddhism

Aspect	Jainism	Buddhism
Founder	Mahavira (24th Tirthankara)	Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddha)
Born	Vaishali, 540 BCE	Lumbini, 563 BCE
Enlightenment	Jrimbhikagrama (Kevala Jnana)	Bodh Gaya (Bodhi)
Ahimsa	Absolute — even micro-organisms	Important — but more moderate
Asceticism	Extreme (pulling hair, nudity)	Middle Path (moderate)
God	No creator God; 24 Tirthankaras	Non-theistic (no creator God)
Caste	Rejected (in theory)	Rejected — Sangha open to all
Sacred texts	12 Angas	Tripitikas (in Pali)
Death/Nirvana	Pavapuri, 468 BCE	Kushinagar, 483 BCE

📝 Quick Revision – Key Facts

Topic	Key Fact
Mahavira's original name	Vardhamana
Tri-Ratnas	Right Faith, Right Knowledge, Right Conduct
23rd Tirthankara	Parshvanatha
Buddha's first sermon	Sarnath (Dhammachakkapavattana)
Four Noble Truths	Dukkha, Samudaya, Nirodha, Magga
Kanchi Council	4th Buddhist Council — under Kanishka; Mahayana vs Hinayana split
Jataka tales	Stories of Buddha's previous lives (Pali canon)
Bodhi tree	Pipal tree at Bodh Gaya, Bihar