Jainism and Buddhism

Buddhism and Jainistism are the two branches of the Shramana tradition that still populate today. Jainism is largely confined to India, whereas Buddhism has only flourished abroad. However the two traditions share famed similarities A shramana (Sanskrit srama?a , Pali sama?a) is a wandering monk in certain ascetic traditions of ancient India including Jainism, Buddhism, and Ajivika religion (now extinct). Famous srama?a include religious leading Mahavira and Gautama Buddha. Traditionally, a srama?a is one who renounces the world and leads an ascetic life for the purpose of spiritual development and liberation.Typically srama?as assert that human beings are responsible for their make deeds and reap the fruits of those deeds, for good or ill. Liberation, therefore, may be achieved by any personify irrespective of caste, creed, color or culture (in contrast to certain historical caste-based traditions) providing the needful effort is made. Jain philosophy Jainism derives its philo sophy from the teachings and lives of the twenty-four Tirthankaras (ford-makers or enligtened teachers), of whom Mahavira was the last.Jain Acaryas Umasvati (Umasvami), Kundakunda, Haribhadra, Yasovijaya Ga?i and otherwises further developed and reorganized Jain philosophy in its chip in form. The distinguishing features of Jain philosophy are its belief in the independent instauration of soul and matter, predominance of karma, the denial of a creative and omnipotent God, belief in an eternal and uncreated humanity, a strong emphasis on non-violence, an accent on relativity and multiple facets of truth, and morality and ethics based on liberation of the soul.The Jain philosophy of Anekantavada and Syadvada, which posits that the truth or reality is perceived differently from different points of view, and that no single point of view is the complete truth, have made precise important contributions to ancient Indian philosophy, especially in the areas of skepticism and relativit y. 8 Buddhist philosophy Main article Buddhist philosophy Buddhist philosophy is a system of beliefs based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, a Nepali prince later known as the Buddha.Buddhism is a non-theistic philosophy, one whose tenets are not especially concerned with the existence or nonexistence of a God or gods and which denies the existence of a creator god. The question of God is largely irrelevant in Theravada Buddhism, though roughly sects of Mahayana Buddhism, notably Tibetan Buddhism and most of East Asian Buddhism (in the Shurangama Mantra and Great Compassion Mantra) do regularly practice with a number of gods (as Dharmapalas and Wrathful Deities, Four supernal Kings, and Five Wisdom Kings) drawn from both the Mahayana Sutras and Buddhist Tantras sometimes combined with local indigenous belief systems.The Buddha criticized all concepts of metaphysical being and non-being. A major distinguishing feature of its philosophy is the rejection (anatman) of a permanen t, self-existent soul (atman). Difference Between Buddhism And Jainism On Karma Buddhism Buddhism believes in the universality of Karma, which is a result of ones action. Jainism Jainism also believes in the universality of karma and its aftermath on human beings. But, unlike Buddhism, karma, according to Jainism, is not a mere effect of ones actions, but a real substance that flows into each individual body or jiva.This karmic substance remains with a being until good conduct and self purification eliminates them. On Soul Buddhism According to Buddhism, soul is an individuality that does exist in plants and animals, but not in non-living or inanimate things. Jainism According to Jainism, soul is present in every animate and inanimate object of the universe including its elements earth, water, wind, fire and air. On The Status And Evolution of Individual Beings Buddhism later Nirvana, there is no soul, but the individuality of an individual that passes into nothingness, w hich is beyond any description and speculation. Jainism After Nirvana, the soul continues to remain as an individual soul, but in the highest state of purity and enlightenment. Survival And Disappearence Over a period of time, while Buddhism disappeared from the Indian soil, Jainism survived in India, with its teachings intact, mostly untouched by the overwhelming philosophy and practices of Hinduism, at the same time imparting to the later some of its noblest ideas.Besides, a major difference lies in the dominions of both the religions. Though both, Buddhism and Jainism, originated and developed individually in the same geographical area of India, but difference lies in their spread. While Buddhism crossed the frontiers of its motherland and went to other parts of the Indian subcontinent, Central Asia, far eastern countries, and parts of North America and Europe as well, whereas Jainism, on the other hand, remained confined to India, the land of its origin.