Buddhism and Jainism - Leadership of The Sangha

Leadership of The Sangha

Mahavira and Gautama Buddha were contemporaries. The Pali Canon does not record that the two teachers ever met, though instances of Mahavira's disciples questioning Gautama Buddha are to be found in various suttas. The Buddhists have always maintained that by the time the Buddha and Mahavira were alive, Jainism was already an entrenched faith and culture in the region. Buddhist scriptures record philosophical dialogues between the wandering seeker Siddhartha Gautama (who was to become the Buddha) and Udaka Ramaputta and the first of several teachers that he studied with before his enlightenment. Buddhist scriptures attest that some of the first Buddhists were Jains (Nirgranthas) who "converted", but were encouraged by the Buddha to maintain their Jain identity and practises such as giving alms to Jain monks and nuns.

Buddhists recorded that Mahāvīra preached the "fourfold restraint" of the Nirgrantha tradition—a clear reference to the teachings of Mahāvīra's predecessor Parshva (877-777 BCE), traditionally the 23rd Tirthankara of Jainism—who propounded the four vows of Ahimsa, Satya (truth), Aparigraha (non-possessiveness), and Asteya (non-stealing), which may have been the template for the Five Precepts of Buddhism. Additionally, the Buddhist Anguttara Nikaya scripture quotes the independent philosopher Purana Kashyapa (the sixth century BCE founder of a ghjnm h rfnow-extinct order) as listing the Nirgranthas as one of the six major classifications of humanity. The Pali texts mention the Buddha referring to the liberation of Mahavira (referred to as Niggantha Nataputta) at Pava.]]Buddhism and Jainism are two religions followed by masses even now.

Jain vegetarianism is required for both monastics and laity. In Buddhism, monks in China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam are vegetarian; however, strict vegetarianism is not required. By monastic tradition, a monk should eat whatever is placed in his bowl when receiving food. The exceptions not to eat given meat were if the monk knew an animal was killed especially for him or he heard the animal being killed.

Buddhist writings reflect that Jains had followers by the time the Buddha lived. Suggesting close correlations between the teachings of the Jains and the Buddha, the Majjhima Nikaya relates dialogues between the Buddha and several members of the "Nirgrantha (Jain) community", sometimes resulting in the latter's acceptance of the Buddha as a teacher.

In many instances, both philosophies continue to share similar Prakrit terminology for important themes even though meaning may differ a bit, for example the term nirvana where its meaning is same in both the traditions but the state of nirvana described is somewhat different. The teachings may differ significantly in the interpretation. This method of teaching adopted by the Buddha points to the pragmatic aspect of his style of teaching wherein the Buddha uses words and terms that are familiar to the audience instead of introducing new and complex technical jargon. In this way, Buddhism sought to appeal to a broad audience.

Jains consider Jainism to be an ancient religion and school of thought that predates Buddhism since they have records of other Jinas. Buddhism too can claim great antiquity as it records several Buddhas predating Sakyamuni Buddha in the "Buddhavamsa". Sakyamuni also clearly states that he is following the "tradition of the Buddhas",

"But it is the custom of my Buddha lineage. Several thousands of Buddhas have gone by seeking alms"

The names of previous Buddhas mentioned Buddhist scriptures has striking similarities with the names of Tirthankars or Jain Arhants, an occurrence from which arise many unanswered questions relating to the possibility that both religions originally existed as one and the same with division into their distinctive sects occurring later.

The Pali Canon refers to Nigantha Nataputta as an elder heretical teacher. and is also familiar with some characteristics of Parsvanatha tradition. Besides, Buddhist literature mentions Rsabhadeva, Padma, Canda, Puspadanta, Vimala, Dharma and Aristanemi, the Jaina Tirthankaras.

Risabha is called one of the Jaina Tirthankaras in Chinese Buddhist literature. The Manjusrimulakalpa refers to him as Rsabha-nirgrantharupin, and the Dharmottarapradipa mentions him along with the name of Vardhamana or Mahavira. It may by noted here that the names and numbers of Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas in Buddhism appear to have been influenced by those of the Jaina Tirthankaras. For instance, Ajita, the name of the second Tirthankara, has been given to the paccekabudha who lived ninety-one kappas ago. The Vepulla-pavvata in the time of Kassapa Buddha appears to have been named after Supassa (Pali) or Suparsva, the seventh Tirthankara of Jainas. The people of Rajagaha were called Suppiya or the follower of Supassa at that time. Padma or Paduma, the sixth Tirthankara, is the name of the eighth of the twenty-four Buddhas. It is also the name of a Pacceka-Buddha to whom Anupama Thera offered some akuli flowers. Paduma is also referred to by the name of Cakkavatti of eight kappas ago.chandra or Canda, the eighth Tirthankara, is the name of a chief lay supporter of Sikhi Buddha.Pupphavati is the name of Benaras in the Jataka. It would have been named after puspadanta, the ninth Tirthankara of Jainas. Vimala, a Paccekabuddha, has been named after the thirteenth Tirthankara. A king who lived sixty-one kappas ago, has also been called Vimala. Likewise, Dhamma is the name of the fifteenth Tirthankara of Jainas. A Bodhisatva who was born as Devaputta in a Kamavacara Deva-world has also been referred to by this name. In the Milinda Panha, he is called a Yakkha. Aristanemi or Nemi the twenty-second Tirthankara of Jainas, is also referred to in Pali literature. The Dhammikasutta of the Anguttara Nikaya speaks of Aranemi as one of the six Tirthankaras (Satthare tithakare). The Majjhima Nikaya refers to Arittha as one of the twenty-four Pratyekabuddhas who inhabited the Rsigiri mountain. The Digha Nikaya draws our attention to the name of "Drdhanemi" as a Cakkavatti. In the same work there is a reference to king Aritthanemi who is called a Yakkha. All these past references probably are to the Aritthanemi of Jaina Tirthankara. As we shall see later, Jainism had been a prominent religion in Ceylon (later Sri Lanka) before Buddhism was brought there. It is therefore not unexpected to find some places named after the Jain Tirthankaras. For instance, Aritthapavvata is a mountain which is identified with modern Ritigala near Habarane in the North Central Province. Pandukabhaya lived there for seven years, awaiting an opportunity to make war on his uncles and it was near this place that he ultimately defeated them.

The last Tirthankara, Mahavira (599 - 527 BC), was possibly a senior contemporary of the Buddha whose philosophy, sometimes described as dynamism or vitalism, was a blend of the earlier Jain teacher Pārśva's (877-777 BC) order and the reforms instituted by Mahavira himself. Debates between Buddhists and Jains are recorded in Jain texts, and dialogues between Jains and the Buddha are included in Buddhist texts. (See also the "Origins" section, above.).

Indian Buddhist tradition categorized all non-Buddhist schools of thought as "Pasanda" (pasanda means to throw a noose or pasha—stemming from the doctrine that schools labelled as Pasanda foster views perceived as wrong because they are seen as having a tendency towards binding and ensnaring rather than freeing the mind). The difference between the schools of thought are outlined in the Samaññaphala Sutta of the Digha Nikaya.