Buddhism and Jainism Buddhism and Jainism are two branches of the Shramana tradition that still exist

today. Jainism has historically been largely confined to India, whereas Buddhis m flourished beyond the borders of its country of origin where it declined durin g the Middle Ages. Mahavira and Gautama Buddha were contemporaries and according to the Pali scriptures Gautama Buddha was aware of Mahavira's existence as well as his community of monks. Jainism and Buddhism share many features including m uch of the same terminology. There is no doubt that there was a mutual influence and reception of both religions although Jainism does appear to be an older spi ritual tradition out of which Buddhism may have grown. History Buddhism separates itself from the Jain tradition by teaching an alternative to "extreme asceticism". Buddhist scriptures record that during Prince Siddhartha's ascetic life (before the great enlightenment) he undertook many fasts, penances and austerities, the descriptions of which are elsewhere found only in the Jain tradition (for example, the penance by five fires, plucking of hair, and the co nsumption of food using only one's cupped hands). Ultimately, the Buddha abandon ed reliance upon these methods on his discovery of a middle way. In Jainism, the re exists a non-extreme pathway for lay persons with minor vows. Some Buddhist t eachings, principles, and terms used in Buddhism are identical to those of Jaini sm, but they may hold different or variant meanings for each. Although both Buddhists and Jains had orders of nuns, Buddhist Pali texts record the Buddha saying that a woman has the ability to obtain Nirvana in the Buddha Dhamma and Vinaya. Jain traditions differ on the issue of enlightenment for wome n, with the Digambaras stating that women are capable of spiritual progress but must be reborn male in order to attain final spiritual liberation and the Shveta mbara sect maintaining that liberation is attainable by both males and females. The Jain community is composed of four sections: sadhus, sadhvis (also referred to as shramanas and shramanis), and laymen and laywomen (or grhastins "household ers") who have not abandoned worldly affairs. Buddhism has a similar organization: the community consists of renunciate bhikkh us and bhikkhunis and male and female laypersons who take limited vows. Whether or not it was an influence of Jain culture and philosophy in ancient Bih ar that gave rise to Buddhism is unclear, but there are some striking similariti es between the two traditions, and Buddhism may have adopted many of its ideas a nd traditions from preexisting ones held by the Jains. The Buddha Nirvana calend ar (with a zero point in 544 BCE) may actually be significantly older than the K aliyuga calendar. And so, quite possibly, is the Mahavira Nirvana calendar of th e Jains (with a zero point in 527 BCE). 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 questio ning 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 alr eady an entrenched faith and culture in the region. Buddhist scriptures record p hilosophical 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 encour aged by the Buddha to maintain their Jain identity and practises such as giving alms to Jain monks and nuns. Buddhists recorded that Mahvra preached the "fourfold restraint" of the Nirgrantha

traditiona clear reference to the teachings of Mahvra's predecessor Parshva (877-7 77 BCE), traditionally the 23rd Tirthankara of Jainismwho propounded the four vow s of Ahimsa, Satya (truth), Aparigraha (non-possessiveness), and Asteya (non-ste aling), which may have been the template for the Five Precepts of Buddhism. Addi tionally, the Buddhist Anguttara Nikaya scripture quotes the independent philoso pher Purana Kashyapa (the sixth century BCE founder of a ghjnm h rf now-extinct order) as listing the Nirgranthas as one of the six major classifications of hum anity. The Pali texts mention the Buddha referring to the liberation of Mahavira (referred to as Niggantha Nataputta) at Pava. Similarities and differences in Jain and Buddhist terminology The common terms in Buddhism and Jainism: Shramana Sasra Arhat (Buddhism)/Arihant (Jainism): the term is used somewhat similarly. Dharma Sangha (see Jain community and Jain monasticism) Jina Buddha (all Jain Jinas/Tirthankaras are also called Buddhas) Samyaksambuddha/sayamsambuddha "attaining enlightenment without a teacher" Acharya "chief of the orders" Karma/Karma in Jainism Stra "scriptures" Indra, akra (Buddhism) "chief of the gods" The terms that are used with different meanings: Nirvana/Nirvana (Jainism) (the definition is somewhat different in the two t raditions) Pudgala Siddha Common symbols: Pratima idol in meditation postures, foot prints Stupa Dharmacakra Swastika Three Jewels/Ratnatraya Ashtamangala Minor devas 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 k illed. 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 o f the "Nirgrantha (Jain) community", sometimes resulting in the latter's accepta nce of the Buddha as a teacher. In many instances, both philosophies continue to share similar Prakrit terminolo gy for important themes even though meaning may differ a bit, for example the te rm nirvana where its meaning is same in both the traditions but the state of nir vana 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 term s that are familiar to the audience instead of introducing new and complex techn ical jargon. In this way, Buddhism sought to appeal to a broad audience. Jains consider Jainism to be an ancient religion and school of ates Buddhism since they have records of other Jinas. Buddhism at antiquity as it records several Buddhas predating Sakyamuni ddhavamsa". Sakyamuni also clearly states that he is following the Buddhas", thought that pred too can claim gre Buddha in the "Bu the "tradition of

"But it is the custom of my Buddha lineage. Several thousands of Buddhas hav e gone by seeking alms" The names of previous Buddhas mentioned Buddhist scriptures has striking similar ities with the names of Tirthankars or Jain Arhants, an occurrence from which ar ise many unanswered questions relating to the possibility that both religions or iginally 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 i s also familiar with some characteristics of Parsvanatha tradition. Besides, Bud dhist literature mentions Rsabhadeva, Padma, Canda, Puspadanta, Vimala, Dharma a nd 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 Dharmotta rapradipa mentions him along with the name of Vardhamana or Mahavira. It may by noted here that the names and numbers of Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas, and Bodhisattv as 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 o f Kassapa Buddha appears to have been named after Supassa (Pali) or Suparsva, th e seventh Tirthankara of Jainas. The people of Rajagaha were called Suppiya or t he 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 Pacc eka-Buddha to whom Anupama Thera offered some akuli flowers. Paduma is also refe rred to by the name of Cakkavatti of eight kappas ago.chandra or Canda, the eigh th 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 Jai nas. 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. Aris tanemi or Nemi the twenty-second Tirthankara of Jainas, is also referred to in P ali literature. The Dhammikasutta of the Anguttara Nikaya speaks of Aranemi as o ne of the six Tirthankaras (Satthare tithakare). The Majjhima Nikaya refers to A rittha as one of the twenty-four Pratyekabuddhas who inhabited the Rsigiri mount ain. The Digha Nikaya draws our attention to the name of "Drdhanemi" as a Cakkav atti. 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 Tirth ankara. 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 unexpect ed to find some places named after the Jain Tirthankaras. For instance, Aritthap avvata is a mountain which is identified with modern Ritigala near Habarane in t he 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 ultima tely defeated them.

The last Tirthankara, Mahavira (599 - 527 BC), was possibly a senior contemporar y of the Buddha whose philosophy, sometimes described as dynamism or vitalism, w as a blend of the earlier Jain teacher Prva's (877-777 BC) order and the reforms i nstituted by Mahavira himself. Debates between Buddhists and Jains are recorded in Jain texts, and dialogues between Jains and the Buddha are included in Buddhi st texts. (See also the "Origins" section, above.). Indian Buddhist tradition categorized all non-Buddhist schools of thought as "Pa sanda" (pasanda means to throw a noose or pasha -- stemming from the doctrine th at 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 Samaaphal a Sutta of the Digha Nikaya.