Ancient Eastern Philosophy and Religion

The Sixth Century BC: An Epoch of Thinkers

• The sixth century BC saw the emergence of important thinkers like Zarathustra, Confucius, Zoroaster, Gautama Buddha, and Mahavira in India, Persia, and China.
• This period was marked by the rise of reform movements, which challenged the existing religious practices and led to the emergence of new sects like Jainism and Buddhism.

The Rise of Jainism and Buddhism

• The sixth century BC witnessed the rise of Jainism and Buddhism, which were influenced by the social, economic, and political conditions of the time.
• The Jain doctrines were preached by saints or acharyas called tirthankaras, literally meaning those who guide men and women across the river of existence.
• Mahavira was the 24th and the last tirthankara, who made Jainism popular and taught about the tri-ratnas (three jewels) of right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct.

The Angas and Tripitikas

• The Angas are regarded as the most important Jain scriptures, which discuss religious practices, rules of conduct, and other features of Jain philosophy.
• The Tripitikas are the most important literary works of the Buddhists, comprising the Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka, and Abhidhamma Pitaka.
• The Vinaya Pitaka deals with the rules and regulations for monks and nuns, while the Sutta Pitaka contains the discourses of Buddha and his disciples.

Causes of the Rise of Jainism and Buddhism

• The rise of Jainism and Buddhism was favored by the following factors:
  • Reaction against ritualism and the high costs of religious ceremonies.
  • Corruption in religious practices, which led to the dominance of priests and the exploitation of ordinary people.
  • The rigid caste system, which did not allow social mobility and restricted interchange between castes.
  • The difficulty of understanding Sanskrit, which was the language of the priestly class.
  • The political situation in Magadha, which was ruled by liberal and tolerant rulers like Bimbisara and Ajatashatru.
  • The agricultural economy, which needed a religion that would protect animals and promote non-violence.

Doctrines of Jainism

• The Jain doctrines were preached by Mahavira, who taught about the tri-ratnas (three jewels) of right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct.

• The ultimate goal of Jainism is to attain moksha (salvation) or freedom from the worldly bonds of karma.

• Mahavira preached about the importance of right conduct, which involves avoiding violence, lying, stealing, and attachment to worldly things.

• The Jains believe in the concept of ahimsa (non-violence), which involves avoiding harm to all living beings.

• The Jains also believe in the concept of karma, which determines the destiny of an individual in the next life.### Jainism: Key Principles and History

• Jainism is a religion that preaches non-violence, equality, and the sanctity of every living being.

• The three jewels of Jainism inspire a true Jain to have faith, acquire knowledge, and lead a good life.

The Five Vows

• A Jain householder is supposed to take the following five vows:
  • Ahimsa: non-violence
  • Achaurya or Asteya: not stealing
  • Satya: not telling a lie
  • Apaigraha: not possessing property
  • Brahmacharya: practising chastity

Right Faith, Right Knowledge, and Right Conduct

• Right faith is essential to achieve salvation.
• Right knowledge is necessary to have faith in the five vows and other doctrines of Jainism.
• Right conduct is important in Jain philosophy, and non-violence is the most important precept.

Nine Truths

• Besides the five vows and other general doctrines of Jainism, Jains are expected to have the knowledge of the nine truths.
• These nine truths have a central place in Jain philosophy.

Non-Violence

• Non-violence is the shortest way to salvation.
• Jains believe in the sanctity of every living being and consider non-violence to be essential.
• There are three kinds of violence: physical, verbal, and mental.

Jainism and Royal Patronage

• Jainism had royal patronage, which helped in its spread.
• Chandragupta Maurya, the Chalukyas, and the Rashtrakutas patronized Jainism.

Jain Saints

• Kalkacharya and Bhadrabahu were two important Jain saints.
• Bhadrabahu took Jainism to Karnataka and established a centre there.

Two Sects of Jainism

• The two sects of Jainism are Shvetambaras and Digambaras.
• Shvetambaras, or the white-clad, wore white clothes and covered their faces to avoid killing the tiniest of insects or germs.
• Digambaras, or the sky-clad, did not believe in covering their bodies and lived an austere life.

Spread of Jainism

• Jainism spread easily around Kosala, Magadha, Mithila, Champa, and other parts of the country.
• The business community in western India patronized Jainism.
• Later, Jainism became a dominant religion in Karnataka.

Causes of the Spread of Jainism

• Mahavira adopted the local dialect, Prakrit, to preach his doctrines, which made it easier for people to follow.
• The monks followed the same practice, and people found it easier to understand the preachings of Jainism in the local language.

Impact of Jainism

• Jainism had a profound impact on the social and political life of the people.
• It encouraged social service and discarded the system of casteism.
• Jainism had a remarkable impact on the political life of the Kshatriyas, who took to this new faith.

Decline of Jainism

• The decline of Jainism was due to several factors, including:
  • Jainism preached rigid austerity, which prevented it from getting popular support.
  • The religion did not spread to foreign countries and did not have missionary effort.
  • Jainism did not get royal patronage from contemporary rulers, unlike Buddhism.### Jain Literature and Language
• Jain literature is written in Ardhmagadhi and Prakrit dialects.
• It highlights the values of ahimsa (non-violence).

History of Jainism

• Jainism can reconstruct the history of India from the 6th to 4th century BC through its writings.
• Although Jainism advocated equality of men, it did not completely eliminate the distinction between high and low positions in society.
• During the Gupta period and later years, Jainism remained restricted to a few pockets in the country.

Jain Art and Architecture

• Jains constructed temples and monasteries.
• Jain relics are found in Khandagiri and Udaygiri caves in Odisha.
• Jains built hundreds of Dharamshalas, opened several orphanages, and supported many charitable institutions.
• The gigantic structures of the Bahubali (Gomateswara) at Shravanabelagola and at Karkala in Karnataka are notable examples of Jain art and architecture.
• The Dilwara temples at Mt. Abu in Rajasthan, at Ranakpur near Jodhpur, and the Jain Tower at Chittor are famous for their holy Jain architecture.