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A Brief Analysis of God, Self, Karma and Rebirth in Context of Buddhism and Jainism PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION (2020) 57(8): 985-987 ISSN: 00333077 A brief analysis of God, Self, Karma and Rebirth in context of Buddhism and Jainism Rishika Patgiri M.A. Gauhati University, E-mail- [email protected] ABSTRACT Buddhism and Jainism are the Nastika schools of Indian Philosophy. Both these schools do not believe in the authority of the veda. The concept of God, Self, Karma and Rebirth occupy important place in Buddhism and Jainism. But although both these philosophies interpret these concepts but they interpret these in their own different ways. The aim of this paper is to analyze the concepts of God, Self, Karma and Rebirth from the point of view of Buddhism and Jainism. INTRODUCTION: God is believed to be the ultimate reality in most of God is regarded as the Supreme power in most of the the schools of Indian Philosophy. The nine schools schools of Indian Philosophy. He is regarded as the of Indian Philosophy are related to the idea of God ultimate power, the creator of every beings and the directly or indirectly by either accepting or rejecting creator of the universe. Self is regarded as the the concept of God. essence of being. It is also called Atman. Karma Self, on the other hand, refers to the inner self or soul means action. The outcomes depend on one’s own in Indian Philosophy. It is also known as Atman. It is actions. It is their actions which decides the cycle of regarded as the essence of an individual. Birth and Rebirth of every human being. The doctrine of Karma also has an important position OBJECTIVES: in Indian Philosophy. Karma refers to action. The aim of this paper are- According to the doctrine of Karma, good actions 1. To explore the concept of God, Self, Karma lead to good outcomes whereas bad actions lead to and Rebirth of Buddhism and Jainism. bad results. 2. To find out if there are any similarities or Rebirth means life after death. It is believed to be the differences in the philosophy of Buddhism outcome of karma. It is believed that if someone has and Jainism regarding their views of God, not bear the fruits of his action in this life then he will Self, Karma and Rebirth. bear it in his next life. METHODOLOGY: This paper aims to discuss the notion of God, Self, For this study analytic method has been used to Karma and Rebirth theories of Jainism and analyze the concept Buddhism and Jainism regarding Buddhism. God, Self, Karma and Rebirth. CONCEPT OF GOD, SELF, KARMA AND God, Self, Karma and Rebirth: REBIRTH IN BUDDHISM: 985 www.psychologyandeducation.net PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION (2020) 57(8): 985-987 ISSN: 00333077 Buddhism is one of the Nastika schools of Indian continuity of the stream of successive states that Philosophy which arises out of the teachings of compose a man’s life. The present state of Gautam Buddha. His philosophy arises out of the consciousness results from the previous state of four noble truth (catvari aryasatyani) which are- consciousness and thus, the past continues in the suffering (duhkha), cause of suffering (duhkha present through its effect. samudaya), cessation of suffering (duhkhanirodha) Karma, on the other hand, plays an important role in and path leads to cessation of suffering (duhkha- Buddha’s philosophy. Buddha believed in the nirodha-marga). doctrine of Karma. According to this doctrine, our Regarding the concept of God, it is clearly stated in present life is the effect of our past lives and our Buddhism that Buddha didnot believe in God. future would be the effect of our present existence. According to Buddha, there is no evidence to believe JAINA’s DOCTRINE OF GOD, SELF, KARMA in the existence of God. He calls it as unnecessary to AND REBIRTH: prove the existence of God. He believed that human beings have the capacity to purify their mind, find Jainism is the philosophy that arises out of the salvation on their own. According to Buddha, the teachings of twenty Tirthankaras, the last of whom idea of God developed in human beings out of fear was Vardhaman Mahavira who was the such as fear of wild animals, of natural calamities, contemporary of Gautama Buddha. and of not being able to find food for themselves. Like Buddhism, Jainism also does not believe in the Buddha taught how to deal with such situations and existence of God. According to Jaina, God cannot be suggested ways to overcome our desires in order to perceived and it is baseless to prove the existence of find complete liberation. God through inference. Again, ‘God’ is described to Again, one of the most important teachings in be eternally ‘Perfect’. But according to Jaina, Buddhism is the theory of ‘Anatmavada’ or ‘No perfection is used in order to remove imperfection Soul’ theory. It clearly states that Buddhism does not and there is no point of describing God as perfect believe in the existence of soul. According to this who was never ‘Imperfect’. theory, the believe in the existence of one’s own Soul is accepted in Jaina philosophy. Soul is essence or self is the root cause of our bondage that regarded as conscious substance. It is arranged in hinders the attainment of liberation. Buddha holds degrees of consciousness in which the highest degree that the idea of self is an imaginary, false belief is given to perfect souls that overcome all karmas.in which has no corresponding reality and belief in the the middle, lies the souls having two to five senses concept of ‘self’ leads to selfish desire, attachment, and the lowest degree is given to the most imperfect egoism and other such like problems. souls. Soul, according to Jaina is different from body While analyzing the idea of Rebirth in Buddha’s whose existence can be proved by its consciousness philosophy it can be seen that Buddhism accept the itself. The soul extends in space and it is formless. concept of Rebirth. But Buddha’s concept of Rebirth But it takes the form of the body, which it slightly differs from the Rebirth in Hinduism. In illuminates. All souls are qualitatively different. Hinduism it is the ‘soul’ that migrates from one body Regarding Karma, Jaina is of the opinion that the to another body after death. But according to highest degree of soul which is liberated soul is free Buddhism Rebirth refers to the continuity of the from the karmic bondage, from the cycle of birth and stream of consciousness. Although Buddha did not death. The lower and lowest degree of souls which believe in the existence of soul, but he believed in the 986 www.psychologyandeducation.net PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION (2020) 57(8): 985-987 ISSN: 00333077 are worldly souls are trapped in karmic bondage and 2. Karma in Jainism is karma bondage whereas face the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Karma is Karma in Buddhism is Karma to the result, the link between jiva and the body. The nine Karma of its function, etc. fundamentals of jiva doctrine are- Jiva, Ajiva, Punya, 3. Liberation or moksa in Jainism differs from Papa, Asrava, Samvara, Bandha, Nirjara and Moksa. nirvana of Buddhism. Jainism discusses Jiva refers to extended conscious substance whereas about liberation of soul. But Buddhism talks Ajiva refers to extended non-living substance. Punya about the liberation from suffering. or virtue is the result of good conduct of mind, body 4. Moksa in Jainism is to be attained after death and speech while Papa is the unpleasant sensations while nirvana of Buddhism can be attained in that arise out of evil activities of mind, body and this life. speech. The influx of karma particles into the soul is CONCLUSION: called asrava. The flux of karma can be checked is called samvara. Bandha or bondage is the result of After detailed study, we have come to the conclusion wrong belief, passion, etc. nirjara means removing that although Buddhism and Jainism differs in the the soul by tapa(self-motification). Moksa or ways of interpreting the concepts of God, Self, liberation refers to complete freedom of soul from Karma and Rebirth but their interpretations karmic bondage. regarding these concepts resembles each other. By rejecting the concept of God, it is clear that both From the above discussions, it is clear that Rebirth is these philosophies are based on evidence. Their accepted in Jainism. It depends on one’s karma. The believes are based on their pramanas. Although evil activities of mind, body and speech as well as Buddha rejected soul but he accepted the stream of wrong belief, passion, etc. trap oneself into the cycle consciousness as the essence of being and according of birth, death and rebirth. to Jaina, the essence of soul is consciousness. SIMILARITIES: Although karma in Buddhism means karmic bondage and karma in Jainism means karma to the 1. Both Buddhism and Jainism do not accept the result, karma to its functions, but both these concept of God. Both these philosophies philosophies try to explain that our wrong deeds believe that liberation can be attained by results to bad results and our good deeds results to one’s own efforts and that there is no God good outcomes. Both these philosophies believe that who can help us to attain pleasure or the ultimate good is to escape from the cycle of liberation. Rebirth and attain liberation. 2. Both Buddhism and Jainism accept the doctrine of Karma. REFERENCES: 3. The concept of Rebirth is also accepted in [1] Chatterjee, Satischandra and Datta, both Buddhism and Jainism. Dhirendramohan, An Introduction to Indian DIFFERENCES: Philosophy, Rupa Publications India Pvt.
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