JainismJainism and and Buddhism Buddhism DuringDuring thethe VedicVedic period,period, peoplepeople whowho reactedreacted againstagainst thethe rigidrigid socialsocial hierarchyhierarchy andand againstagainst thethe religiousreligious monopolymonopoly ofof thethe BrahminsBrahmins wouldwould withdrawwithdraw intointo thethe forestsforests wherewhere theythey pursuedpursued salvationsalvation throughthrough yogayoga (spiritual(spiritual andand mentalmental discipline),discipline), specialspecial diets,diets, oror meditationmeditation TheirTheir goalgoal waswas toto achieveachieve mokshamoksha —— liberationliberation fromfrom thethe cyclecycle ofof birth,birth, death,death, andand rebirthrebirth oror reachingreaching thethe bestbest karmakarma thatthat youyou couldcould actuallyactually reach.reach. TheThe ideasideas ofof thesethese religiousreligious dissidentsdissidents areare reflectedreflected inin thethe UpanishadsUpanishads.. JainismJainism FoundedFounded byby MahaviraMahavira -- livedlived betweenbetween 599599 andand 527527 B.C.E.B.C.E. BeliefBelief thatthat everythingeverything inin thethe universeuniverse hashas aa soulsoul andand becausebecause ofof thisthis shouldshould notnot bebe harmedharmed HadHad toto taketake occupationsoccupations thatthat wouldwould notnot harmharm anyany creaturecreature ––TraditionTradition ofof workingworking inin tradetrade andand commercecommerce ––ExtremelyExtremely wealthywealthy communitycommunity JainismJainism JainsJains practicedpracticed nonviolencenonviolence andand wentwent toto extremesextremes inin theirtheir attemptsattempts notnot toto killkill anyany livingliving thingthing TheThe mostmost extremeextreme wentwent nakednaked andand starvedstarved themselvesthemselves toto death.death. BrushBrush antsants fromfrom theirtheir pathpath WearWear masksmasks toto notnot accidentallyaccidentally sucksuck inin bugsbugs BuddhismBuddhism Basics Basics •• AttemptsAttempts toto givegive answersanswers toto lifelife’’ss questionsquestions •• EmphasisEmphasis onon ““thingsthings toto dodo”” ratherrather thanthan ““thingsthings toto believebelieve”” •• AvoidAvoid speculativespeculative questionsquestions (creation,(creation, SupremeSupreme power,power, afterlife)afterlife) sincesince therethere waswas littlelittle possibilitypossibility ofof definitivedefinitive answanswersers insteadinstead spendspend timetime attemptingattempting toto dealdeal withwith thethe harshharsh realitiesrealities presentedpresented byby lifelife herehere andand nownow •• TolerantTolerant toto anyany religionreligion thatthat allowsallows aa personperson toto findfind ““truthtruth”” ofof himself/himself/ herself.herself. BelieveBelieve thatthat settingsetting anan exampleexample whichwhich othersothers maymay emulate.emulate. •• ULTIMATEULTIMATE GOALGOAL endend sufferingsuffering andand attainattain absoluteabsolute peacepeace andand joyjoy SIDDHARTHASIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA GAUTAMA SiddharthaSiddhartha GautamaGautama bornborn 563563 BCEBCE intointo KshatriyaKshatriya castecaste inin presentpresent dayday NepalNepal KingdomKingdom ofof GautamaGautama BUDDHA= ENLIGHTENED ONE SiddharthaSiddhartha hadhad aa legendarylegendary birth,birth, lifelife andand deathdeath ProphecyProphecy givengiven toto hishis fatherfather…… Miracles,Miracles, miracles, miracles, miracles miracles…… ImmaculateImmaculate conceptionconception -- SiddharthaSiddhartha descendeddescended fromfrom HeavenHeaven andand enteredentered mothermother’’ss (Queen(Queen Maya)Maya) wombwomb inin formform ofof babybaby whitewhite elephantelephant (purity)(purity) QueenQueen MayaMaya carriedcarried SiddharthaSiddhartha forfor 1010 monthsmonths andand couldcould seesee himhim inin thethe wombwomb GaveGave birthbirth fromfrom herher sideside withwith assistanceassistance fromfrom treetree branchesbranches WaterWater pouredpoured fromfrom thethe skysky AtAt birthbirth SiddharthaSiddhartha tooktook 77 stepssteps andand saidsaid ““thisthis isis mymy lastlast birthbirth”” FourFour Sights Sights KingKing wantedwanted toto sheltershelter SiddharthaSiddhartha fromfrom unpleasantnessunpleasantness ofof lifelife AtAt 29,29, SiddharthaSiddhartha visitedvisited thethe citycity andand sawsaw fourfour sights:sights: 1) OldOld manman 2) SickSick manman 3) DeadDead manman 4) AsceticAscetic monkmonk FOURFOUR SIGHTSSIGHTS TheseThese sightssights compelledcompelled himhim toto reflectreflect upon:upon: •• sufferingsuffering •• deathdeath •• meaningmeaning ofof lifelife •• ultimateultimate fatefate ofof manman and inspired him to find a spiritual solution to problems of human life He left his palace and for 7 years searched for the ultimate truth of life Studied Hindu scriptures but found them lacking Tried raja yoga (meditation) but sensed his sacrifices were not great enough turned to asceticism and scourged and starved himself (1 grain of rice a day) = but no deep insight came Determined best course was the MIDDLE WAY (path between both extremes; a lifestyle of moderation) ENLIGHTENMENTENLIGHTENMENT OF OF BUDDHA BUDDHA Under a Bodhi tree (tree of Wisdom) he meditated Remembered all of his previous lives Resisted the combats of Mara (Evil One), who tried many temptations Removed craving and ignorance for himself At dawn of his 35th birthday, his mind “pierced the bubble” of the universe, enabling him to realize the essential truth about life and NIRVANA the path to salvation = state of supreme realization and enlightenment Achieved NIRVANA and was = understand truth of life and released from samsara (endless freedom from ignorance cycle) = state of total liberation, truth, Stayed in this state for 7 days tranquility, peace ENLIGHTENMENTENLIGHTENMENT NEWNEW RELIGIONRELIGION AfterAfter achievingachieving enlightenment,enlightenment, BuddhaBuddha wantedwanted toto shareshare hishis experiencesexperiences andand insightsinsights withwith othersothers andand traveledtraveled toto BenaresBenares andand encounteredencountered fivefive ascetics.ascetics. ArguedArgued thatthat nono rituals,rituals, godsgods oror anyany typetype ofof outsideoutside powerpower couldcould savesave man.man. TheThe onlyonly salvationsalvation lieslies inin thethe realizationrealization ofof thethe FourFour NobleNoble TruthsTruths andand thethe diligentdiligent pursuitpursuit ofof thethe EightEight FoldFold PathPath WithinWithin years,years, BuddhistBuddhist monasteriesmonasteries werewere emergingemerging throughoutthroughout India,India, establishingestablishing BuddhismBuddhism asas aa religionreligion TheThe BuddhaBuddha dieddied inin 486486 BCEBCE andand achievedachieved paranirvanaparanirvana (complete(complete nirvana)nirvana) WhatWhat do do Buddhists Buddhists believe? believe? RebirthRebirth (reincarnation)(reincarnation) resultsresults fromfrom attachmentsattachments (karma)(karma) NirvanaNirvana isis aa peaceful,peaceful, detacheddetached statestate ofof mindmind AchievingAchieving NirvanaNirvana meansmeans escapeescape fromfrom thethe cyclecycle ofof rebirthrebirth ((samsarasamsara)) OnceOnce GautamaGautama BuddhaBuddha died,died, afterafter 8080 yearsyears ofof lifelife inin thisthis world,world, havinghaving achievedachieved NirvanaNirvana andand teachingteaching multitudesmultitudes hishis wayway ofof life,life, hehe ceasedceased toto existexist asas aa distinctdistinct beingbeing BuddhismBuddhism isis nonnon--theistic:theistic: BuddhaBuddha isis notnot thethe BuddhistBuddhist GodGod –– hehe isis justjust aa reveredrevered teacherteacher 33 Characteristics Characteristics of of Existence Existence AnnicaAnnica == impermanenceimpermanence (world(world inin constantconstant flux)flux) ANNICA DUKKHA DukkhaDukkha == dissatisfactiondissatisfaction (all(all humanshumans andand animalsanimals experienceexperience suffering)suffering) AnattaAnatta == nono selfself (no(no separate,separate, eternaleternal ANATTA unchangingunchanging self)self) FOURFOUR NOBLE NOBLE TRUTHS TRUTHS WhatWhat is is the the fundamental fundamental causecause of of all all suffering? suffering? Therefore,Therefore, extinguishextinguish thethe self,self, dondon’’tt obsessobsess aboutabout oneself.oneself. Fundamental Ethics of Buddhism is the Eightfold Path. Buddhist scriptures are filled with stories illustrating compassion, charity and non-violence WhatWhat is is the the Eight Eight--FoldFold Path? Path? Wisdom: •Right understanding Moral discipline: •Right motivation •Right speech Mental discipline: •Right action •Right effort •Right livelihood •Right mindfulness •Right meditation EightfoldEightfold Path Path TheThe unionunion withwith thethe ultimateultimate spiritualspiritual reality.reality. EscapeEscape fromfrom thethe cyclecycle ofof rebirth.rebirth. FIVEFIVE PRECEPTS PRECEPTS 1)1) AbstainAbstain fromfrom killingkilling oror harmingharming livingliving beingsbeings 2)2) AbstainAbstain fromfrom stealingstealing 3)3) AbstainAbstain fromfrom improperimproper sexualsexual conductconduct 4)4) AbstainAbstain fromfrom falsefalse speechspeech 5)5) AbstainAbstain fromfrom takingtaking alcoholalcohol andand harmfulharmful drugsdrugs MoreMore Numbers Numbers and and Concepts Concepts…… TripleTriple JewelJewel oror ThreeThree RefugesRefuges:: BuddhaBuddha (guide),(guide), DharmaDharma (path),(path), SanghaSangha (teachers)(teachers) SixSix PerfectionsPerfections:: giving,giving, morality,morality, patience,patience, vigor,vigor, meditationmeditation andand wisdomwisdom BodhisattvaBodhisattva:: personperson whowho hashas attainedattained nirvananirvana butbut chooseschooses toto