Sagarmal Jain Abhinandan Granth

SR No.: 012014
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Shreeprakash Pandey
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 1998
Total Pages: 974
Language: Hindi, English
Classification: Smruti_Granth & Articles
File Size: 31 MB

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Aspects of Jainology : Volume VI
and Jainism preach five silas or mahāvratas, with Inspite of similarity in their mission, Buddhonly one difference, that is, in place of non-possession ism flourished more on others' soils than on its native of Mahāvira, Buddha preaches non-consumption of land and established itself as a world religion, while intoxicative drugs.
Jainism could never had a firm-footing on the foreign The major differences between these two soil. It remained firmly rooted in India through all the sister religions from the view-point of metaphysics periods of Indian history, while Buddhism, after c. and ethical code are following:
9th-10th A. D. was totally uprooted from its own land (a) First, while the Upanisadic thinkers of origin. Why did these two religions meet the contemplate one eternal and immutable reality behind diametrically opposite fates ? There were many the world of phenomena and plurality, the Buddha reasons behind it. To name a few, Buddhism in its found everything impermanent and changing and thus early days found such royal patrons as emperor substanceless Nihsvabhāva and sorrowful. Mahavira Asoka and Kaniska, fired with the missionary zeal of synthesised both the above extreme views, he saw no spreading it outside India and had the territory of their contradiction between permanence and change. For empire across the Indian borders. Though Jainis him being and becoming both are the aspects of also in its early days found some royal patrons as the same reality. He defined reality as origination,
Candragupta Maurya, Samprati and Khāravela, yet decay and permanence. Lord Mahāvira never they did not try for the expansion of Jainism on believed in absolute permanence or total cessation.
foreign soil. Moreover, the Jaina monks did not (b) Secondly, the philosophical approach of choose to go outside India, because it was very Buddhism towards other philosophical doctrines was difficult for them to observe their strict code of negative, while that of Jainism was positive. Lord
conduct outside the country and they did not like to be Buddha preached that one should not fall in or accept flexible in their code of conduct. Another most any of the drstis. i. e., philosophical view-point, important reason was that the Buddha had recomwhether it is of eternalism or of ninilism, because mended the middle-path and remained flexible being one-sided, none of them represent a right view
throughout his life, in prescribing the moral code for point. But Mahavira said that both the doctrines are
his monks and nuns. This middle-path and flexibility, partially true, if they are viewed from different
made Buddhism more adaptable to the foreign soil. angles; so one should not discard one's opponent's But due to the same reasons Buddhism was so view, as totally false. For Jainas different opposite
adapted by Hinduism that it could not retain its views may be acceptable from different angles. To independent entity in India. First of all the middleMahavira nothing was absolutely true or false, hence, path of Buddha was not very far from the teachings of he remained positive in his approach all the time.
the Gita. Not only this, Mahāyāna an offshoot of Again, while Buddhism laid stress only on the chang
Buddhism had very little to mark it out from the ing aspect of reality, Jainism gave due consideration
original stock of Hinduism. Secondly, the Buddha to the changing as well as the eternal aspect of reality. himself was accepted as the ninth incarnation of (c) Regarding moral and religious practices,
ng moral and religious practices Vişnu. Thirdly, flexibility in moral code made the life Jainism advocates rigorous and strict austerities,
of Buddhist monks so luxurious and even corrupt that while Buddha condemns this rigorous outlook and in India they could not retain the respect of common recommends a middle path.
men. Jainism, on the other hand, throughout, had a