International Jain Conference 1985 3rd Conference

Author(s): Satish Jain, Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Ahimsa International

Page 147

Jainism in Buddhist Literature
Dr. Bhagchandra Jain 'Bhaskar
Jainism belongs to the Sramana cultural system of India which is based on the socio-spiritual equality of human beings, niy, on the basic identity of all life. It discounts ritual as a means of emancipation and establishes the path of moral, mental and spiritual development as the only means of escaping from the misery of Samsara.
Nearly more than hundred years ago, Weber, on the basis of some superficial similarities, came to the conclusion that Jainism is an off-shoot of Buddhism. In 1884 Jacobi corrected this view and with a thorough investigation into the historical and traditional records of the two religions, established the fact that Jainism is an earlier and independent religion of India. On the grounds of the latest researches it can be said that the Sramana cultural system led by Jainas existed perhaps prior to Brahmana cult and that most of the leaders of different sects of that time were influenced by the Jaina dogmas.
The Buddhist Pali Canon refers to Nigantha Nataputta, (Mahavira) as an elder religious teacher and is also familiar with some characteristics of Parsvanatha tradition. Besides, the Buddhist literature mentions Rsabhadeva, Padma, Canda, Puspadanta, Vimal, Dharma and Aristanemi as the Jaina Tirthankaras.
The Pali Canon does not mention anything of the early life of Mahavira, but refers to the period of his mission as a religious teacher. His teachings have also been mentioned, sometimes criticised, in the Pali Canon. It is important to note that both Jainism and Buddhism arose and grew up in the same province of India. Though the leaders of both the sects were sometimes living in the same city, yet they never met personally. Their followers, however, used to indulge in discussions and conversations with one another.
In this paper, it is not possible to enumerate all the references to Jainism occuring in the Pali and Buddhist literature. I shall, therefore, give a brief account of them. The philosophical references as found in the Buddhist literature may be summed up as follows.