Jain Journal 1988 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 24

OCTOBER, 1988
his death. After eating it he feil sick and died. When he was alive Devadatta tried to prohibit the eating of flesh and fish but his stricter rules of conduct were not encouraged by the Buddha ; and it is said that this was the cause of the first split in the Buddhist church. Both the religions believe in confessions. The Buddhists have their upavasatha days, and the Jainas have their pratikramana and the paryusana days. Out of the seven tattvas of the Jainas the four viz. bandha, äsrva, samvara and mokşa correspond to Buddhist dukkha, dukkhahetu, dukkhanirodha and the dukkhanirodhagāminīmagga, more commonly known as the four ārya satyas. Both believe in tişņā and ajñāna as the cause of metempsychosis. Both have condemned in severest possible terms the himsā of the Vedic Hindus. Both are also harsh on the Hindu caste system. In the Sūtrakrtānga the views of the Buddhas are criticised and in the Majjhimanikāya there is the criticism of Jaina ahimsā. Even in the Niryuktis and the Abhidharmakośa, etc. the old criticism appears in new light, in a new garb. Inspite of this both condemn in severe terms the Vedic himsā. It is as a result of these two religions that animal sacrifices have gone to the state of oblivion. We can add that their mutual criticism of each other is as a result of want of proper mutual understanding which can be shown from Upālisutta of Majjhimanikāya and Sūtrakstānga (I.1. 2, 24-32, 2.6. 16-28).
Both the religions believe in the mantras and both have a rich mantraśāstra, of their own. Buddhism later on turned to tantraśāstra and carried this to its extremity. The Jainas also believe in tantra. The oft-repeated and the highly celebrated mantra of the Buddhists is aum mani padme hum which is engraved on every possible thing and object. Like this with the Jainas the sacred mantra is the namaskāra mahamantra. These mantras are repeated by the respective devotees with great faith and earnestness. The mantra of the Jainas is said to be the essence of the 14 pürvas. By certain repetition of this mahämantra one can get the punya of Tirthankara nāma and gotra.
It is said that the personality of Buddha contributed to a large extent in the spread of Buddhism which was a missionary religion. Not so of Jainism. Through the missionary activities Buddhism spread not only throughout India but also outside, while Jainism remained confined to India where it still survives while Buddhism disappeared since long. 10 Buddhism gained footing in Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan,
8 It is repeated for 10,00,000 times.
aum, hrim, etc. are mantras in both religions. 10 Now attempts are made to revive it in India.