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KAPADIA: FEATURES BETWEEN JAINISM AND BUDDHISM
while Rahula is accepted by Buddha himself much against the wish of his father as a disciple. Thus both relinquish the world after the birth of an issue. Mahavira evinces a desire to become the monk at the end of 28 years that is after the death of the father, but waits for two more years in honour of the request of his elder brother Nandivardhana. Buddha turns a recluse and goes out for his Mahābhiniṣkramaṇa after seeing the face of his newly born son. The father of Buddha was against his son becoming a monk while Mahavira turns a recluse only after the death of his father. Buddha with a view to get the full enlightenment meet various teachers of different schools who do not satisfy him while Mahavira finds out the path for his own salvation on his own. Both lead a wandering life and carry to completion the ideal life of a Śramana and a Bhikkhu. Buddha does not reform any previous existing religion like Mahavira who reforms the religion of his predecessor Parsvanatha, but innovates a new religion in terms of his own findings and discoveries. Therefore he is required to quote and fight against old doctrines while Mahavira does not do so. Before Mahavira there was already in existence the Caturyama3 religion of the Parsvanatha. Only in view of the new and changed times he remodels the Vrata of Aparigraha, expands its concept and gives birth to a new Vrata known as Brahmacaryavrata. Mahavira lays down five Mahāvratas for the monks and the nuns, five Anuvratas for the laymen and lay-women, whereas Buddha prescribes Pancasilas of which the fifth one is little different as it includes Madyapana etc. In the beginning both were against the entry of nuns into the order. Both condemn women in severe terms. Prior to Mahavira, in the Jaina religion women had free entry and so nuns were there in the Samgha of the Jainas; while Buddha had to ultimately yield as his step mother Mahaprajapati was not able to endure the death of her husband. Buddha thrice rejected the request of his mother but on the intervention and the plea of Ananda he had to ultimately give way and allow an entry to women in the Sangh. Both the religions consider nuns inferior to the monks. Even a nun of hundred year standing has to obey, respect and not to enter into verbal discussion with a monk of a day's initiation.
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The circumstances which make Buddha turn a monk are quite different from those of Mahavira. At the birth of Buddha it was predicted that he would become a recluse and so his father took every possible precaution to make his life as comfortable as possible. But through the intervention of divine agency he sees ugly sights which make him renounce the world while Mahavira becomes a monk at the ripe time.+ 3. This referred to the 2nd Surta of Shamannaphala-Sutta of Digh-nikaya and in Jain Suttas.
4. At the age of 30.
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