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Mahâvîra & Buddha
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made a true Jina... You are a Protector of Mankind at large and of your relations, for you have entered the path of the best Jinas." -Uttaradhyayana, XX, V, 58.
Forthwith the king, together with his wives, servants, and relations, became a staunch believer in the Law with a pure mind. The places hallowed by the dust of His feet became Tirthas (Sacred Places) to his votaries.
The auspicious result of this preaching of Lord was very significant, as Dr. Rabindranath Tagore had remarked. He wrote that "Mahâvîra proclaimed in India, the message of salvation that religion is reality and not a mere convention; that salvation comes from taking refuge in that true religion and not from observing external ceremonies of the community; that religion cannot regard any barriers between mand and man as an eternal verity. Wonderous to say, this teaching rapidly overtopped the barriers of the race's abiding instinct and conquered the whole country.'
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Our survey of facts establishes that Mahâvîra and the Buddha were contemporaries and both lead an ascetic life of the Great Sramanas, who proclaimed a religion of pre-Aryan type and existence. We have seen, also, that Gautama Buddha experienced the ascetic life of a Jaina shramana at a time. Hence it is not amazing, if we find many common terms and teachings between Jainism and Buddhism. Earlier Buddhism resembles Jaina belief to a great extent because Sakyamuni had studied ancient Jain scriptures.18
Teachings of Mahâvîra
Mahâvîra taught, like the Buddha, that every living being abhors misery and is hankering for happiness., The cause of misery is ignorance of Realities of Life, which makes the individual to become inatuated with worldly desires and hankerings. The endless pursuit of desires and hankerings leads man to misery and pain. The right way to liberation from the misery of world is threefold, as comprised of Samyaka Darshana (Right Belief), Samyaka Jnana (Right Knowledge), and Samyaka Charitra (Right Conduct) Mahâvîra enlightened the Seeker of Truth that he should conquer the Dragon of Ignorance. For the realisation of Truth he must believe that he is something superior, excellent and everlasting physical beauty called Soul and not the
