ANCIENT INDIA-5 BUDDHISM/JAINISM



  • RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS
  • JAINISM
  • Rishabhadev was the founder of Jainism and the first Tirthankara.
  • Mahavira was the last of the 24 tirthankaras, or great teachers.
  • Mahavira was born at Kundagrama (near Vaishali) in Bihar.          
  • His father was the head of the Jnatrika- clan and his mother was a Lichchavi princess.
  • At the age of 30, Mahavira left his home.
  • For the next 12 years, he wandered from place to place in search of knowledge.  
  • In the end he realised perfect perception, knowledge, power and bliss, This implementation is called keval Jnana.
  • Mahavira travelled from place  to place preaching his message. He visited the court of Bimbisara and Ajatashatru.
  • Five doctrines of Jainism
  • (i) Ahinsa (non-violence)
  • (ii) Satua (do not speak a lie)
  • (iii) Aehaurya (do not steal)
  • (iv) Brahmacharya (celibacy) and
  • (v) Aparigraha (non-possessiveness).
  • Ratnatraya (three jewels) of Jainism - Samyagdarshan (right belief),
  • Samyagyana (correct knowledge), and
  • Samyak Charitra (correct behaviour).  
  • One of the three cannot exist exclusive of the others, and all are required for spiritual liberation.
  • The followers of Jainsism divided into Digambaras (skyclad or naked) and Svetambars (white-clad)
  • BUDDHISM
  • Gautam Buddha was the founder of Buddhism whose real name was  Siddharatha.  
  • He was born as a royal prince in 624 BC at a place called Lumbini, Nepal.
  • His father was a king named Suddodana Tharau, the chief of the Shakya clan, and his mother’s name was Mahamaya.
  • Siddharatha left home to seek knowledge and the true meaning of life For six years, he wandered from place to  place.
  • he  discovered enlightenment under the Peepal tree in Gaya,  Bihar at the age of 35.
  • He thus, became the “Buddha” the enlightened or the Awakended or the Wise one.
  • He gave his first sermon at the Deer Park in Sarnath known as the Dharmachkra Pravartana (setting in motion the wheel of dharma)
  • The tiratane (Three Jewels) of Buddhism are
  • Buddha (The Enlightened)
  • Dhamma (The Teaching) and
  • Sangha (The Community)
  • The Buddhism spread over worldwide due to the missionaries activities of Emperor Ashoka
  • There are four noble truths of Buddhism: a. The world is full of sorrow
  • b. Desire is the cause of sorrow
  • c. If desire is conquered all sorrow is won over
  • d. Desire can be conquered by following eight fold paths (Ashtangika Marg)
  • The Eight Fold Path is as follows: Samyak Drist : Right Understanding
  • Samyak Sankalpa: Right Thought
  • Samyak Vani:Right Speech
  • Samyak Karma : Right Action
  • Samyak Ajiv: Right Livelihood
  • Samyak Vyayam: Right Efforts
  • Samyak Smriti: Right Mindfulness
  • Samyak Samadhi: Right Concentration
  • Five Great Events of Buddha’s Life and their symbols
  • Birth – Lotus & Bull
  • Great Renunciation- Horse
  • Nirvana – Bodhi Tree
  • First Sermon – Dharma Chakra
  • Death – Stupa
  • Famous Bikshuks of Budhdhism: • Sariputra • Ananda • Mahakassapa • Annuradha • Upali • Rahul
  • Mahayanists rose in 1st century BC now spread in east Asia
  • China adopted vajrayan Buddhism in 1st century AD
  • Buddhist Councils:
  • According to Pali literature four councils were  held to draw up the canonical texts and the creed in their pure form.
  • The First Council was held at Sattapani RajGriha in 483 BC just after the death of Buddha. It was presided by Mahakassapa Upali.
  • The Second Buddhist council took place during the reign of Kalashoka approximately in 334 BCE, seventy years after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa.
  • The Second Council resulted in the first schism in the Sangha, probably caused by a group of reformists called Sthaviras who split (on Vinaya) from the conservative majority Mahāsāṃghikas.
  • According to the Theravadin account, the Second Council occurred in Vaiśālī.
  • The Third Council was held in Patliputra in 250 BC during the reign of Ashoka.  
  • Moggliputta Tissa presided over it. At this council Abhidhamma Pitaka were collected

  • Fourth Buddhist Council is the name of two separate Buddhist council meetings.
  • The first one was held in the 1st century BC, in Sri Lanka.
  • In this fourth Buddhist council the Theravadin Pali Canon was for the first time committed to writing, on palm leaves.
  • The second one was held by the Sarvastivada school, in Kashmir around the 1st century AD under Kanishka.
  • Vasumitra and Asvaghose acted as vice president  of this council.
  • Buddhism divided into two sects ie. Hinayana and Mahayana.


  • The Fifth Buddhist council took place in Mandalay, Burma (Myanmar) in 1871 CE under the auspices of King Mindon of Burma (Myanmar).
  • The chief objective of this meeting was to recite all the teachings of the Gautama Buddha according to the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism and examine them in minute detail to see if any of them had been altered, distorted or dropped.
  • the company of 2400 monks. Their joint Dhamma recitation lasted five months.


    The Sixth Buddhist Council was a general council of Theravada Buddhism, held in a specially built cave and pagoda complex at Kaba Aye Pagoda in Yangon, Burma.
  • The council was attended by 2500 monastics from eight Theravada Buddhist countries.
  • The Council lasted from 1954 to 1956,
  • its completion coinciding with the traditional 2500th anniversary of the Gautama Buddha's Parinibbāna. In the tradition of past Buddhist councils, a major purpose of the Sixth Council was to preserve the Buddha's teachings and practices as understood in the Theravada tradition.

  • Lumbini
  • Lumbini is currently located in Nepal.
  • It is birth place of Buddha. At the time of birth of Buddha, Lumbini was a part of Shakya Janapada, which was a republic.
  • Bodhgaya
  • It is located in Bihar on the bank of river Neranjana {this river was known as Uruwela at that time
  • Known for place of enlightment of Buddha.
  • Sarnath
  • Sarnath is the deer park where Gautama Buddha delivered his first sermon or Dhammachakraparivartan Sutra. At the time of Buddha, it was a part of Kashi Janapada.
  • Kushinagar
  • Kushinara or Kushinagara is located in Kushinagar district of Uttar Pradesh. It is the site of Buddha’s death and mahaparinirvana. At the time of Buddha’s death, it was a capital of Malla janapada.
  • Sravasti
  • Sravasti was located in Uttar Pradesh
  • Buddha had spent 24Chaturmasa/year.
  • Thus, we can say that most of monastic life of Buddha was spent in Shravasti.
  • In Buddha’s times, Shravasti was capital of Kosala Kingdom. Shravasti is also birthplace of Jaina Tirthankar Sambhavanath, and thus is important for Jains also.
  • Sankasya
  • It’s in Uttar Pradesh.
  • Buddha after is death descended from heaven here.
  • Rajgir
  • Rajgir was the early capital of Magadh Janapada, which was ruled by Bimbisara during Buddha’s time.
  • After the great departure (Mahabhinishkramana), Buddha had first gone to Rajgir. He started begging alms over there and living life of an ascetic.
  • King Bimbisara had offered Buddha his throne which he turned down.
  • Vaishali

  • At the time of Buddha, Vaishali was in Vajji Janapada.  After leaving Kapilavastu for renunciation, he came to Vaishali first and had his spiritual training from Allara and Udaka.
  • Other places of importance in Buddhism

  • Amaravati

  • Amarawati in Andhrapradesh’s Guntur district  is also known as Dhanyakataka or Dharanikota and was the site of a great Buddhist Stupa built in pre-Mauryan times, ruled by Satavahana kings.
  • Nagarjunkonda

  • Nagarjunkonda is near Nagarjun Sagar in Andhra Pradesh.
  • it was home to more than 30 Buddhist Viharas (Buddhist universities and monasteries), attracting students from as far as China, Gandhara, Bengal and Sri Lanka.
  • Nagarjunkonda was one the largest and most important Buddhist centers in South India from the second centuary BC until the third century AD. It was named after Nagarjuna, a renowned Buddhist scholar and philosopher, who had migrated here from Amaravati to propagate and spread the Buddha’s message of universal peach and brotherhood.
  • Ajanta Caves
  • Ajanta Caves are 31 rock cut caves from 2nd to 8th century AD, located in Aurangabad. The first caves called Chaityas were created during Satavahana Dynasty. Cave No. 1 has the painting of Padmapani and Vajrapani.
  • Painted narratives of the Jataka tales are depicted on the walls.
  • Angkor Wat

  • Angkor Wat is located in Cambodia. The temple complex was built by Suryavarman II and it was first devoted to Vishnu and later to Buddhist.
  • Bodh Gaya

  • Bodh Gaya was known as Bodhimanda, Uruvela, Sambodhi, Vajrasana and Mahabodhi till 18th century when Bodh Gaya name became popular. It has the Mahabodhi temple and Bodhi tree. It became Unesco world heritage site in 2002.
  • Bodhi Tree

  • It’s a Pipal Tree (Ficus Religiosa). Located in Bodh Gaya. Under this tree Gautama attained enlightment. The current tree is a descendent of the original tree.
  • Borobudur
  • Borobudur is located in Indonesia
  • It’s a world Heritage site. There are 3 Buddhist temples which are known as Borobudur Temple Compounds.
  • bamyan Caves
  • They are located in Afghanistan and have statues represented the classic blended style of Gandhara art of 6th century,
  • They were the  largest examples of standing Buddha carvings in the world, before they were blown by dyanamite by Taliban in 2001.
  • Ellora Caves

  • Ellora Caves represent Buddhist, jain and Hindu Rock cut temples built by Rastrakuta Kings. Earliest Buddhist cave is Cave 6; most caves of Buddhism are Viharas.
  • Cave number 10 is a Chaitya hall also known as Chandrashala or Vishwkarma Cave and also known as carpenter’s cave.
  • Pushpagiri University

  • Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri and Udayagiri are the part of the Puspagiri University

  • Vikramshila, Odantapuri and Somapapuri

  • Vikramshila. Odantapuri & Somapapuri were the Buddhist Viharas founded by Palas.


  • https://youtu.be/nfslivZmMMA

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

hiSTORY OF INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCE

ANCIENT INDIA-8 Sangam Age to Kalabhra

EUROPEAN PENETRATION INTO INDIA