A comparative study in Jainism and Buddhism
Buddhist Era 2550 Binara Full Moon - Thursday September 07, 2006which comprise all that exists in the universe. The soul is characterisedaccording to Jainism, by sentiency or consciousness, but in its
embodied state has sense organs, acts of mind, speech, body, respirationand period of life. Further, Jainism advocates souls are infinite innot retaining their individuality and cannot be destroyed or mergedinto any other supreme being, thus denying a creator god. Living canexist in two stateslibrated siddha or mukta and worldly (samsara).The latter is classified as mobile (trasa) and immobile (sthavara) andstill a third state of nigoda beings. The nigoda are host-souls and present
all over the world. They form the lowest stratum as against thehigher state of the liberated ones.
TransmigrationJainism asserts that the soul is in a process of transmigration andled by kammas. In contrast, Buddha says positively, “Without cognizablebeginning is this samsara cycle of births, deaths and rebirths.The earliest point of beings, who are obstructed by ignorance (Moha)and fettered by craving (tanha) wander and fare on, is not to be perceived.Samsara, literally, means recurrent wandering; Atthasalinidescribes Samsaras thus; “Khandhanam patpati datuayatanam ca abbhochinamvattamana samsara, ti pavuccat.” Samsara is the unbrokensuccession of aggregates, elements, and the sensebases. This lifestream continues ad infinitum, as long as it is fed by muddy waters of
ignorance and raving. When these too are completely served, rebirth
ends, as in the case of Buddhas and Arahants.
As regards kamma, Buddha says, ‘All living beings have kamma as
their own’ (Majjhima Nikaya). Kamma is the law of moral causation.
Rebirth its corollary. Both kamma and rebirth are inter-related.
Buddha asserts emphatically that kamma is not the main and only
cause. According to Buddhism there are five processes or norms
(niyamas) which operate in the physical and mental realism.
They are utu niyama, physical organic order e.g. seasonal phenomena
or winds and rains, in the unerring order of seasons. Bija niyama
the order of germs and seeds (physical organic order) The scientific
theory of cells and genes and the physical similarity of twins and even
the traits of persons of the same parentage could be attributed to this.
If a person’s father, is alcoholic, ill-manner, non-socialised, repugnant
to others, refers to others in disparaging language, always irritant,
non-listening to others, ever quarrelsome and never show any symptoms
even of kindness and benevolence to others, even if the children
are professionally trained in any field, genetically these malevolent
traits will be ever in them and such persons after death, will never
have the chance to be reborn as human beings, even if they do they
would be targets of vilification and physical debilities. Kamma niyama
the order of act and result e.g. desirable and undesirable acts produce
corresponding good or bad results. The inherent kamma is also
the continuity principle. Infant prodigies and wonderful children,
who speak different languages without ever receiving any instructions,
are noteworthy examples of the continuity principle. Dhamma
niyama, the order of the norm, e.g. the natural phenomena occurring
at the birth of a Bodhisatta in his last birth. Gravitation and other similar
laws of nature, the reason for being good etc., come under this
group. Citta niyama, the order of the mind of psychic law e.g.
processes of consciousness, constituents of consciousness, power of
mind including telepathy, telaesthesia, recognition, premonition,
clairvoyance, calsi-audience, thought - reading and similar psychic
phenomena come under this group and are inexplicable by science,
other than by a Buddha. Thus kamma is only one factor and not the
pivotal role of birth, death ad rebirth as explained in Jainism.
The followers of Jainism, Niganthas were at Anuradhapura in the
6th century BC, during the reign of Pandukabhaya, namely Jothiya,
Giri and Kumbhanda. Pandukabhaya built a house for Nigantha
Jotiya eastward of the Lower Cemetery at Anuradhapura (nica
susana). The Nigantha named Giri also lived in the same locality.
Pandukabhaya is reported to have erected a devakula (chapel) for
Kumbhandha Nigantha, and it was known after the name of this
Nigantha (Mahavamsa). The Nigantha monasteries (assamapadani)
of these three niganthas were in existence even during the time of
king Devanmpiya Tissa and they were included within the boundaries
of Mahasima, when Arahant Mahinda decided on the boundaries of
the holy city of Buddhism Anuradhapura. (Mahabodhivamsa p.84).
Thus it could be asserted that king Devanmpiya Tissa, prior to being
a Buddhist was a follower of Jainism.
The Mahavamsa - Tika says king Khallatana (50-43 BC) had three
nephews named Tissa, Abhaya and Uttara who plotted against the
king, jumped into the fire at this monastery and committed suicide
Mahavamsa Tika says that the pyre was made at the spot where
Abhayagiri Vihara stands today. The next king Vattagamani - Abhaya
(43 BC) demolished this monastery and built Abhayagiri on the spot.
We hear no more of Jain monasteries thereafter and no archaeological
remains too have been discovered. The Jain monasteries with the
advent of Buddhism would have ben converted to Buddhist Viharas,
as was the case with Giri Monastery at Anuradhapura Vide Journal of
the Royal Asiatic Society (Colombo Branch) Vol XXII, No. 82 and
Lewis Rice, Mysore and Coorgy p.3 ff).
Emperor Asoka’s Pillar Edict VII (of 44 lines) Delhi Topra Pillar in
line 25 says, “Some Mahamatras were ordered by me to busy themselves
with the affairs of the Sangha; likewise others were ordered by
me to busy themselves also with the brahamanas and Ajivakas, others
to busy themselves also with Nirgranthas.”
The writer is a member of the Bharathiya Kala Kendra of India.