Around 2500 years ago, a period of great questioning and new ideas began in India. Many thinkers, who were dissatisfied with the old ideas and rituals, began to ask deep questions about life, death, truth, and the meaning of existence. They wanted to understand why there was so much sorrow in the world and how one could find peace.
Two of the greatest thinkers of this time were Gautama Buddha, who founded Buddhism, and Vardhamana Mahavira, who was the most famous teacher of Jainism. Both of them questioned the rituals and sacrifices of the priests and taught that people should lead simple, truthful and kind lives.
In this chapter, we will learn about the life and teachings of the Buddha and Mahavira, the ideas of other thinkers like the Upanishads, the story of the Buddha's enlightenment, and the spread of new ideas through travelling teachers and monks.
The period around 2500 years ago was a time of change. New towns were growing, trade was expanding, and people were becoming prosperous. However, many people were also worried about the increasing number of sacrifices and rituals prescribed by the priests.
People began to question why such expensive sacrifices were necessary. They asked questions like: What is the purpose of life? Why is there sorrow and suffering in the world? Is there life after death? Such questions led thinkers to search for answers in new ways, and this search gave birth to some of the world's great religions and philosophies, including Buddhism and Jainism.
Gautama Buddha was born about 2500 years ago in Lumbini, which is in present-day Nepal. His name was Siddhartha, and he was the son of a king of the Shakya clan. As a prince, he lived in luxury and was protected from the sorrows of the world by his father.
One day, Siddhartha went out of the palace and saw four sights that changed his life: an old man, a sick person, a dead body and a religious seeker (an ascetic). These sights made him realise that old age, sickness and death come to everyone. He left his palace and family to find a way to overcome sorrow. After much meditation and self-denial, he attained enlightenment while sitting under a peepal tree at Bodh Gaya in Bihar. He became known as the Buddha, meaning "the enlightened one" or "the awakened one".
The Buddha spent the rest of his life travelling on foot, teaching people his ideas. He spoke in the language of the common people, Prakrit, so that everyone could understand him. His first sermon was delivered at Sarnath, near Varanasi.
The main teachings of the Buddha are: - The world is full of sorrow, which is caused by our desires and craving. - Sorrow can be removed by controlling desire. - By following the Middle Path (avoiding both extremes of luxury and self-denial), one can achieve Nirvana (enlightenment or freedom from sorrow). - People should be kind and respectful to all living beings, including animals. - One should not believe in the rituals and sacrifices of the priests, but follow good conduct.
The Buddha believed that the results of our actions, called karma, determine what happens to us, and that a person is responsible for his or her own destiny.
Around the same time, other thinkers, whose ideas are recorded in the Upanishads, were asking deep questions about the universe and the soul. The word "Upanishad" means "sitting down near" a teacher.
The Upanishadic thinkers believed that there is a single, universal soul called Brahman and that the individual soul, called Atman, is part of it. They asked questions about truth, knowledge and immortality. The most famous of the Upanishads is the Chandogya Upanishad. The ideas of the Upanishads were debated by thinkers, and some of these debates were later recorded in books called Sutras and Suttas.
One of the most famous stories from the Upanishads is the story of the boy Nachiketa, which is told in the Katha Upanishad. Nachiketa's father was performing a sacrifice, and he was angry with his son.
Nachiketa asked his father to whom he would give his son. Angered, the father said he would give him to Yama, the god of death. Nachiketa went to the house of Yama and waited there for three days. When Yama returned, he was pleased with the boy's courage and granted him three boons. Nachiketa asked for the knowledge of life after death. This story teaches us the value of courage, curiosity and the search for true knowledge.
Vardhamana Mahavira was the most famous teacher of Jainism. He was born about 2500 years ago in Kundalagrama, near Vaishali. His name Mahavira means "the great hero". Like the Buddha, he was a prince who left his home to become an ascetic in search of truth.
After years of fasting and meditation, Mahavira attained enlightenment and spread his teachings. He taught in Prakrit, the language of the common people. His teachings were later written down in the Angas.
The main teachings of Jainism are: - Everyone should be truthful, non-violent and honest. - Ahimsa (non-violence) is the most important principle – do not hurt any living being. - Follow the three jewels of Jainism: right faith, right knowledge and right conduct. - People should not hoard things they do not need. - One can reach salvation, called Moksha, by leading a pure and disciplined life.
Jainism lays great stress on ahimsa or non-violence. Jains believe that all living beings, even tiny insects, have a soul and should not be harmed. That is why many Jains are vegetarians and take great care not to harm any creature.
The three jewels of Jainism are: 1. Samyak Darshana (right faith) 2. Samyak Jnana (right knowledge) 3. Samyak Charitra (right conduct)
Jain monks follow very strict rules. They eat very little food, sweep the ground in front of them before walking so that they do not step on any insect, and do not stay in one place for too long. The ultimate goal in Jainism is to reach Moksha, freedom from the cycle of birth and death.
The ideas of the Buddha and Mahavira spread rapidly because they taught in the language of the people and did not depend on complicated rituals. Their teachings were open to all – men and women, rich and poor, high and low.
The monks who followed the Buddha were called bhikkhus, and those who followed Mahavira were called monks of Jainism. Both the Buddha and Mahavira allowed men and women to join their orders and lead simple, dedicated lives. They travelled from place to place, preaching, and many people accepted the new ideas. The teachings of the Buddha were later written down in Pali, and the Jains wrote in Prakrit. Both religions gradually spread to many parts of India and beyond.
One of the reasons for the popularity of Buddhism and Jainism was that the Buddha and Mahavira taught in the language of the common people. The Buddha spoke in Pali and the Jains in Prakrit, while the Brahmins composed their texts in Sanskrit.
Because the common people could understand Pali and Prakrit, they could understand the new teachings easily. This made the new religions more accessible and popular among ordinary people. The tradition of teaching in the people's language was a great step in making knowledge available to all.
| Feature | Buddhism | Jainism |
|---|---|---|
| Founder | Gautama Buddha | Vardhamana Mahavira |
| Birthplace | Lumbini (Nepal) | Kundalagrama near Vaishali |
| Key principle | Middle Path, Nirvana | Ahimsa, Moksha |
| Language used | Pali | Prakrit |
| Sacred texts | Suttas | Angas |
| Place | Event |
|---|---|
| Lumbini | Birthplace of the Buddha |
| Bodh Gaya | Attained enlightenment under peepal tree |
| Sarnath | Delivered his first sermon |
| Kushinagar | Left the world (died) |
The period around 2500 years ago was a golden age of questioning and new ideas in India. Thinkers challenged the expensive rituals and sacrifices and asked deep questions about life, sorrow and death. The Buddha taught the Middle Path and Nirvana, while Mahavira taught the principles of ahimsa and the three jewels of Jainism.
The Upanishadic thinkers explored the relationship between Brahman and Atman, and the story of Nachiketa taught the value of seeking knowledge even from the god of death. Because the Buddha and Mahavira taught in the language of the people, their ideas spread far and wide, and Buddhism and Jainism became major religions. These new ideas made people think about right conduct, kindness to all living beings and personal responsibility, and they continue to influence the world even today.