Sect of Jainism

1. Digambara
2. Svetambara

• Jain order has been divided into two major sect: Digambara and Svetambara.
• The division occurred mainly due to famine in magadha which compelled a group led by bhadrabahu to move south india.
• During the twelve years famine, the group in South India stick to the strick practices while the group in magadha adopted a more lax attitude and started wearing white clothes.
• After the end of famine, when the southern group come back to magadha , the changed practice led to the division of Jainism into two sect.

1. Digambara

• Monks of this sect believe in complete nudity.
• Male monks do not wear clothes while female monks wear unstitched plain white sarees.
• Follow all five vows,(satya, Ahimsa,Asteya, Aparigraha and Brahmacharya).
• Believe women can't achieve liberation.
• Bhadrabahu was an exponent of this sect.

Major sub-sects of Digambara

 Doctrines and feature of Jainism

• Triratna:

1. Samyak  Shraddha/ Vishwas (Right faith). Belief in tirthankaras.
2. Samyak jnan ( Write knowledge). Knowledge of jain creed.
3. Samyak Karma/Acharan (right Action/conduct). Practice of 5 vows of Jainism.

• Panch Mahavartas (5 Vows):

1. Ahimsa (Non injury).
2. Satya (Non lying).
3. Asteya (Non stealing).
4. Aparigraha (Non possession).
5. Brahmacharya (chastity).

• Types of knowledge:

1. Mati jnan: knowledge obtained by normal means of mind and senses.
2. Shruta jnan: knowledge obtained by signs, symbols, words, hearings, scripture.
3. Avadhi jnan: knowledge obtained without means of mind and senses. The person visualised past, present and future. It is spiritual knowledge.
4. Mahaparyuya jnan: knowledge obtained through other living beings.
5. Keval jnan: it is nature of the soul, once this stage is realised, the soul will attain final liberation when remaining life comes to an end. ( Tirthankaras and arunants are such persons possessing Keval jnan).

• Syadvad (Theory of may be)

1. All our judgements are necessarily relative, conditional and limited.
2. According to the syadvad, seven modes of prediction are possible (saptabhangi nyayvada).
3. Absolute affirmation and absolute negation both are wrong.
4. All judgements are conditional.
5. Syadvad is also known as Anektavada.

• Principles of Jainism preached by Mahavira

1. Rejected the authority of Vedas and vedic rituals.
2. Din not believed in existence of God.
3. Believed in karma and transmigration of soul.
4. Laid great emphasis on equality.

Important facts about Jainism:

• Belief in God: Jainism recognised the existence of God but placed them lower than jina (Mahavira).
• It didn't condemn the varna system but attempted to mitigate the evil of the varna order and the ritualistic Vedic religion. 
• According to Mahavira, a person is born in higher or Lower varna as the consequence of the sins or the virtues in the previous birth. Thus, Jainism believed in the transmigration of the sins or the virtues in the previous birth. Thus, Jainism believed in the transmigration of the soul and the theory of karma.
• Jainism didn't very clearly mark itself out from Hinduism.

 Jainism

Origin of Jainism

• Jainism is a very ancient religion. As per some traditions, it is old as the Vedic religion.
• There were 24 tirthankararas the last of which was Vardhaman Mahavira.
• The first tirthankar is believed to be rishabhanath or rishabhadev.
• The 23rd tirthankara was parshvanath who was born in varanasi.
• He may have lived in the 8th or 7th century BC.
• All the tirthankaras were Kshatriyas by birth.

Life of Mahavira

Vardhaman Mahavira:

• Last Tirthankara, he was born in 540 BC;(widely accepted), he was born at kundagrama near vaisali.
• His parents were Kshatriyas.
• Father: Siddharth (head of Jnatrika clan)
• Mother: Trishala ( sister of lichchhavi chief Chetaka; chetakas doughter married Haryanka King bimbisara).
• He was married to yasoda.
• Doughter: Anojja or priyadarshana.
• At the age of 30, Vardhaman Mahavira renounced his home and became a wandering ascetic.
• He also observed self-mortification.
• He was accompanied by Makkholi gosala but later due to some difference gosala left him and founded ajivika sect.

Kaivalya

• After the age of 42, he attained the highest spiritual knowledge called Kevala jnan.
• He attained this at Jimbhikagrama village. under a sal tree at the bank of river Rijupalika. This is called Kaivalya.
• There after, he was called Mahavira, the brave.     
• Jina or jitendriya (one who conquered     his senses).

1. Nigrantha (free from all bonds).
2.  Arihant (blessed one).
3.  Kevalin (perfect learned).

• Mahavira delivered his sermon at pava.
• He founded jain Sangha at pava (jain commune).
• At the age of 72 in 468 BC, Mahavira passed away at pavapuri near Biharsharif in Bihar.

 Origin, spread and decline of Buddhism

• Causes of the origin of the religiou movement

1. The Vedic philosophy had lost its original purity.
2. The Vedic religion had become very complex and had degenerated into superstitions, dogmas and rituals.
3. Supremacy of the Brahmans created unrestin the society, Kshatriyas reacted against Brahmans.
4. New agriculture economy.
5. The disire of Vaishyas to improve their social position with the increase in their economic position due to the growth of trade.

• Causes of the spread of Buddhism

1. Buddhas magnetic personality.
2. He taught in Pali which the masses understood as apposed to sanskrit.
3. He admitted people into the sangha irrespective of caste distinctions.
4. Initial sanghas were democratic and disciplined organisation.
5. The monks travelled different places preaching the teachings of Buddha.
6. It received royal patronage including from bimbisara, ajatshatru, Ashoka, Kanishka And Harshavardhana.

• Causes of decline of Buddhism in India

1. Split into Mahayana and hinayana weakened the religion.
2. There was corruption among the latter monks, They gave up austerity and indulged in luxuries, moral standards deteriorated.
3. Royal patronage for Buddhism declined after the end of the gupta dynasty around 650AD.
4. Orthodox Hinduism became more popular especially due to the work of kunarila Bhatt and Adi Shankara.
5. The invasion by the Huns and later by the Islamic further declined the influence of Buddhism in the subcontinent.

 Buddhist literature

Buddhist literature available in india, can be divided into two prominent categories

1. Prakrit and pali literature.
2. Sanskrit literature.

Note: lord Buddha gave his sermons in Pali and hence the early Buddhist literature developed in Pali.

Tripitaka

The most important among the early Buddhist literature is the tripitaka.

Also known as the Threefold basket, they include; Vinaya pitaka,sutta pitaka and Abbhidhamma pitaka.

These, contain several books in them.

Vinaya pitaka

Contains the rules of the order of Buddhist monks which must be observed for achiving purity of conduct. 

Hence it is also called the book of discipline. 

It, in turn has three books which are suttavibhanga, khandhaka and parivara.

Sutta pitaka

Lays down the principles of religion.

It is divided into five groups called the Nikayas. 

These include, Digha,majjhima, samyatta, Anguttara and Khuddaka.

Abbhidhamma pitaka

The latest of the tripitaka. 

It contains explosion on the scholastic philosophy.

which include discourses on various subjects, such as ethics, psychology, theories of knowledge and metaphysical problems.

Jatakas

Give an account of the former existences of the Buddha. They contain 547 poems.

These are mentioned in the Khuddaka nikaya. 

In sanskrit, they are known as the jatakamala, in Chinese they are known as sadok.

Milindapanha

It means "questions of milinda". 

It contains a dialogue between milinda who was the Graeco-bactrian King menander and the monk nagasena over some problems of Buddhism. It was originally written in Sanskrit.

The two famous ceylonese chronicles

Mahavamsa and dipavamsa. The former deals with the royal dynasties of Indian subcontinent including Sri Lanka and its known as the world's.

Largest unbroken historical accounts while the latter deals with the arrival of the Buddha's teachings and preachers in Sri Lanka.

Sanskrit literature

Sanskrit literature became prominent in Buddhism with the rise of mahayana Buddhism.

However, some of the sanskritic works were produced by the hinayana school as well.

Mahavastu

Believed to be the most important work of the hinayana school. It is collection of stories and different parts of it were composed in different periods.

However, by including the details of miracles and earlier lives of the Buddha, it also displays some mahayanic thought.

Lalitavistara

Believed to be one of the most sacred of mahayanic texts. It deals with the biography of the Buddha.

Buddhacharita

Written by Asvaghosa. It's an epic style sanskrit work. It tells the life history of gautam buddha.

Mahavibhasa sastra

Written by vasumitra.

It's also linked to the samkhya and vaisheshikha philosophies of Hinduism, a port from Buddhism.

Udanavarga

It contains verses which are attributable to the Buddha and his disciples.

Vajrayana Buddhist literature

Its known as the Buddhist tantras. They are subdivided into -

1. Kriya tantras: focus on ritual action.
2. Charya tantras: centred on the workship of Buddha vairocana (celestial Buddha).
3. Yoga tantras: they too focus on vairocana.
4. Anuttara tantras: focus on mental transformation rather than on ritual actions.

 Buddist councils

• The council held under the patronage of various rulers and chaired by different monks.
• The agenda of these councils was to conserve the sanctity of Buddhism and to spread the religion.
• In total, six councils have been held in Buddhism.

1. First Buddhist council: 483 BC

• Please:  Sattapanni caves in rajgriha.
• Patron: king ajatshatru (haranyska Dynasty)
• Chairman: monk mahakasyapa.
• The agenda: To preserve the teachings(sutta) of the Buddha and the monastic discipline and guidelines for monks(Vinaya).
• It was held Just after the death of the Buddha.
• Result: Suttas and Vinaya were recited by the monks Ananda and upali respectively.

2.Second Buddhist council: 383 BC

• Place: vaisali
• Patron: kalasoka ( shisunaga dynasty)
• Chairman: sabakami
• Agenda: To settle the disagreements of different subdivisions.
• Result: schisms into sthaviravadins and mahasanghika.

3.Third Buddhist council 250BC

• Place: pataliputra in the magadha Kingdom.
• Patron: Emperor Ashoka.
• Chairman: moggaliputta Tissa
• Agenda: To analyse the different schools of Buddhism and to purify them.
• Result: compilation of abbhidhamma potaka and Ashoka sent several groups to different countries to spread Buddhism after this council.

4.Fourth Buddhist council: 72AD

• Place: Kashmir.
• Patron: Emperor Kanishka
• Chairman: vasumitra and Asvaghosa.
• Agenda: The reconciliation of various conflicts between different schools of thought.
• Result: Division of Buddhism into hinayana and Mahayana sects.

5.Fifth Buddhist council: 1871

• Place: Mandalay in Myanmar, then called Burma.
• Patron: king Mindon of the Kingdom of Burma.
• Chairman: jagarabhivamsa, narindabhidhaja, and sumangalasami.
• Agenda: To recite all the Buddhist learning and scratinize them in minuscule details.
• This council is largely not recognised outside of Myanmar as no major Buddhist countries apart from Burma had representatives attending the council.

6.Six Buddhist council: 1954

• Place: Kaba aye in Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma).
• Patron: prime minister U.Nu of the republic of Myanmar.
• Chairman: mahadi sayadaw  and bhadanta vicittasarabhivsmsa.
• Agenda: To upload and preserve the authentic Dhamma and Vinaya of buddhism.
• A special maha passana Guha (cave) was built in Myanmar which was similar to the cave where the first Buddhist was held.

 Bodhisattavas

Meaning:: A person who is able to reach nirvana but delays doing so through compassion for suffering beings.

Bodhisattavas

1. Avalokitesvara
2. Manjusri
3. Samantabhadra
4. Ksitigarbha
5. Maitreya
6. Vajrapani
7. Sadaparibhuta
8. Akasagarbha

Avalokitesvara 

• Avalokitesvara encompasses all buddhas
• In China he is known as guanshiyin pusa, in Tibetan as chenrezig, in Thai as avalokitesvaran.
• He is said to incornate in Dalai Lama.
• He is depicted as holding a lotus flower
• He is depicted as female also.
• A cave wall painting of avalokitesvara is devoted in Ajanta caves as padmapani.

Manjusri

• Heits known as wenshu in chines, jampelyang in Tibetan, and is a manifestation of great wisdom and meditation.
• Manjusri depicted as a male Bodhisattva wielding a flaming award in his right hand.

Samantabhadra

• Means universal worthy and he is associated with meditation.
• Known as puxian pusa in Chinese and fugen bosatsu in Japanese and very popular in Japan among the tendai and shingon sects.
• His manifestation is action and he is key figure in flower garland sutra.

Ksitigarbha

• It usually depicted as a Buddhist monk in the Orient, East Asia. 
• It's means Earth Womb.
• He is regarded as Bodhisattva of earth or hell beings or mortals.
• He is regarded as guardian of children and patron deity of deceased, children and aborted fetuses in Japanese culture.
• He carries a staff.

Khitigarbha, samantabhadra,manjusri and avalokitesvara are the principal bodhisattavas of East Asian Mahayana Buddhism.

Maitreya

• Future Buddha
• He is also known as Ajita buddhisattva.
• He hold a water phial in his left hand.
• It is said that he will arrive when oceans will decrease in size and will rule the ketumati pure land (varanasi).
• Budai was Chinese zen monk who lived durind the later Liang dynasty in China, in Japanese he is called Hotei and is one of the 7 luckey god's of Japan.

Vajrapani

• Vajrapani is depicted as one of the three protective deities around Buddha, other are manjusri and avalokitesvara.
• Vajrapani manifests buddhas power, manjusri manifests buddhas wisdom and avalokitesvara manifests buddhas compassion.
• In Japan a dharma protector called NIO is also vograpani.

Sadaparibhuta

• Sadaparibhuta is a Bodhisattva which manifests "never disparaging" spirit.

Akasagarbha

• Akashgarba is boundless as space.
• He is known as twin brother of ksitigarbha.
• He is menifestation of wisdom.

 Sects ( vehicles) of the Buddhism

Sects of Buddhism

Hinayan
Mahayana
Vajrayana

Hinayan

• Lesser vehicle.
• They believe in original teachings of Buddha.
• Don't believe in idol worship.
• Pali language.
• Southern Buddhist religion, south of India. That is Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Java.
• Two subsects: 1. Vaibhasika 

                             2. Sautantrika

Mahayana

• Greater vehicle
• They believe in heaveliness of Buddha.
• Salvation through grach and help of Buddha and Bodhisattva.
• Believe in idol worship.
• Sanskrit language.
• Northern Buddhists religion, north of India. That is china, Korea, japan, etc.
• Two subsects: 1. Madhyamika/shunyavad

                             2. Yogachar/vijnanavad

Vajrayana

• Salvation through magical power called vajra.
• Taras: chief divinity
• Popular in East India particularly Bengal and Bihar.
• Spread to Tibet, Bhutan, and East Asia.