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Buddhism & Jainism – UPSC Essentials

Both Buddhism and Jainism emerged in the 6th century BCE as heterodox reactions to Brahmanical orthodoxy — opposing caste rigidity, Vedic ritualism, and the dominance of Sanskrit. They arose mainly in the middle Gangetic plains and are among the most important topics for UPSC Prelims and GS-I Mains.

⚡ Why Did These Religions Emerge?
Reasons Behind the Rise of Heterodox Sects
  • Kshatriya reaction: Both Mahavira and Buddha were Kshatriyas — they challenged Brahmin supremacy over religion
  • Against caste rigidity: Opposed the rigid varna system and birth-based hierarchy
  • Against animal sacrifice: Vedic rituals involving animal killing were condemned
  • Vedic Sanskrit inaccessible: Both preached in Prakrit and Pali — languages of the common people
  • Economic factor: The rise of trade and commerce made Vaishyas (merchants) seek an alternative to Brahmin dominance — Buddhism and Jainism gave them dignity and social recognition
  • Intellectual ferment: Upanishadic philosophy had already challenged ritualism — Buddhism and Jainism took this further
🟤 JAINISM 👤 Vardhamana Mahavira – The 24th Tirthankara
Life & Background
  • Born: 599 BCE at Kundagrama (near Vaishali, Bihar)
  • Clan: Licchavi clan — a Kshatriya family
  • Father: Siddhartha (head of Jnatrikas clan)
  • Mother: Trishala (sister of Licchhavi chief Chetaka)
  • Wife: Yashoda; Daughter: Priyadarshana
  • Left home: At age 30 (after parents’ death)
  • Attained Kaivalya (enlightenment): After 12 years of intense penance — under a Sal tree on the banks of the Rijupalika river, near Jambhiyagrama
  • Death (Nirvana): 527 BCE at Pavapuri (Bihar) at age 72
  • Known as: Jina (conqueror), Nigantha Nataputta (in Buddhist texts), Mahavira
Key Terms
  • Jina: Conqueror (of passions) → hence followers are called Jains
  • Nirgrantha: Free from bonds (another name for Mahavira)
  • Kaivalya: Enlightenment in Jainism (= Nirvana in Buddhism)
  • Tirthankar: Ford-maker — one who helps cross the river of rebirth
  • Gandhara: Mahavira’s 11 chief disciples were called Gandharvas — their leader was Sudharman (first head of Jain Sangha after Mahavira)
⭐ UPSC Frequently Asked
📜 The 24 Tirthankaras
  • Jainism believes in 24 Tirthankaras (spiritual teachers)
  • First Tirthankara: Rishabhanatha (Adinath) — mentioned in the Rigveda; also mentioned in Vishnu Purana and Bhagavat Purana as an avatar of Vishnu
  • 23rd Tirthankara: Parshvanatha — lived about 250 years before Mahavira; preached four vows (excluded Brahmacharya)
  • 24th Tirthankara: Vardhamana Mahavira — added Brahmacharya as the 5th vow (Pancha Mahavrata)
  • Vedic texts mention only Rishabhadeva and Arishtanemi among the 24 Tirthankaras
⭐ UPSC Prelims Asked
⚖️ Jain Philosophy & Doctrines
Pancha Mahavrata (Five Great Vows)
  • Ahimsa – Non-violence (the most important)
  • Satya – Truthfulness
  • Asteya – Non-stealing
  • Aparigraha – Non-possession
  • Brahmacharya – Celibacy (added by Mahavira; Parshvanatha had only four)
📌 UPSC Note First four vows were preached by Parshvanatha. Mahavira added Brahmacharya as the fifth vow.
Triratna (Three Jewels) — Path to Moksha
  • Samyak Darshana – Right Faith/Belief
  • Samyak Jnana – Right Knowledge
  • Samyak Charitra – Right Conduct

These three together lead to Kaivalya (Moksha) in Jainism.

Core Philosophical Doctrines
  • Anekantavada: The doctrine of many-sidedness of truth — reality is complex and multi-faceted; no single viewpoint captures the whole truth
  • Syadvada: Theory of conditional predication — “Perhaps” or “maybe” — all judgements are conditional. Also called Saptabhangi Naya (seven-fold predication)
  • Nayavada: Doctrine of partial viewpoints — related to Anekantavada
  • Karma as substance: Jainism believes Karma is a real physical substance that permeates the soul
  • Soul (Jiva): Jainism believes in the eternal existence of the soul — every living being has a Jiva (including plants, water, fire, earth)
  • Ajiva: Non-living matter — the other component of universe
  • Moksha: Liberation through strict asceticism — the complete shedding of karma
⭐ Syadvada asked in UPSC Prelims
Seven Fundamentals (Tattvas) — Tattvartha Sutra
  1. Jiva – Soul
  2. Ajiva – Non-soul matter
  3. Asrava – Influx of karma
  4. Bandha – Bondage of soul by karma
  5. Samvara – Stopping the influx of karma
  6. Nirjara – Shedding accumulated karma
  7. Moksha – Liberation
Other Important Concepts
  • Ahimsa is supreme: Even agriculture is prohibited as it harms insects
  • God: Jainism recognises gods (including Brahmanical gods), but they are subordinate to Tirthankaras
  • Vedas: Jainism rejects the authority of Vedas
  • Caste: Rejects birth-based caste; emphasises conduct
  • Sallekana (Sallekhana): Ritual death by fasting — the highest form of Jain asceticism
  • Jain cosmology: Universe is eternal — no creator God
  • Paryushana: Important Jain festival — Kalpa Sutra is recited
  • Jain monasteries: Called Basadis (Basadas)
  • Gandharva: Mahavira’s 11 chief disciples; Gandharva literally means “leader of the school” (head of a Gana)
🔱 Sects of Jainism
Digambara vs Shwetambara
  • Split occurred: c. 300 BCE during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya — when Bhadrabahu led a group to South India (Karnataka), followed by Chandragupta Maurya
  • Digambara (“Sky-clad” — naked): Do not wear clothes; believe women cannot attain moksha; consider the original Agamas lost; associated with South India (Karnataka)
  • Shwetambara (“White-clad”): Wear white clothes; believe women can attain moksha; preserve the Agamas; associated with Western India (Rajasthan, Gujarat)
  • Yapaniya: A sub-sect — part Digambara (naked monks) but accepts some Shwetambara practices
📌 Key Fact Chandana (daughter of Dadhivahana, king of Champa) was the first female disciple (first Bhikshuni) of Mahavira.
👑 Royal Patrons of Jainism
  • Chandragupta Maurya — converted to Jainism in old age; accompanied Bhadrabahu to Karnataka; died by Sallekana at Shravanabelagola
  • Udayin — Haryanka king; supporter
  • Bimbisara — Haryanka king; supporter
  • Ajatashatru — Haryanka king; supporter
  • Kharvela — Kalinga king; major Jain patron (Hathigumpha inscription)
  • Amoghavarsha (Rashtrakuta) — became a Jain monk; wrote Ratnamalika
  • Kumarapala (Solanki, Gujarat) — made Jainism state religion under Hemachandra’s influence
  • States that patronised Jainism: Ganga, Kadamba, Chalukya, Rashtrakuta
📅 Jain Councils
  • First Jain Council: c. 300 BCE at Pataliputra — presided by Sthulabhadra; compiled 12 Angas; Digambaras opposed this council
  • Second Jain Council: c. 512 CE at Valabhi (Gujarat) — presided by Devardhigani Kshamasramana; final compilation of Shwetambara canon
🟢 BUDDHISM 👤 Gautama Buddha – Life & Enlightenment
Life & Background
  • Born: 563 BCE at Lumbini (modern Nepal) on Vaisakha Purnima
  • Clan: Shakya clan — hence also called Shakyamuni
  • Father: Shuddhodana (ruler of Kapilavastu)
  • Mother: Mahamaya (died shortly after birth); raised by aunt Mahapajapati Gotami
  • Wife: Yashodhara; Son: Rahula
  • The Great Renunciation (Mahabhinishkramana): Left home at age 29
  • Enlightenment (Mahaparinibbana / Bodhi): After 6 years of meditation — under the Peepal (Bodhi) tree at Bodh Gaya, on the banks of Niranjana (Phalgu) river; at age 35
  • First Sermon (Dhammachakkapavattana): At Sarnath (Deer Park / Rishipatana) — to five disciples; called the Turning of the Wheel of Dharma
  • Death (Mahaparinirvana): 483 BCE at Kushinagar (Uttar Pradesh) at age 80
Four Sights that Prompted Renunciation
  • An old man (old age)
  • A sick man (disease)
  • A dead body (death)
  • A wandering ascetic (path of liberation)
Symbols Representing Events of Buddha’s Life
  • Birth → Lotus and Bull
  • Enlightenment (Bodhi) → Bodhi tree / Peepal tree
  • First Sermon (Dhammachakra Pravartana) → Wheel (Dharmachakra)
  • Mahaparinirvana (Death) → Stupa / Footprint
⭐ UPSC Prelims 2021 asked
⚖️ Buddhist Philosophy & Doctrines
Four Noble Truths (Chatur Arya Satya)
  1. Dukkha – The world is full of suffering
  2. Samudaya – All suffering has a cause (desire, ignorance, attachment)
  3. Nirodha – Suffering can be destroyed by eliminating its cause
  4. Marga – The Eightfold Path is the way to end suffering
⭐ UPSC Core Concept
Eightfold Path — Ashtangika Marga
  1. Right View (Samyak Drishti) – Understanding the nature of suffering
  2. Right Aim/Intention (Samyak Sankalpa) – Renouncing desire and ill-will
  3. Right Speech (Samyak Vak) – Speaking truth always
  4. Right Action (Samyak Karma) – Performing unselfish actions
  5. Right Livelihood (Samyak Ajiva) – Living by honest means
  6. Right Effort (Samyak Vyayama) – Controlling senses to prevent bad thoughts
  7. Right Mindfulness (Samyak Smriti) – Understanding impermanence of the body
  8. Right Concentration (Samyak Samadhi) – Meditation leading to peace and truth
📌 UPSC Note The Eightfold Path is called the Middle Path (Majjhima Patipada) — avoiding both extreme luxury and extreme asceticism. This is the fundamental difference with Jainism which advocates extreme asceticism.
Triratna of Buddhism (Three Jewels)
  • Buddha – The Enlightened One
  • Dharma – His teachings
  • Sangha – The community of monks
Panchshila — Five Precepts
  • Do not kill (Ahimsa)
  • Do not steal
  • Do not lie
  • Do not drink intoxicants
  • Do not indulge in sensual pleasures
Key Philosophical Concepts
  • Anatta (No-Self): Buddhism denies the existence of a permanent soul — no atman; this is the fundamental difference with Jainism and Brahmanism
  • Anicca (Impermanence): Everything is transient and ever-changing
  • Dukkha (Suffering): Existence is inherently unsatisfactory
  • Pratitya Samutpada: Dependent Origination — all things arise in dependence on causes and conditions; the chain of 12 nidanas (links)
  • Nirvana: Extinction of desire — liberation; possible in this life itself (unlike Jainism)
  • Karma: Actions determine future — but no transmigrating soul in Buddhism
  • God: Buddha neither accepted nor denied God — concerned primarily with individual liberation
  • Madhyama Pratipada (Middle Path): Avoid extreme asceticism and extreme indulgence
⭐ Frequently Asked — Anatta, Pratitya Samutpada
🏛️ Buddhist Councils
1st Buddhist Council — c. 483 BCE, Rajagriha
  • Presided by: Mahakassapa
  • Patron: Ajatashatru (Haryanka dynasty)
  • Purpose: Compiled Vinaya Pitaka (Upali) and Sutta Pitaka (Ananda)
  • Held at Saptaparni Cave near Rajagriha
2nd Buddhist Council — c. 383 BCE, Vaishali
  • Presided by: Sabakami
  • Patron: Kalasoka (Shishunaga dynasty)
  • Purpose: Dispute over 10 points of monastic discipline → First split in Buddhism
  • Led to division into Sthaviravada (orthodox) and Mahasanghika
3rd Buddhist Council — c. 250 BCE, Pataliputra
  • Presided by: Mogaliputta Tissa
  • Patron: Ashoka (Maurya dynasty)
  • Purpose: Purification of the Sangha; compiled Abhidhamma Pitaka; dispatched missionaries including Mahinda to Sri Lanka
⭐ Most Important Council — UPSC Prelims frequently asked
4th Buddhist Council — c. 72 CE, Kashmir (Kundalvana)
  • Presided by: Vasumitra (Chairman), Ashvaghosha (Vice-chairman)
  • Patron: Kanishka (Kushan dynasty)
  • Purpose: Final split into Hinayana and Mahayana
  • Note: This council is NOT recognised by Theravada/Hinayana Buddhists
🔱 Sects of Buddhism
Hinayana (Lesser Vehicle)
  • Also called Theravada (Doctrine of the Elders) — oldest surviving school
  • Considers Buddha as a great man, not God
  • Does not believe in idol worship
  • Texts written in Pali
  • Individual salvation is primary
  • Spread to: Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia
  • Sub-sects: Vaibhashika (Kashmir) and Sautrantika
Mahayana (Greater Vehicle)
  • Buddha is worshipped as a God — idol worship accepted
  • Concept of Bodhisattva — delays own Nirvana to help others achieve it
  • Texts written in Sanskrit
  • Emphasis on universal salvation (helping all beings)
  • Founded by Nagarjuna (Madhyamaka/Shunyavada)
  • Spread to: China, Japan, Korea, Tibet, Vietnam
  • Sub-sects: Madhyamaka/Shunyavada (Nagarjuna) and Vijnanavada/Yogachara (Asanga & Vasubandhu)
📌 Key: Mahayana Ideal = Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Padmapani) — holds a lotus; most popular Bodhisattva
Maitreya — the future Buddha yet to incarnate; holds a water phial
Manjushri — Bodhisattva of wisdom
Vajrapani — holds a thunderbolt
⭐ Bodhisattvas frequently asked in UPSC
Vajrayana (Diamond Vehicle / Thunderbolt Way)
  • Also called Tantric Buddhism
  • Emerged in 7th century CE
  • Uses mantras, mudras, and mandalas for salvation
  • Worships Shakti (Tara) — female deities
  • Spread to: Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan
  • Key texts: Tantras
  • Promoted by: Pala dynasty of Bengal
🧠 Famous Buddhist Scholars
  • Nagarjuna — “Einstein of India”; founder of Madhyamaka school; Madhyamika Karika; Shanyvada; contemporary of Satavahana king Yajnashri Gautamiputra
  • Ashvaghosa — Poet, dramatist, philosopher; Buddhacharita (biography of Buddha), Saundarananda; contemporary of Kanishka
  • Asanga — Founder of Yogachara/Vijnanavada school; 4th century CE
  • Vasubandhu — Brother of Asanga; systematised Yogachara; wrote Abhidharmakosha
  • Dignaga — Founder of Buddhist logic (Nyaya school) — “the Aristotle of India”
  • Dharmakirti — Philosopher; student of Dignaga; Buddhist logic
  • Buddhaghosa — 5th century CE; wrote Visuddhimagga (The Path of Purification); commentaries on Digha Nikaya (Sumangalavilasini)
  • Chandragomin — Known as “Vyakarancharya” (grammarian) and poet
  • Chandrakirti — Madhyamaka philosopher; commentaries on Nagarjuna
⭐ Ashvaghosa, Nagarjuna asked in UPSC
🏗️ Buddhist Architecture
  • Stupa: Hemispherical dome structure containing relics of Buddha or Buddhist monks; earliest stupas at Sanchi, Bharhut, Amaravati, Sarnath
  • Chaitya: A Buddhist prayer hall containing a stupa; term also used for a sacred enclosure
  • Vihara: Buddhist monastery — residential quarters for monks
  • Oldest Buddha sculpture: Mathura style (Kushan period); also Gandhara style (Greco-Buddhist)
  • Dharmachakra mudra: The preaching mudra — associated with Buddha’s First Sermon at Sarnath; used in Gandhara art
📉 Decline of Buddhism in India
  • Loss of royal patronage after the Guptas
  • Revival of Brahmanical Hinduism — especially Bhakti movement
  • Absorption into Hinduism — Buddha was accepted as an avatar of Vishnu
  • Corruption in the Sangha — monks began acquiring wealth and engaging in rituals
  • Destruction by Mahmud of Ghazni — attacked Nalanda and other monasteries
  • Nalanda destroyed by Bakhtiyar Khilji (1203 CE) — decisive blow
  • Split into sects — weakened the unified movement
📚 Important Texts of Jainism A. Jain Canonical Literature (Agamas)
12 Angas (Core Canonical Texts)
  • The most sacred scriptures — believed to be teachings of Mahavira
  • Written in Ardhamagadhi Prakrit
  • Compiled at the First Jain Council (Pataliputra, c. 300 BCE)
  • Digambaras believe the original Angas are lost
  • Most important Anga: Acharanga Sutra — contains rules of conduct for monks; oldest Jain text
  • Other Angas: Sutrakritanga, Sthananga, etc.
⭐ Language: Ardhamagadhi Prakrit
Kalpa Sutra
  • Author: Bhadrabahu
  • Contains biographies of Tirthankaras (especially Mahavira and Parshvanatha)
  • Contains rules of conduct for monks and nuns
  • Recited during the important Jain festival of Paryushana
  • Key source for: Jain rituals, Mahavira’s life
⭐ UPSC Prelims Linked
Tattvartha Sutra
  • Author: Umasvati (Umasvami)
  • Language: Sanskrit (unique — most Jain texts are in Prakrit)
  • Accepted by both Digambara and Shwetambara sects
  • Systematic philosophical treatise on Jain doctrine
  • Contains the Seven Fundamentals (Tattvas): Jiva, Ajiva, Asrava, Bandha, Samvara, Nirjara, Moksha
⭐ Only text accepted by both Jain sects
Parishishtaparvan
  • Author: Hemachandra
  • Contains political history of the Mauryan period — important historical source
  • Hemachandra was the great Jain scholar at the court of Kumarapala (Solanki dynasty)
Dravyasamgraha
  • Author: Nemichandra
  • Deals with Jain metaphysics and cosmology
Jain Agamas — Valabhi Council
  • Final compilation of Shwetambara canon done at the Second Jain Council at Valabhi (Gujarat, c. 5th–6th century CE)
  • Presided by Devardhigani Kshamasramana
Jain Puranas (Historical)
  • Adi Purana — adapted from Hindu Puranic tradition
  • Jain texts are also important for secular history — especially the Jain chronicles of Gujarat
  • Language of Jain texts: Ardhamagadhi (earliest), then Prakrit, Sanskrit, later Apabhramsha
📚 Important Texts of Buddhism A. Tripitaka — The Three Baskets (Most Important)
Vinaya Pitaka
  • Rules of monastic discipline for monks (Bhikkhus) and nuns (Bhikkhunis)
  • Origin and organization of the Sangha
  • Compiled at the First Buddhist Council by Upali
  • UPSC Angle: Social organization of Buddhist Sangha
Sutta Pitaka (Sutta = Sutra)
  • Contains the sermons and discourses of Buddha
  • Compiled by Ananda at the First Buddhist Council
  • Five Nikayas (Collections):
    • Digha Nikaya — Long discourses (34 suttas)
    • Majjhima Nikaya — Middle-length discourses
    • Samyutta Nikaya — Grouped/connected discourses
    • Anguttara Nikaya — Numerical discourses
    • Khuddaka Nikaya — Minor texts (includes Dhammapada, Jataka tales, Therigatha)
Abhidhamma Pitaka
  • Philosophical and psychological analysis of Buddhist doctrine
  • Buddhist metaphysics and analytical philosophy
  • Compiled at the Third Buddhist Council under Ashoka
B. Important Buddhist Texts Outside Tripitaka
Jataka Tales
  • 547 stories of Buddha’s previous births (past lives)
  • Extremely important for social and economic history of ancient India
  • Part of Khuddaka Nikaya
  • Depicted on reliefs at Bharhut, Sanchi, and Amaravati
  • Most famous Jataka: Khuddaka Nikaya sub-section
⭐ Art link — Sanchi, Bharhut
Dhammapada
  • Collection of ethical verses (423 verses)
  • Part of Khuddaka Nikaya
  • Theme: Middle Path, morality, mental discipline
  • One of the most popular Buddhist texts globally
Milinda Panha (Milindapanha)
  • Dialogue between Indo-Greek king Menander (Milinda) and the Buddhist monk Nagasena
  • Important for: Logical exposition of Buddhist philosophy
  • Historical source for Indo-Greek relations
⭐ UPSC Prelims asked — Indo-Greek connection
Buddhacharita
  • Author: Ashvaghosha
  • A biography of Gautama Buddha in Sanskrit verse
  • First full-length biography of Buddha
Visuddhimagga (Path of Purification)
  • Author: Buddhaghosa (5th century CE)
  • Describes the path from monastic discipline to Nirvana/Nibbana
  • Written in Pali
  • Considered the “encyclopaedia of Theravada Buddhism”
Mahavastu
  • School: Lokottaravada (sub-sect of Mahasanghika)
  • Contains life of Buddha — semi-biographical
C. Mahayana Buddhist Texts
Prajnaparamita Sutras
  • Associated with Nagarjuna and Madhyamaka school
  • Theme: Shunyata (Emptiness) — all phenomena are empty of inherent existence
  • Includes the famous Heart Sutra and Diamond Sutra
Lotus Sutra (Saddharma Pundarika)
  • Theme: Universal Buddhahood — all beings can attain enlightenment
  • One of the most influential Mahayana texts
  • Hugely important in East Asian Buddhism
Lankavatara Sutra
  • Associated with Yogachara/Vijnanavada philosophy
  • Theme: Mind-only doctrine (all phenomena are projections of the mind)
D. Historical/Chronicle Buddhist Texts
Dipavamsa & Mahavamsa
  • Dipavamsa: Chronicle of Sri Lankan Buddhism — oldest Pali chronicle
  • Mahavamsa: Written by Mahinda (son of Ashoka); major source for Ashokan period and Sri Lanka’s history
⭐ Important for Ashoka’s history
Therigatha
  • Songs/poems composed by senior Buddhist nuns (Theris = Elder Nuns)
  • Part of Khuddaka Nikaya
  • One of the earliest collections of women’s literature in the world
⚖️ Buddhism vs Jainism — Key Differences
God Jainism: Recognises gods (Brahmanical gods included); Tirthankaras are supreme
Buddhism: Buddha neither accepted nor denied God; focused on individual liberation
Soul (Atman) Jainism: Believes in eternal Jiva (soul); also in transmigration of soul
Buddhism: Denies permanent soul — doctrine of Anatta (No-Self); no transmigrating soul
Ahimsa Jainism: Extreme — even agriculture is avoided; strict vegetarianism
Buddhism: Moderate — prohibits killing but allows eating meat in some circumstances
Asceticism Jainism: Extreme asceticism is the path — Sallekhana (ritual death by fasting)
Buddhism: Middle Path — rejects both extreme asceticism and luxury
Salvation Jainism: Kaivalya — possible only after death; not for women (Digambara view)
Buddhism: Nirvana — possible during one’s own lifetime; women can also attain
Language Jainism: Ardhamagadhi Prakrit (texts); spoken in Prakrit
Buddhism: Pali (Theravada texts); Sanskrit (Mahayana texts)
Karma Jainism: Karma is a real physical substance that sticks to the soul
Buddhism: Karma is a moral force (action and intention) — not a physical substance
Women Jainism: Digambaras — women cannot attain moksha; Shwetambaras — they can
Buddhism: Buddha initially reluctant but allowed women in Sangha — women can attain Nirvana
Spread Jainism: Primarily stayed in India (Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka)
Buddhism: Spread across Asia — became a world religion
Key Philosophy Jainism: Anekantavada, Syadvada
Buddhism: Madhyamaka (Nagarjuna), Vijnanavada (Asanga), Pratitya Samutpada
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⚡ Quick Revision — High-Yield One-Liners
  • First Tirthankara of Jainism → Rishabhanatha (Adinath) — mentioned in Rigveda
  • 24th Tirthankara → Vardhamana Mahavira
  • Parshvanatha added → 4 vows; Mahavira added → 5th vow (Brahmacharya)
  • Mahavira born at → Kundagrama (near Vaishali); died at Pavapuri
  • Buddha born at → Lumbini; enlightened at Bodh Gaya; first sermon at Sarnath; died at Kushinagar
  • First Buddhist Council → Rajagriha; patron Ajatashatru; presided by Mahakassapa
  • Third Buddhist Council → Pataliputra; patron Ashoka; presided by Mogaliputta Tissa
  • Fourth Buddhist Council → Kashmir; patron Kanishka; led to Hinayana–Mahayana split
  • Hinayana texts → Pali; Mahayana texts → Sanskrit
  • Nagarjuna → Einstein of India; Madhyamaka/Shunyavada; Mahayana Buddhism
  • Ashvaghosa → Buddhacharita (biography of Buddha); contemporary of Kanishka
  • Buddhaghosa → Visuddhimagga; Sumangalavilasini (commentary on Digha Nikaya)
  • Only text accepted by both Jain sects → Tattvartha Sutra (Umasvati)
  • Kalpa Sutra → Bhadrabahu; biographies of Tirthankaras; recited during Paryushana
  • Milinda Panha → Dialogue of king Menander (Milinda) and monk Nagasena
  • Dhammapada → 423 ethical verses; part of Khuddaka Nikaya
  • Jataka Tales → 547 stories of Buddha’s past lives; depicted at Sanchi and Bharhut
  • Therigatha → Poems of senior Buddhist nuns; earliest women’s literature
  • Mahavamsa → Written by Mahinda; key source for Ashoka’s era
  • Maitreya → Future Buddha; holds water phial (Mahayana)
  • Shunyata → Nagarjuna’s concept of Emptiness (Madhyamaka)
  • Anatta → No-Soul doctrine of Buddhism (fundamental difference from Jainism)
  • Pratitya Samutpada → Dependent Origination (12 links of causation) — core Buddhist concept
  • Chandragupta Maurya → Converted to Jainism; died by Sallekhana at Shravanabelagola
  • Suttapitaka compiled by → Ananda (at 1st Council); Ananda was Buddha’s personal attendant
  • Vinaya Pitaka compiled by → Upali (at 1st Council)

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