TEACHINGS OF BUDDHA & MAHAVIRA

Gautam Buddha was one of the greatest religious teachers that the world has seen. He is the founder of Buddhism, a religion that is popular in Burma, China, Japan, Thailand and other South Eastern Countries. 

TEACHINGS OF BUDDHA

Buddha was born in 563 B.C. as Siddhartha, the prince of Kapilavastu (in Nepal).

Buddha's father, Suddhodana, was king of the Sakhyas. Buddha's mother was named Maya.

Maya died seven days after her son's birth. The child was brought up by Maya's sister Mahaprajapati, who became his foster-mother.

The name Siddhartha means "wish-fulfilled" or "one who has accomplished his goal". 

It was predicted that Siddhartha would give up all the worldly pleasures and follow a simple life.

The Birth of Buddha

Suddhodana apprehended that his son may become a recluse and turn away from the world if he was left to himself.

 Siddhartha was married off at the age of sixteen. His wife's name was Yasodhara and he had a son named Rahul.

One day he ventured out of the palace and saw suffering, pain and death for the first time.

He felt that one day he would also become a prey to old age, disease and death. This experience changed his life. He realized that worldly happiness was transitory.

One day, at midnight, Siddhartha left the palace, giving up his wife and young son, Rahul.

Renunciation

Buddha spent many years in the company of saints and finally one day when he was sitting under the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya (Bihar, India) he was blessed with the divine light.

This was the turning point, as he realized that the truth is within every human being. The search outside was pointless.

After this, Siddhartha was known all over the world as Buddha, the “Enlightened One”. He was also known by the name of Sakhya Muni, which meant an ascetic of the Sakhya tribe.

This awakening was achieved during a night of meditation, which passed through various stages as the illumination that Gautama had sought slowly welled up in his heart.

Enlightenment

In the first stage, he saw each of his previous existences, and then understood the chain of cause and effect.

In the second, he surveyed the death and rebirth of all living beings and understood the law that governs the cycle of birth and death.

In the third, he identified the Four Noble Truths: the universality of suffering the cause of suffering through

selfish desire the solution to suffering and the way to overcome suffering.

This final point is called the Noble Eightfold Path.

Enlightenment

Right Intentions

The Eight- Fold Path

Right View

Right Mindful-

ness

Right Speech

Right Concentra

-tion

Right Effort Right

Livelihood

Right Action

Lord Buddha preached: "We will have to find out the cause of sorrow and the way to escape from it.

The desire for sensual enjoyment and clinging to earthly life is the cause of sorrow.

If we can eradicate desire, all sorrows and pains will come to an end. We will enjoy Nirvana or eternal peace. 

According to Buddhism, by following the eightfold path one could overcome desires, which are the root cause of grief and misery.

Buddha died in 483 BC at the age of 80 years.

Jainism is one of the world's oldest religions. This ancient religion was passed on to us through the high spiritual genius of one of the greatest religious teachers of all time, Mahavira. However, Mahavira was not the founder of Jainism. He brought together in a systematic form the beliefs and philosophy of his predecessors, preached them widely throughout his home country, and lay the foundations of an organized Jain 'church' with monks, nuns and lay persons following his teachings. The social order which he created has endured to the present day.

TEACHINGS OF MAHAVIRA

Lord Mahavira was the twenty-fourth and the last Tirthankara of the Jain religion.

Mahavira was born in 599 B.C as a prince in Bihar, India.

At the age of 30, he left his family and royal household, gave up his worldly possessions, including clothing and become a monk. According to Jain philosophy, all Tirthankaras were born as human beings but they had attained a state of perfection or enlightenment through meditation and self realization.

Tirthankaras are the Gods of Jains.

Tirthankaras are also known as Arihants or Jinas.

Tirthankara - One who establishes the four fold order (Monk, Nun, Layman, and Laywoman) of religion.

 Arihant - One who destroys his inner enemies like anger, greed, passion, ego, etc.

Jina - One who conquers his inner enemies like anger, greed, passion, ego, etc.

The followers of Jina are known as Jains.

The Three Jewels of Jainism

Mahavira taught that the real path to free the soul from the bondage of karma was to follow the three-fold path.

First, we must have RIGHT FAITH , we must believe in truth. Second, we must have the RIGHT KNOWLEDGE, we must study to understand what life is all about.

Third, we must follow RIGHT CONDUCT, the conduct which our faith and knowledge show us to be correct.

These are the 'three jewels', or ratnatraya of Jainism.

Mahavira persevered with this austere life style, marked by long spells of fasting and other penances, and by deep meditation.

He carefully avoided harming or annoying other living beings including animals, birds, and plants.

These qualities earned him the name Mahavira, meaning very brave and courageous.

During this period, his spiritual powers developed fully and at the end he was able to reach a stage of absolute realization of self.

This realization is known as keval jnana or the perfect enlightenment.

The Five Pillars of Jainism

At the heart of RIGHT CONDUCT for Jains lie the five great vows:Nonviolence (Ahimsa) - not to cause harm to any living beingsTruthfulness (Satya) - to speak the harmless truth only Non-stealing (Asteya) - not to take anything not properly givenChastity (Brahmacharya) - not to indulge in sensual pleasure Non-possession/Non-attachment (Aparigraha) - complete detachment from people, places, and material things.

Jains hold these vows at the center of their lives. The monks and nuns follow these vows strictly and totally, while the common people try to follow the vows as far as their life styles will permit.

Mahavira organized his followers, into a four-fold order, namely:

monk (Sadhu), nun (Sadhvi), layman (Shravak), and laywoman (Shravika).

Later on they were known as Jains.

The ultimate objective of his teaching is to preach how one can attain total freedom from the cycle of birth, life, pain, misery, and death, and thus achieve the permanent blissful state of one's self.

This is also known as liberation, nirvana, absolute freedom, or Moksha.

Mahavira made religion simple and natural, free from elaborate ritual complexities. His teachings reflected the inner beauty and harmony of the soul.

Mahavira taught the idea of supremacy of human life and stressed on the importance of a positive attitude in life.

 Mahavira's message of nonviolence (Ahimsa), truth (Satya), non stealing (Achaurya), celibacy (Brahma charya), and non possession (Aparigraha) were based on universal compassion.

Mahavira's message reflects the freedom and spiritual joy that a living being (the soul) is capable of achieving.

 

  

Significant Teachings of Lord Mahavira

Mahavira said that, 'A living body is not merely an integration of limbs and flesh but it an abode of the soul which potentially has perfect perception (Anant darshana), perfect knowledge (Anant gyana), perfect power (Anant virya), and perfect bliss (Anant sukha).

Mahavira emphasized that all living beings, irrespective of their size, shape, and form, spiritually developed or undeveloped, are equal, and we should love and respect them. In this manner, he preached the gospel of universal love.

Mahavira rejected the concept of God as a creator, a protector, and a destroyer of the universe. He also denounced the worship of gods and goddesses as a means of material gain and personal benefit.

Significant Teachings of Lord Mahavira

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