HINDUISM, JAINISM AND BUDDHISM – THE THREE FOUNTAINHEADS OF FUNDAMENTAL INDIAN SPIRITUAL WISDOM – THEIR MUTUAL LINKS AND COMPARISON

HINDUISM, JAINISM AND BUDDHISM – THE THREE FOUNTAINHEADS OF FUNDAMENTAL INDIAN SPIRITUAL WISDOM – THEIR MUTUAL LINKS AND COMPARISON

India, the land of mystic speculations and the birthplace of profound philosophies, is particularly enriched and livened by three Major Religio-Spirituo-Philosophical traditions, namely Hinduism (Formerly alternatively known as The Vedic Religion or The Brahminical Religion or sometimes simply as The Sanatan Dharma {Or The Eternal Religion, owing to the remoteness in antiquity of it’s origin}), Jainism-The Religion of Ascetism, Austerities and Penance AND Buddhism, the largest Religion of Eastern and South East Asian Regions today. All three of them originated in India but created separate destinies for themselves. While Hinduism, the original Major Religious Current of the Indian Subcontinent, remained confined to this country, but it is the largest of the three religions today in terms of number of adherents. The Other two religious Movements, Jainism and Buddhism could not challenge Hinduism for long. Whereas Buddhism almost got extinct in the country of it’s origin within 1500-1600 years of it’s birth, Jainism was always there but confined to a few regions and among few people.

Hinduism, is undisputedly, called the Mother of all Indian Religions (Here, by Indian Religions is meant only those Religions which originated in India, and not those which came here from Foreign Lands. Definitely the religions in the Latter Case, and their religionists are as much ‘Indians’ today as anybody else). In it’s early years Hinduism gave birth to Many Philosophies, sects, cults, etc. One Significant event in the churning process that took place in the 6^th Century BC in a Certain Region of Northern India (The Regions now occupied by Modern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Nepal) was the birth and development of two Strong, Distinguished and Potent Religio-Philosophical Movements - Jainism and Buddhism. These two religions rejected the authority of the Vedas and hence were banished from the Hindu Fold.  However in the Pluralist-Liberal-All Encompassing India, these Religions were hardly ever Persecuted or even looked down upon.

The three Religions differed on certain important aspects of Philosophy, Ethics, Rituals, Societal Norms as they ought to be, etc. However all three Religions shared a Common Belief in Rebirth and The Karma Theory (The Eternal Law of Cause and Effect). Hinduism believes in a strong Soul and Strongest God (Brahman), Jainism negates the existence of God but believes in a very strong Soul, while Buddhism is the Middle Path Between Nihilism and Selfism, and believes not in exactly in a soul but in certain ‘Changing Entity’ which takes Birth Again and again.

While Jainism Prescribes complete Austerities, Penance and abstinence for it’s Followers ; Buddhism is for the Middle path Between Sensualities of Charvak and Austerities of the Jains.

THE COMMON THREAD AND THE MESSAGE IMPORT-:

All the three Religions essentially stand for social harmony. They teach concern for ‘the other’. They profess and practice high reverence for life, even for the smallest forms. If I were to define each of the three Religions in one word each and then infer the link between the three, I would state something like this -:

Hinduism predominantly emphasizes Love (Prema) for all beings, Jainism sums up it’s Philosophy and ethics in the Practice of Non-Violence (Ahimsa) while Buddhism Centers around developing the Quality of Compassion (Karuna). Now – When Compassion has fully developed and established in the Mind, only then one can Practice Complete Non Violence for all Beings, and By practicing Non Violence Day and Night, the person starts loving everything and everyone.

Thus wee see the three Religions are serially linked. And it’s not as if one states something by excluding other things, it’s only the case of Differences in Emphasis.

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