Buddhism vs Jainism – Similarities and Difference

•  Both are from Aryan Culture inspired ascetic ideals and the philosophy of the Upanishads, particularly that of Sankhya-Yoga.
•  Neglect of God or an atheistic attitude.
•  Pessimistic attitude that human life is full of misery.
•  Both believe in Transmigration of soul and Karma.
•  Both have origin from Hindu-Sankhya Philosophy. But, they made different changes in it.

•  Both revolted against the then prevalent Brahmanical religion as both these religions were a result of intellectual, spiritual and social forces of their times.

• Both originated in eastern India where time had successfully preserved the pre-Aryan culture.
• From the origin we can partly understand the reasons for their similarities.

• Both these religions were founded by members of the Kshatriya caste and both worked on the uplifting of the socially down-trodden like the Vaishvas and Sudras who were oppressed.
• Since both the Founders namely the Mahavira and Buddha were princes and belonged to the Kshatriya caste, they got help and support from the ruling class and the rich Vaishvas.

• As both oppossed and attacked the cast system, they attracted large converts from the lower classes of the society namely the Vaishvas and the Sudras.
• Both challenged the supremacy of the Brahmanas and were aginst then rituals ans sacrifices of the Brahmanism.

• Both believed that main aim of this life is to break out of the cycle of birth and death called Nirvana or salvation.

• Both refused to believe in the authenticity of Vedas as an error proof authority.

• Both emphasised on mortal life.
• They denied practising ritualism or even worship of God in order to attain Nirvana or salvation.
• Both practice Ahimsa or non-violence.
• Both believe that the deeds of an individual or Karma decides the happiness of his next birth.
• Ultimate salvation is the goal of both the religions.
• Both believed in the idea of giving up the worldly life and lean an ascetic life.
• They organised orders for monks and nuns.

• Preaching was done in the common language of the people.
• Both the religion discarded Sanskrit and the old scriptures.
• Buddist texts were written in Pali and Jaina texts were written in prakrat.

That is why,  Mahavira is always regarded as a reformer of an already existing religion

Focuses on non injury of all beings

Focus on loving all beings

In Janism salvation is freedom from body.

In Buddhism salvation is detachment from the world or destruction of the self.

Buddhism  spread all across Asia.