THE BUDDHA

• Also known as Sakyamuni or Tathagata.
• Born in 536 BC. On the vaishakha poornima day at Lumbini ( near Kapilavastu) in Nepal.
• His father Suddhodhana was the Saka ruler.
• His mother (Mahamaya, of Kosala dynasty) died after 7 days of his birth. Brought up by the stepmother Gautami.
• Married at 16 to Yashodhara. Enjoyed the marital life for 13 years and had a son named Rahula.
• After seeing an old man, a sick man, a corpse and an ascetic, he decided to become a Wanderer.
• Left his place at 29 in search of truth ( also called ‘Mahabhinishkramana’ or the Great Renunciation ) and wandered for 6 years .
• Attained ‘Enlightenment’ at 35 at Gaya in Magadha (Bihar) under the Pipal tree.
• Delivered the first sermon at Sarnath where his five disciples had settled . His first sermon is called ‘Dharmachakrapravartan’ or ‘Turning of the wheel of law’.
• Attained Mahaparinirvanda at Kushinagar (identical with village Kasia in Deoria district of UP) in 483 BC at the age of 80 in the Malla Republic.

BUDDHIST  COUNCILS

• FIRST COUNCIL: At Rajgriha , in 483 BC under the chairmanship of Mehakassaapa ( King was Ajatshatru). Divided the teachings of Buddha into two Pitakas- Vinaya Pitaka and Sutta Pitaka.
• SECOND COUNCIL : At Vaishali, in 383 BC under Sabakami (King was Kalasoka). Followers divided into Sthavirmadins and
• THIRD COUNCIL :  At Pataliputra, in 250 BC under  Mogaliputta Tissa (king was Ashoka). In this, the third part of the Tripitaka was coded in the Pali language.
• FOURTH COUNCIL: At kashmir ( Kundalvan), in 72 AD under Vasumitra (King was Kaniska. Vice-Chairman was Ashwaghosha). Divided Buddhism into Mahayana and Hinayana

BUDDIST  LITERATURE

• In Pali language.

    VINAYA  PITAKA

• Rules of dicipline in Buddism.

    SUTTA    PITAKA

• Largest, contains collection of Buddha’s sermons.

    ABHIDHAMMA  PITAKA

• Explanation of the philosophical principles of the Buddhist religion.

JAINISM

• Founded by Rishaba.
• There were 24 Tirthankaras ( Prophets or Gurus ), all Kshatriyas. First was Rishabnath (Emblem: Bull).
• The 23^rd Tirthankar Parshwanath (Emblem : Snake ) was the son of king Ashvasena of Banaras.
• The 24^th and the last Tirthankar was Vardaman Mahavira ( Emblem : Lion ). He was born in Kundagram (District Muzaffarpur, Bihar) in 599 BC.
• His father Sidhartha was the head of Jnatrika clan.
• His mother was Trishala, sister of Lichchavi Prince Chetak of Vaishali.
• Mahavira was related to Bimbisara.
• Married to Yahoda, had a daughter named Priyadarsena, whose husband Jamali became his first disciple.
• At 30, after the death of his parents, he became an ascetic.
• In the 13^th year of his asceticism (on the 10^th of Vaishakha), outside the town of Jrimbhikgrama, attained supreme knowledge (Kaivalya).
• From now on he was called Jaina or Jitendriya and Mahavira, and his followers were named Jains. He also got the title of Arihant, i.e worthy.
• At the age of 72, attained death at Pava, near Patna, in 527 BC.
• Mahavira preached almost the same message as Parsvanath and added one more, Brahmcharya (celibacy) to it.