New Questions And Ideas Facts
Siddhartha (Gautama Buddha) belonged to Sakya. He founded Buddhism about 2500 years ago.
Siddhartha left his home in search of knowledge and meditated under the tree at Bodh Gaya. After his enlightenment, he preached in Samath, near Varanasi for the first time.
Siddhartha taught that how tanha or desiring for more is the reason for suffering. According to him our desire for more could be removed by moderation in everything we do.
- Siddhartha asked people to be kind and follow ahimsa. He highlighted the importance of Karma in life. He used Prakrit the ordinary people’s language for his teachings.
- Other thinkers wanted to know about sacrifices and life after death. Their ideas are recorded in the Upanishads.
- Upanishadic thinkers were rajas or Brahmins, generally men. Some exceptions were Gargi, a woman, and Jabala, a slave.
- Mahavira belonged to Vajji Sangha. He spread the message of Jainism around 2500 years ago. He asked people to leave home in search of truth.
- Mahavira also spoke of ahimsa and taught in Prakrit.
- Jainism asked people to be honest, truthful, follow celibacy. The Jain teachings were written for the first time about 1500 years ago at Valabhi in Gujarat.
- Jainism is still followed even today by millions of persons in western India.
- Buddhism is still followed in many parts of India such as Ladakh, Kinnaur, Kaja, etc.
- It is still followed in many countries such as Sri Lanka, Tibet, Bhutan, Burma, Thailand, Japan, etc.
- Rules for Buddhist sangha were written in Vinaya Ritika.
- Bhikkhus and bhikkhunis lived in cave shelters or viharas. These were more often made and supported by rich people.
- India’s intellectuals explored truth and wrote six systems of philosophy. They are known as Vaishesika, Nyaya, Samkhya, Yoga, Purva Mimansa and Vedanta or Uttara Mimansa.
New Questions And Ideas Keywords
Tanha: Thirst or trishna is called tanha. It is lust, to have more and more in life.
Prakrit: It was the language of the ordinary people at that time. The Buddha taught his disciples and other people through this language so that everybody could understand his message.
Upanishad: These are the philosophical books of the Hindus. These were part of the later Vedic texts. Upanishad literally means ‘approaching and sitting near’ and the texts contain conversations between teachers and students.
Atman: It means soul or individual soul. As per thinkers, it is something permanent in the universe. It would last even after the death.
Brahman: It means the universal soul. An individual’s soul is part of Brahma. Indian thinkers believe that ultimately, both the Atman and the Brahman are one.
Ahimsa: Its literal meaning is non-violence or love for other lives including animals. This principle teaches us to be kind and to respect the lives of all other living things. Buddhism and Jainism emphasize it very much.
Jainas: The followers of Mahavira are called Jainas. They have to lead a very simple life. The word Jaina comes from the term Jina meaning conqueror.
Sangha: An association of those who left their homes. Both the Buddha and Mahavira felt that only those who left their homes could gain true knowledge.
Bhikkhu: It is a Prakrit word for renouncer—beggar. Men and women who joined the sangha went to cities and villages to beg for food during fixed hours.
Vihara: Permanent shelters of bhikkhus and bhikkunis are called Viharas. The earliest Viharas were made of wood, and then of bricks. Some were even dug out in hills, especially in western India.
Ashrama: Here, the word ashrama does not mean a place where people live and meditate. It is used instead for a stage of life. Four ashramas were recognized: brahmacharya, grihastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa
Chaitya: A shrine of Buddhism is called Chaitya.
Jina: A person who has true knowledge or one who has gained true knowledge.
Priyadarshi: The beautiful one.
Samaharta: The revenue collector officer was called Samaharta in ancient north India.
Triratna: Three jewels of life.” Jainism believes in it. These three jewels are Right Conduct, Right Belief, and Right Knowledge.
Panini: He was the greatest scholar who composed the grammar of Sanskrit.
New Questions And Ideas Date Line
About 2500 Years Ago (500 B.C.): Advent of Upanishadic thinkers, Buddha and Mahavira.
Around 1500 Years Ago (500 A.D.): Jain teachings were written down.