Chapter Overview

In the 6th–5th century BCE the middle Gangetic plain produced a burst of new religious movements that rejected Vedic ritual and the authority of the Brahmanas. Two of them — Jainism (जैन धर्म) under Mahavira and Buddhism (बौद्ध धर्म) under Gautama Buddha — went on to shape Indian ethics, art and literature, and Buddhism spread across Asia. This chapter covers the background, the two founders and their philosophies, and the councils and sects into which Buddhism later divided. It also covers the traces of both faiths in Chhattisgarh: the Buddhist viharas of Sirpur, Xuanzang’s account of Kosala, the brick chaitya at Bhongapal, and the Jain Bhand Deval at Arang.

What You’ll Learn

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

Explain the religious, social, economic and political causes of the rise of heterodox sects
Match the six heterodox teachers, including Makkhali Gosala of the Ajivikas, with their doctrines
State the key facts of Mahavira’s life, the 24 Tirthankaras and their symbols, and the five vows
Explain Triratna, anekantavada and syadvada, and the Digambara–Svetambara split
State the key events of the Buddha’s life, with places and symbols
Explain the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, anatta and pratityasamutpada
Tabulate the four Buddhist councils and distinguish Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana
Write Mains answers on Jainism vs Buddhism and on the decline of Buddhism, with a Chhattisgarh angle

Prerequisites

The Vedic Age — the sacrificial religion and varna order the new sects challenged
Mahajanapadas, Magadha and the Mauryan Empire — the kingdoms and gana-sanghas in which they arose (can be read in parallel)

Learning Path

Follow the topics in this order:

graph TD
    A["1. Religious ferment
causes, six teachers,
Ajivikas, Charvakas"] --> B["2. Mahavira and Jainism
Tirthankaras, five vows,
anekantavada, councils, sects"]
    B --> C["3. Buddha and his teaching
life, Four Truths, Eightfold Path,
Jainism vs Buddhism"]
    C --> D["4. Buddhist councils and sects
Tripitaka, Mahayana, Vajrayana,
spread and decline"]
    D --> E["5. Quick Revision
One-page sheet"]
    E --> F["Next chapter:
Mahajanapadas, Magadha
and the Mauryas"]

Topics in This Chapter

#	Topic	What it covers
1	Religious Ferment of the 6th Century BCE	Causes; shramana vs brahmana; the six heterodox teachers; Ajivikas and the Barabar caves; Charvakas; early Bhagavatism
2	Mahavira and Jain Philosophy	Tirthankaras and symbols; Mahavira’s life; Triratna; five vows; anekantavada and syadvada; Jain councils; Digambara and Svetambara; Arang and Nagpura
3	Buddha and Buddhist Philosophy	The Buddha’s life, places and symbols; Four Noble Truths; Eightfold Path; anatta and dependent origination; Sangha; Jainism vs Buddhism
4	Buddhist Councils, Literature and Sects	Four councils; Tripitaka and other texts; Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana, Navayana; spread and decline; Sirpur, Xuanzang and Bhongapal
—	Quick Revision	Every date, place, person and doctrine on one page

Where It Is Asked

Paper	What to expect
Prelims P-I (Part 1, India GS)	Fact-based MCQs on birthplaces and places of enlightenment and death; Tirthankara symbols; the four Buddhist councils (place, king, president); Jain councils; Digambara vs Svetambara; Hinayana vs Mahayana; matching teachers with doctrines and texts with authors. Statement-based and match-the-following formats are common
Mains P-III (GS-I), History section	Short answers (anekantavada; Eightfold Path; Fourth Council; Ajivikas) and longer analytical answers (causes of the rise of heterodox sects; Jainism vs Buddhism; Theravada vs Mahayana; decline of Buddhism)
Prelims P-I (Part 2, Chhattisgarh) and Mains P-III history of Chhattisgarh	Sirpur’s viharas, Xuanzang’s account of Kosala, Bhongapal, the Bhand Deval of Arang — usually asked from the Regional Dynasties and Tourism and Heritage chapters, but rooted here

Exam focus

High-yield: Mahavira 30 – 42 – 72 and Buddha 29 – 35 – 80; Kundagrama – Jrimbhikagrama – Pavapuri vs Lumbini – Bodh Gaya – Sarnath – Kushinagar; the councils table; symbols of Tirthankaras and of the Buddha’s life events.
Common mistakes: first sermon at Bodh Gaya (it was Sarnath); Mahavira “founder” of Jainism (24th Tirthankara); Mahayana split at Vaishali (Vaishali produced the Sthaviravada–Mahasanghika split); Jain canon in Pali (it is Ardhamagadhi Prakrit).
Chhattisgarh angle for Mains: Sirpur under the Shaiva king Balarjuna, with Buddhist viharas and Jain remains beside Hindu temples — a ready example of religious pluralism.

Quick Reference: Jainism vs Buddhism at a Glance

Point	Jainism	Buddhism
Founder	Mahavira (24th Tirthankara); Parshva (23rd) earlier	Gautama Buddha
Born	Kundagrama near Vaishali	Lumbini near Kapilavastu
Clan / parents	Jnatrika; Siddhartha and Trishala (Lichchhavi)	Shakya; Suddhodana and Mahamaya (Koliya)
Enlightenment	Kaivalya at 42, sal tree, Rijupalika river	Bodhi at 35, pipal tree, Bodh Gaya
Death	Pavapuri, at 72	Kushinagar, at 80
Core teaching	Triratna; five vows; anekantavada	Four Noble Truths; Eightfold Path; Middle Path
Soul	Accepts jiva	Denies a permanent self (anatta)
Canon	Agamas, Ardhamagadhi Prakrit (written at Valabhi)	Tripitaka, Pali (Theravada)
Councils	Pataliputra (Sthulabhadra); Valabhi (Devardhi)	Rajagriha; Vaishali; Pataliputra; Kashmir
Sects	Digambara, Svetambara	Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana
In Chhattisgarh	Bhand Deval, Arang; Parshva Tirth, Nagpura	Sirpur viharas; Bhongapal chaitya

Related chapters:

Start Learning

Begin with the first topic:

→ Religious Ferment of the 6th Century BCE