With reference to the history of ancient India, which of the following was/were common to both Buddhism and Jainism? 1. Avoidance of extremities of penance and enjoyment 2. Indifference to the authority of the Vedas 3. Denial of efficacy of rituals Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Contents15
- A1 only
- B2 and 3 only
- C1 and 3 only
- D1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: (B) 2 and 3 only
Buddhism and Jainism share two key features:
Indifference to the authority of the Vedas (statement 2) — both rejected the Vedas as the ultimate religious authority, unlike orthodox Hindu schools.
Denial of efficacy of rituals (statement 3) — both opposed elaborate Vedic rituals and animal sacrifices.
Statement 1 is the trap:
'Avoidance of extremities of penance and enjoyment' describes the Buddhist Middle Path (Madhyama Pratipada) specifically.
Jainism, on the other hand, strongly advocates severe ascetic practices and extreme penance — so this is NOT common to both.
Source: NCERT Ancient India.
Answer: 2 and 3 only.
Buddhism and Jainism were both heterodox schools that rejected Vedic authority and ritualism, distinguishing them from orthodox Hindu traditions.
The trap here is confusing Buddhism's Middle Path with Jainism's extreme asceticism - Jainism actually promotes severe penance, not moderation.
UPSC tests whether students can distinguish the specific doctrinal differences between these two major heterodox schools beyond their shared opposition to Vedic orthodoxy.
Buddhism: Core Doctrines & Middle Path
Ancient And Medieval History Buddhism extremities of penance and enjoyment Middle Path
Buddhism: Core Doctrines & the Middle Path
Middle Path (Madhyama Pratipada) — avoid extreme penance and extreme enjoyment
Four Noble Truths — suffering, its cause, its cessation, and the path
Eightfold Path — practical steps to achieve Nirvana
Buddha lived 6th century BCE, contemporary of Mahavira
Buddha's Unique Approach
Gautama Buddha discovered the Middle Path after experiencing both extreme luxury (as a prince) and extreme asceticism (six years of severe penance). He concluded that neither extreme leads to enlightenment.
Core Buddhist Doctrines
Doctrine | Sanskrit Term | Key Teaching |
|---|---|---|
Four Noble Truths | Arya Satyani | Life involves suffering; caused by desire; can be ended; Eightfold Path shows how |
Middle Path | Madhyama Pratipada | Avoid extremes of luxury and severe penance |
Eightfold Path | Astangika Marga | Right understanding, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, concentration |
Three Jewels | Triratna | Buddha (teacher), Dhamma (teaching), Sangha (community) |
Trap: Middle Path is unique to Buddhism — Jainism advocates extreme penance, not moderation
Confusion: Don't mix Buddha's Middle Path with Jain ahimsa — both are core but different concepts
Timeline: Buddha and Mahavira were contemporaries in 6th century BCE, not different periods
Jainism: Core Doctrines & Asceticism
Ancient And Medieval History Jainism extremities of penance
Jainism: Core Doctrines & Extreme Asceticism
Extreme asceticism — severe penance and self-mortification are central
Ahimsa (non-violence) — most strict interpretation among all religions
24 Tirthankaras — Mahavira was the 24th, not the founder
Three jewels: Right faith, right knowledge, right conduct
Jain Approach to Liberation
Jainism advocates extreme ascetic practices to purify the soul (jiva) and achieve liberation (moksha). Unlike Buddhism's Middle Path, Jains believe severe penance burns away karma and leads to spiritual progress.
Core Jain Doctrines
Doctrine | Sanskrit Term | Key Teaching |
|---|---|---|
Five Vows | Pancha Vratas | Ahimsa, truthfulness, non-stealing, celibacy, non-attachment |
Extreme Asceticism | Tapasya | Severe penance, fasting, self-mortification for spiritual progress |
Three Jewels | Ratnatraya | Right faith (samyak darshan), right knowledge, right conduct |
Karma Theory | Karma Siddhanta | Soul bound by karma particles; extreme penance burns them away |
Jain Ascetic Practices
Sallekhana — voluntary fasting unto death when spiritually ready
Digambara monks remain completely naked to show non-attachment
Elaborate fasting — some Jain festivals involve fasting for days or weeks
Self-mortification — deliberately causing bodily discomfort to purify the soul
Major Trap: Jainism promotes extreme penance, opposite of Buddhist Middle Path
Confusion: Mahavira was 24th Tirthankara, not the founder — Rishabhanatha was first
Timeline: Mahavira died in 527 BCE, roughly same period as Buddha
Buddhism-Jainism: Shared Characteristics
Ancient And Medieval History Buddhism and Jainism authority of the Vedas efficacy of rituals
Buddhism & Jainism: Common Opposition to Vedic Orthodoxy
Both rejected Vedic authority — called 'nastika' (heterodox) schools
Both opposed elaborate rituals and animal sacrifices
Both emerged in 6th century BCE as reform movements
Both used local languages, not Sanskrit
Revolutionary Context
Both Buddhism and Jainism emerged as heterodox (nastika) schools challenging Brahmanical orthodoxy in 6th century BCE. They questioned the supreme authority of Vedas and the elaborate ritual system dominated by Brahmin priests.
Shared Opposition to Vedic System
Aspect | Vedic Orthodoxy | Buddhism & Jainism |
|---|---|---|
Religious Authority | Vedas are supreme, infallible | Rejected Vedic authority — experience and reasoning matter |
Ritual System | Elaborate sacrifices, animal killing | Opposed rituals — inner purification more important |
Priestly Class | Brahmins as intermediaries | Direct path — no need for priest intermediaries |
Language | Sanskrit for religious texts | Local languages — Pali (Buddhism), Prakrit (Jainism) |
Other Shared Features
Karma and rebirth — both accepted these concepts (though interpreted differently)
Non-violence — both opposed animal sacrifices in Vedic rituals
Monastic orders — both established Sanghas for monks and nuns
Appeal to merchants — both attracted trading communities dissatisfied with rigid caste system
Key Trap: Both share rejection of Vedas and ritual opposition — but NOT Middle Path
Classification: Both are nastika (heterodox), unlike astika schools (Vedanta, Yoga, Sankhya)
Language Trap: Buddhism used Pali, Jainism used Prakrit — not Sanskrit
Rejection of Vedic Authority
Ancient And Medieval History authority of the Vedas Indifference to the authority
Vedic Authority & Its Rejection by Heterodox Schools
Vedas considered supreme religious authority in orthodox Hinduism
Astika schools accept Vedic authority — Vedanta, Yoga, Sankhya
Nastika schools reject Vedic authority — Buddhism, Jainism, Charvaka
6th century BCE saw rise of multiple nastika schools
What Vedic Authority Meant
In ancient India, Vedic authority meant accepting the four Vedas (Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, Atharvaveda) as the supreme, infallible source of religious truth. Orthodox schools built their philosophies on Vedic foundations.
Orthodox vs Heterodox Classification
Classification | Sanskrit Term | Attitude to Vedas | Major Schools |
|---|---|---|---|
Orthodox | Astika | Accept Vedic authority | Vedanta, Yoga, Sankhya, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa |
Heterodox | Nastika | Reject/ignore Vedic authority | Buddhism, Jainism, Charvaka, Ajivika |
Why Heterodox Schools Rejected Vedas
Direct experience over scriptural authority — Buddha's enlightenment, Jain meditation
Rational inquiry — questioning rather than blind faith in ancient texts
Social reform — Vedic system supported rigid caste hierarchy
Accessibility — used local languages instead of Sanskrit
Terminology: Nastika means 'rejects Vedas', not 'atheist' in modern sense
Confusion: Charvaka was materialist AND nastika — but Buddhism/Jainism were spiritual nastika schools
Classification: Six orthodox schools are all astika — any rejection of Vedas makes a school nastika