A Select Comparison of Passages from Early Buddhist and Jain Texts

Dr. Kenji Watanabe conducts a comparative textual analysis of early Buddhist and Jain scriptures, highlighting parallel phrasing and shared philosophical ideas, especially regarding moral restraint, purity, and the cessation of karma. Key Comparative Insights 1. Common Ethical Foundations i) Dhammapada 183 and Acaranga Sutra II.15 both advocate: ii) Avoidance of sinful acts (sabbapāpassa akaraṇaṁ / savvam me akaranijjam pāvakammaṁ). iii) Cultivation of good (kusala / samayika cāritra). iv) Purification or restraint of the mind (sacittapariyodāpanaṁ / samayika = equanimity). 2. Terminological Parallels i) Buddhist “kusala” (wholesome, karmically good) closely resembles Jain “samayika cāritra” (right conduct). ii) Both traditions emphasize moral discipline as a way to check karmic influx. 3. Restraint through the Sense Organs i) Dhammapada 360–361 and Isibhāsiyāiṁ 29 promote restraint (samvara) over eyes, ears, tongue, and mind, to prevent karma. ii) Jain texts like Sūtrakṛtāṅga and Āyāraṅga similarly emphasize five-sense restraint under the vows of Mahāvīra. 4. Interpretation of “vari” and “varam” i) In Samannaphala Sutta, the phrase sabba vari varito (traditionally “abstaining from all water”) may actually reflect Jain “varana” (to ward off evil), pointing to a shared or misinterpreted Jain context in Buddhist texts. ii) The word “vari” has multiple meanings—water, warding off, or time/always—depending on context and manuscript tradition. 5. Historical & Philological Observations i) Many Buddhist teachings attributed to Nigaṇṭha Nātaputta (Mahāvīra) in Pāli texts show strong Jaina influence or direct borrowing. ii) The similarities are not coincidental but stem from a common socio-religious tradition in ancient India.

Summary reviewed by a volunteer editor.